Beautiful Red Garter

Today I found this guy (or I would assume girl considering its size).

I've released it now, but I'm still confused on what type of garter it is. I thought northern garter at first but she is soooo red. I know they can be very red, but she looks so much like a dull California red-sided garter. They aren't native though, so she must be northern.

Whatever it is, it's very pretty to me. Never caught one like it before. It was very angry at me, though, and was striking quite a lot. Poor thing, I accidently dropped it onto some bricks as I was trying to avoid being bitten. It seemed to be okay, though. It also had a cool scar going up its belly (not from the bricks just in case you were wondering).

Now I will proceed to wash my hands a thousand times over until I get the smell of musk off me. Garters are pretty, but they sure do stink >.<

https://ibb.co/i7XhgJ <a href="https.../ibb.co/fn2evd

;-; can’t see photo and you got me super interested! Lol

i don't see any photo (on desktop)

Ahh I can't seem to get them to work. I'll keep trying, hold on haha

It won't let me edit, but this should at least link to a gallery while I try to get them to show on here.

https://postimg.cc/gallery/27g5w7q70/

Wow very cool looking garter! I’m clueless as to what type it is but I hope someone knows because now I want to know! Too bad they musk! Is the smell off yet? :p

Who needs nuclear weapons when there's snake musk? :O lol... and sorry, I'm no good at identifying garter snakes.

It depends on where it was found I believe, but I'd guess an eastern red phase.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Who needs nuclear weapons when there's snake musk? :O lol... and sorry, I'm no good at identifying garter snakes.

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Haha, true that! I used to have a WC plains garter. I'd had him since he was a baby, and he got a bit tamer, but never quite stopped musking.

I took a shower (not specifically because of the musk) and I think the smell is gone now haha.

I know several kinds of garters live here, and in fact I just discovered that we have lined snakes as well, but I can't seem to identify her. It's just strange cause the redder garters are usually bred specifically to bring out the color, whereas her bright red seems to have occurred naturally. Huh.

Maybe I'm exaggerating, though. I think I'm too enthusiastic over the simpler snakes sometimes haha. But I felt like I was being deprived of garter snakes this whole winter! Finally they're coming out :D

Nothing wrong with enthusiasm over the "simpler" snakes, they're ALL good. Some are more colorful in nature too, it's not only by selective breeding.

I've never actually kept a garter or ribbon snake, but I find them in my yard sometimes. I even managed to 'greet' one without getting musked: I put
my hand in front of the direction he decided to shoot off in, & he ended up on my hand before he knew it, without my gripping him -that would have
made him panic for sure. He sat there for a minute or two, and we just looked at each other, then I let him go. Cute critters!

When I mow the grass, sometimes I have to move a toad out of the way too, lol. By now, I think they probably remember me?