Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i got the call last night from my mother-in-law asking if snakes eat other snakes or if what she was watching was mating. from her discription it sounded like one was eating the other. then i got the pictures today and i still think that. the pictures where taken in edgewood which is 15 minuts east of alburquerque NM. i have lived here for only a year so i dont know what either of those snakes are maybe some one can ID them for me

here are a few pics

sorry for the graphic blurry one but this leads me to believe that the small one is a meal and not a mate

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-Stephen-

0.1 soon to be wifey (Babe)
1.0 rotwiler/chow (Boomer)
1.0 norm corn (Jake)
1.0 col redtail boa (Switch, formally known as Dixie)
0.1 ball python (Bella)
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Torpaz & Saphira)

It is a garter eating what looks to be a lined snake.
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Archie Bottoms

No doubt about the fact the garter is eating the other snake. I agree it is a lined snake. Good call, Archie.

It is not that common for Thamnophis to eat snakes, but nothing surprises me about them after seeing pix of one in Canada eating a dead bird.

~~Greg~~

That is exactly what it is. That's a very interesting observation to say the least.

that is a wandering garter snake (thamnophis elegans vagrans) eating a lined snake (Tropidoclonion lineatum). wandering garters are known to be cannibalistic and I have had some eat lizards also. this isn't that unusual

Cool photos! I live in Albuquerque, and haven't seen a lined snakes in the east mountains in a long time. The garter is Thamnophis elegans, very common throughout New Mexico. What an amazing sight to see! Thanks for sharing.

How about all this rain, huh?

-Chris

thats cool someone else from Abq! how long have you been here?

there seem to be alot of local wildlife in the area i wouldnt mind getting into some field herping. where are some good places to go?
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-Stephen-

0.1 soon to be wifey (Babe)
1.0 rotwiler/chow (Boomer)
1.0 norm corn (Jake)
1.0 col redtail boa (Switch, formally known as Dixie)
0.1 ball python (Bella)
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Torpaz & Saphira)