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Just a garter?

Snyderman

Snyderman

Libertarian
This little guy was sitting in the middle of a parking lot in the Great Smokies Mountains National Park when we visited last May. He was about 14 inches long. I made him scurry into the woods, so that he would not get squished. I have been wondering what type of snake he was. I love his pattern. I would be grateful if someone could identify him. Thanks, Tim
3151695719_269c07728a.jpg


A link to a larger picter http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3265/3151695711_e7d3a5d8df_o.jpg
 
Looks like a Thamnophis radix, or a Western Plains Garter. NOT a common garter, and, in fact, is a highly prized subspecies in captive collections.

VERY cool little garter. Nothing common or "normal" about them.
 
SnakesRule1234 said:
He looks like just an Eastern or something.

Aren't Western Plains darker than that... ?????
Click to expand...

Looks too orange, to me. The stripe down the back looks like a radix. I'm not a garter specialist, by any means, that's just what it looks like to me...
 
SnakesRule1234 said:
He looks like just an Eastern or something.

Aren't Western Plains darker than that... ?????
Click to expand...

This is an Normal looking Eastern Garter from MN.

gs1.jpg


Now if this Photo was taken in TN, It does point to an Eastern. So the kid is pretty dead on on this. It just looks to be a Checkered Morph of the Eastern in this Local. And it looks like TN only has one Garter Snake Species as well.
http://www.tennsnakes.org/gartersnake.htm
 
He was on the Tennessee side of the park, near the Institute at Tremont. The checkered pattern is what really peaked my interest. Thank you for the responses.
 
In my humble opinion....

If it is in the great Smokey Mountains it is an Eastern Garter. I have a field guide to the GSM and no other garter is listed. I see Tricksters pic of an EG and will post a typical Eastern from Florida. However, in my travels around the state of Florida herpin I have found garters resembling the one Snyder posted. I suspect every once in awhile you get an odd color survive in the wild. It's all about genes and surviving.
 

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I feel like Mr. Spock....

in the episode Tomorrow is Yesterday.
I really didn't read Snyders post. He caught that beauty on the Tennessee side. Where it is possible the color variation of the Eastern is predominately yellow. It the Volunteer State the Garter is known as a "common" garter. And I submit this link....


http://www.tennsnakes.org/gartersnake.htm
 
Cflaguy said:
It the Volunteer State the Garter is known as a "common" garter. And I submit this link....


http://www.tennsnakes.org/gartersnake.htm
Click to expand...

LOL you didn't fully read my posts.. I already beat you to it. ;)

tricksterpup said:
Now if this Photo was taken in TN, It does point to an Eastern. So the kid is pretty dead on on this. It just looks to be a Checkered Morph of the Eastern in this Local. And it looks like TN only has one Garter Snake Species as well.
http://www.tennsnakes.org/gartersnake.htm
Click to expand...
 
Tyflier Radix don't live in tenessee. It is an eastern garter. They have varying color forms my eastern looks like that
 
David this thread is a month and a half old. and others have already pointed that out. Perhaps you should check post dates, and read previous posts before adding your own.
 
snakemaster24 said:
They have varying color forms my eastern looks like that
Click to expand...

Thanks David, that's interesting. I'm fairly close to you and I only find striped ones. The color varies but they all have pretty much the same stripes.
Now I think I might try some herping out your way and see what the differences are.
 
Thanks again, I'm quite interested in the checkered one. I'm just surprised that I haven't seen any like that here. I would have never thought that an hour away there would be variations that aren't in my area also.
 
alan said:
Thanks David, that's interesting. I'm fairly close to you and I only find striped ones. The color varies but they all have pretty much the same stripes.
Now I think I might try some herping out your way and see what the differences are.
Click to expand...

Alan,
The differences in Thamnophis sirtalis I have seen in the wild, normal striped ones like mine, checkered, a red tinted version, Xanthic and an albino that were all wild caught.

Its an amazing species with tons of variety.
 
tricksterpup said:
Its an amazing species with tons of variety.
Click to expand...

I know, I've been seeing all kinds of pictures of variations. That's why I'm wondering, I only see stripes here, and a lot of them. They all have a shade of yellow/green to straw, with black or very dark brown stripes.
When I was young in PA they were brown, with stripes OR checks on the dorsal. I don't think I ever saw a green one there, I do remember reddish-brown.
I think I'll make it a point to get out near David's area and check them out.
 
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