Reptile & Amphibian Forums

When I kept snakes (I had to give them up for several uninteresting reasons) I was mostly a rat snake guy, so I don't know too much about garters though I have watched their forum, and spotted the occcasional eastern garter where I used to live.

At the beginning of August I had to move to Columbus, Ohio, and just today I spotted my first Ohioan snake, a DOR eastern. The thing is, it was blue (or part of it was). I'm pretty certain it was an eastern because I was on foot, so I actually crouched down and looked closely at it (which was a foul business).

So, are the garters here different colors than they are back east? I've heard of Florida blue garters, so I know this coloration isn't altogether alien to Thamnophis. I've also heard that they change colors towards fall, though I've never seen that in person.

I'm no expert on this, but I've read in the Garter forum that it isn't too uncommon for yellow/green garters to take on a bluish hue after death.
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- Natalie
(San Francisco Bay Area)

1.0 Banded California King
1.0 Mexican Black King
1.0 Goini Kingsnake
1.0 Bay of LA Rosy Boa
2.1 Kenyan Sand Boas
1.2 Rubber Boas
0.1 Pickering's Gartersnake

Thanks. That's interesting.

Turns out you were right. I just got the same answer in the garter forum. Thanks.

Hopefully you have figured out that we have a show every month. It's worth going to & will probably get your interest going again. I see a lot of yellow striped garters, and some red ones around here, but not many with a bluish hue. Duffy

Yes, I know about the All Ohio shows. I had planned to make the August 11th show, but things didn't work out. I'm shooting for the 15th of this month. I never actually lost interest. I was sort of forced to give up my snakes, so even if I go, I won't actually be buying anything. I just want to look around.

Anyway, I found the snake on the main drag in Whetstone Park. Ever find anything there?

Thanks for the info, by the way.

Haven't spent any time at Whetstone (I don't think).

You'll like the All Ohio Show, even if just to browse.

ive caught garters in a lot of counties in ohio and ive found that they all look just a little bit different-(pattern/color)- i take photos of most of them- and even when i find them under the same cover some are quite different- havent really seen any blue hues yet- ill keep an eye out-