Our Garden Garter Menagerie

[dizeedoo]

Hi, I took these pics last year. After snapping this one I looked up the web and concluded he was a garter snake. We were just tidying up leaves and there he was.

This one spent so much time in our front garden I named her "Hosta"... she loved to sun herself by the hosta's.

This one would be sitting in this spot on our pine tree at least once a week (that we saw). He would flick his black and red tongue about but never backed away - the tree has a permanent 'hole' in the foalage as a result. lol.

We've come across about 5 others over the past year or two. The first was a hatchling nestled in the siding. I have pics of that one but not on this computer. It's a real privilege to see snakes in the wild and not feel like you have to harm them, just watch and leave them alone.

 

[diamondlil]

Lovely pictures, thanks for sharing!

 

[sarcare]

That is so nice! I was just thinking that we don't see enough pics of people who have snakes that live near them in their yards or peaceably out in the wild.

 

[wycherley]

Ah i understand now, when the title said Menagerie i thought it was something completey different. My Bad. Cool Snakes though.

 

[measley]

Very cool pictures!

Those snakes must have a good supply of food around your place! They're all kind of plump looking!!

 

[tyflier]

Awesome Pics! LOVE the "big dog" in the tree. That's a hefty looking garter!!

Oh, just as a point of calrification...you said something about "hatchlings"...garters are ovoviviparous, meaning they produce eggs, but the eggs incubate inside the mother, and she gives birth to live young. A freshly born baby would be a neonate, not a hatchling. Not trying to sound super-smart or whatever...just offering a point of calrification...

 

[snakewispera snr]

That's the biggest Garter snake viv on the forum, you are so lucky....
Go job God takes care of the heating, otherwise the bills would be horrendous...LOL

 

[dizeedoo]

How fortunate am I?

I'm from Australia and have only been in the U.S. for 5 years. For ages I didnt do the gardening, no time... but got into it for health reasons 2-3 years ago. We are blessed to live at the end of a cul-de-sac that borders a fairly wooded area and then a park. So, tending the garden is always done with one eye out for the snakes. I get so excited (little girl giggly excited) when I see one.

Funny thing is, my hubby would have probably clubbed them prior to our new love. Now, he gets almost as excited as me. We love our garden menagerie.

Chipmunks, Deer, Squirrel's galore and the occasional ground hog visit as well. One winter's night I saw a fox on the snow.

I am shocked that they survive under all this snow though.

I read that they like to have their babies (think I read live birth) in the cracks between the house foundation and the pavement/pathways. We have a few beaut cracks for them and now I won't fill them...lol

 

[LostNFound]

that is SUPER cool!!! you are sooo flippin lucky!!!

 

[dizeedoo]

I found a pic of the first hatchling (first garter) we ever found (June, 2007). It's a bit blurry and to give the picture perspective. He is nestled in the corner of the house siding in the tiniest gap. He just appeared early Summer about 9pm. He was pretty cautious, I just put a small dish of water out on the doorstep and left him be. Never saw him (as a hatchling) again, but he very well could be one of the older ones we saw the following year.

It was after finding this garter, I could no longer resist my desire to have my own snake. I then set about finding which type of snake would be best for me and came across Corn Snakes... and here I am.

August, 2007 - Samson was delivered by the Fedex man.