Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We have 3 (Red-sided, Checkered and Ribbon) they are all good friends and our kids 4, 5 and 8 adore them. Last night we got a baby sitter and went out on an "adult night out". When we came back the sitter pulled me aside and told me that my kids were watching two of the snakes "doing it!". We'll my kids got an early lesson in the birds and the snakes!
The next day they were at it again all day!

So my question is this;

Can two sub species make babies? Female Red-sided and a male Checkered? What would they come out like? An optical illusion?
Your input is appreciated.

My guess is half the baby's will be looking like reds , and half will be looking like checkereds...but then again , i'm no expert , so i hope someone will correct me if i'm wrong.

I do hope the mating was sucessful ! Careful not to sell the baby's and invade the market with crossbreeds...

They should be hybrids, if they turn out, showing characteristics of both parents. Should you choose to sell the snakes, MAKE SURE you label them as what they are. DO NOT let them go or sell them as anything but what they are (Not implying anything, just a warning to make sure. People often ask if they can just sell them as the same species of one parent or the other, so I am just putting that out there.) Andy
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Andy Maddox
AIM: SurfAndSkimTx04
MSN: Poloboy32486@hotmail.com
Yahoo:surfandskimtx04
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Burgundy baby, With your blue eyed soul, You play the hits and I'm on that roll, Capricorn sister, Freddie Mercury, Jupiter Child cry

yes they can and if you sell the babies label them like this
Red sided X Checkered garter snakes
Wayne

Ok...I am curious. You have the one photo labeled "Florida Checkered". Since Checkered garters do not occur East of Texas, why the label?

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

Agreed. I noticed that pretty quickly but forgot to post about it. They occur only as far east as the DFW area or so (reputedly) and I know we don't have them as far east as Houston. Unless Florida has a colony of checkereds (which wouldnt surprise me really), then I would think they were either sold under some false information or the actual name and locality were misconstrued.
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Andy Maddox
AIM: SurfAndSkimTx04
MSN: Poloboy32486@hotmail.com
Yahoo:surfandskimtx04
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Burgundy baby, With your blue eyed soul, You play the hits and I'm on that roll, Capricorn sister, Freddie Mercury, Jupiter Child cry

Here's my completly speculitive guess. I'll say that they will look kind of like an eastern with the spotted pattern more pronounced and a little mark on the nape.

Let us know how they turn out.
Cam Hanna
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"I'm tired of being a wannabe bowler! I wanna be a bowler!!"
-- Homer Simpson

np