Here are pics of a female eastern rescue from the urban area where I've been getting the red-sided ones. I'm pretty certain the vernal pool habitat in this approximately 40 acre area is being intentionally destroyed to make way for developement. March of 2005 the area was teaming with salamanders, frogs, toads, and early turtles (painted and snapping). In April of '05 I found piles of plastic jugs where I believe the amphibian breeding pools have been spiked with Prestone and Round-up to knock out the critters. This makes it easier for developers to get clearance to develope existing wetlands. The amphibian population dropped immediately by maybe 90% or more. From July to October of '05 I still found as many as 50 garters per visit, mostly babies, and lots of brown snakes. In spring and summer of 2006 I was unable to find any baby garters, only one turtle (a box), and a few brown and garter snakes. The last one I found was this emaciated female. I brought her home 10/11/06 on to see if I could keep her alive. She's not full strength yet, but she's getting stronger. Here are 2 pics from the night I brought her home, and a third from the other day.
Reading posts from mt encouraged me to use more display friendly enclosures for the garters, so pictures are also getting easier to pull off (Thanks mt).
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Jamie W.
(url)http://rosyboas.tripod.com(/url)
