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kayaksailor — Racer I - oops Garter 1
Published: 2010-11-12 07:51:30 +0000 UTC; Views: 761; Favourites: 18; Downloads: 20
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Description
found this little cutie in our garden this evening...Related content
Comments: 31
It's not a Racer, though, but a Garter, a Red-Spotted Garter to be exact. See how rough its scales look? That is because of a ridge, called a "keel", that runs down the center of each scale. Garters and their close cousins, the Water Snakes, have very prominant scale keels, while all Racers(completely unrelated-different genus, different reproduction, everything)have very smooth, flat scales. We don't have any Racers with lengthwise stripes in North America, either.
pitbulllady
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I was going by the California Herp site [link]
This is the one which made us think it was a garter: [link]
But with you saying it is a Garter my daughter and I went back and found that we think it might be the Valley Garter...
And for your comment about "don't have any Racers with lengthwise stripes in North America" there seem to be two here - the California Racer and the Alameda Racer...
Thanks so much for the information and clarification of the venom/poison issue - I know the difference but have never heard it applied to snakes
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Well, I have to agree with both of you, on different points 
But, it's still a very nice shot of a very pretty little snake
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Thanks for your input! I've changed the titles
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You're welcome. As for the stripes, it's easier than trying to decide if you're REALLY seeing keeled scales, or not. And I like easy
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We didn't have racers or garters commonly down in southern California like we did the Kings, gopher and ring-necks so thanks for the education! They are darling 
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Hmm. I didn't realize there was a part of the US that didn't have Garters. But I love Gopher snakes and Ring Necks, too. Kingsnakes are actually my favorite but, while I think the black-and-white Cals are gorgeous, they're among my least favorites, personality-wise. Very grumpy for a kingsnake species. So, naturally, they're about the only species I've seen, since moving to AZ. I'd love to see some rattlers. From a safe distance.
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I'm sure that there garters are down there, just not as commonly seen as the others...with the rattlers we had 17 our first summer in our new house, 8 two summers ago and then only 3 this summer just over...like I said never saw one in southern CA while out in the boonies hiking - see one up here in northern CA on almost every hike!
I don't have the same feeling about Kings (the black and white) I haven't found them to be 'grumpy' LOL but I don't try to handle the really big ones...here's a so cal one that I found in the ivy in our yard (this is my daughter holding it
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I suppose I might run across more snakes if I hiked more, but it just doesn't interest me. The terrain here is boring, dusty, and often too hot. But, it would be nice to live where you do, from the sound of it. I still don't like Cal Kings, though. I've been bitten by too many of them. Even captive bred ones. But, I hope those numbers aren't indicative of a population crash among the rattlers in your area.
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All of the snakes (other than the rattlers seen up in the mountains near Lake Tahoe) in my gallery are from our yard - I'm hoping that the drop means the rattlers are getting the idea that our yard is not a friendly place LOL. I really think that it is because the house was empty for over a year before we moved in and nature was beginning to reclaim it 
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Ah. Yes, a scarcity people means a surplus of rodents, a combination very much preferred by snakes that prey on rodents.
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you can hunt me with spiders, but this is soo cute 
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LOL! yeah it is a cutie
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No, Garter Snakes are not "poisonous", as there is no such thing as a "poisonous" snake, actually. Most people use that term incorrectly. A "poison" is a substance you must swallow, inhale, or absorb via your skin or mucous membranes in order for it to harm you. Some snakes have VENOM, which must be injected directly into the blood stream or lymphatic system to cause harm. Yes, this one DOES have venom; Garter Snakes are mildly venomous and have primitive fangs in the rear of their upper jaws, but their venom is too mild to cause harm to humans other that some bleeding and itching. They do not constrict prey, either, since mostly they eat fish, frogs and earthworms which do not need to be subdued by squeezing. They just grab and swallow their food still alive.
pitbulllady
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I think this reply was for someone other than me? I said it was cute.. and nothing about "poison" lol..
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Yes, it was intended for someone other than you, sorry. BUT, apparently, in between me typing, and the post showing up, others had posted under the same person's reply so that the replies were stacked in such a way to look like I'd responded to you. It was meant for "Crystelly", who wanted to know if it was "poisonous" or if it "squeezed its meal"(constricted).
All of the posts in this pic comment thread are showing up strangely this morning, some of them interposed on top of each other-don't know if it's DA or my computer browser.
pitbulllady
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Its likely DA..they're fond of bugs lol
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It was only on this site, and now it's straightened out. Yesterday it was really screwy, though, stacking posts on top of each other. I like bugs, too...the six-legged kind, though, NOT that kind!
pitbulllady
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