Gravid Plains Garter snake necropsy... done by a Badger.

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TeeJay
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Location: Madelia, Minnesota
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Gravid Plains Garter snake necropsy... done by a Badger.

Post by TeeJay »

Finally getting around to posting these pics.

A year ago on June 15, 2012, a Bio Blitz was conducted on a newly developed Waterfowl Production Area here in southern Minnesota. Last year, with Spring temps hitting the mid 80's already in March, everything was off to a tremendous head start. Everything was a full month ahead of schedule. (Not like this year, as everything now is a full month behind)

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I was already seeing gravid female Garters by mid-May!

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On June 15, 2012, We saw several large gravid female Plains Garter snakes living near a series of Badger holes. One of them fell victim and here's what we found.

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The Badger had only partially eaten the snake and I saw she was gravid, so I opened up the body and here's what we found inside:

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Strange though at how fat she was, we could only see 3 (?) developing embryos inside.

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matt ignoffo
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Re: Gravid Plains Garter snake necropsy... done by a Badger.

Post by matt ignoffo »

Neat, have you seen a badger? I have not, but would love to get a glimpse of one someday.
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muskiemagnet
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Re: Gravid Plains Garter snake necropsy... done by a Badger.

Post by muskiemagnet »

badgers! we don't need no stinkin' badgers.

sorry couldn't resist. i have lived in the badger state for most of my 38 years and i have yet to see one. i'm actually starting to doubt their existence.

-ben
SnakeDude
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Re: Gravid Plains Garter snake necropsy... done by a Badger.

Post by SnakeDude »

cool stuff! I saw my first one ever in July. I thought it was a huge cat at first :roll:
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TeeJay
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Re: Gravid Plains Garter snake necropsy... done by a Badger.

Post by TeeJay »

'Stinkin Badgers'... :thumb: We have more Badger Holes around here than badgers. (or seems like it anyway) The last Badger I saw was a pair of green eyes shining out of a hole at night, 3 years ago. Last time I was greeted by a real live snarling Badger at its hole was back in 1996. Occasionally see a road kill. We still have em. (More as you head west though)
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ratsnakehaven
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Re: Gravid Plains Garter snake necropsy... done by a Badger.

Post by ratsnakehaven »

Heck with the badgers, those snakes are pretty cool. I'd like to see some that weren't opaque. Can't believe there were only three babies. Eastern garters have many more than that.

Terry
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