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Garter snakes :

  • Texas garter snake, T. s. annectens Brown, 1950

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 

 

Garter snake ‒ sometimes called garden snake or gardener snake ‒ is the common name given to the nearly harmless, small to medium-sized snakes belonging to the genus Thamnophis. Endemic toNorth America, they can be found from the Subarctic plains of Canada to Central America. The garter snake is the state reptile of Massachusetts.[2]

 

With no real consensus on the classification of species of Thamnophis, disagreement betweentaxonomists and sources, such as field guides, over whether two types of snakes are separate species or subspecies of the same species is common.[citation needed] Garter snakes are closely related to the genus Nerodia (water snakes), with some species having been moved back and forth between genera.[citation needed]

Garter snake

Coast garter snake
Thamnophis elegans terrestris

Conservation status

Scientific classification

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Chordata

Subphylum:Vertebrata

Class:Reptilia

Order:Squamata

Suborder:Serpentes

Family:Colubridae

Subfamily:Natricinae

Genus:Thamnophis
Fitzinger, 1843

Habitat :

 

Garter snakes are present throughout most of North America. They have a wide distribution due to their varied diets and adaptability to different habitats, with varying proximity to water; however, in the western part of North America, these snakes are more aquatic than in the eastern portion. Garter snakes populate a variety of habitats, including forests, woodlands, fields, grasslands, and lawns. They almost exclusively inhabit areas with some form of water, often an adjacent wetland, stream, or pond. This reflects the fact that amphibians are a large part of their diet.

 

Behavior :

 

Garter snakes have complex systems of pheromonalcommunication. They can find other snakes by following theirpheromone-scented trails. Male and female skin pheromones are so different as to be immediately distinguishable. However, male garter snakes sometimes produce both male and female pheromones. During the mating season, this ability fools other males into attempting to mate with them. This causes the transfer of heat to them in kleptothermy, which is an advantage immediately after hibernation, allowing them to become more active.[3] Male snakes giving off both male and female pheromones have been shown to garner more copulations than normal males in the mating balls that form at the den when females enter the mating melee.

 

If disturbed, a garter snake may coil and strike, but typically it will hide its head and flail its tail. These snakes will also discharge a malodorous, musky-scented secretion from a gland near the cloaca. They often use these techniques to escape when ensnared by a predator. They will also slither into the water to escape a predator on land. Hawks, crows, raccoons, crayfish, and other snake species (such as thecoral snake and king snake) will eat garter snakes, with even shrews and frogs eating the juveniles.

 

Being heterothermic, like all reptiles, garter snakes bask in the sun to regulate their body temperature. During hibernation, garter snakes typically occupy large, communal sites called hibernacula. These snakes will migrate large distances to brumate.

 

 

Thamnophis distribution

Synonyms

Atomarchus, Chilopoma, Coluber, Eutaenia, Eutainia, Leptophis,Natrix, Nerodia, Phamnovis, Prymnomiodon, Stypocemus, Tropidonote, Tropidonotus,Vipera[1]

Posterior tooth of a garter snake

Diet :

 

Garter snakes, like all snakes, are carnivorous. Their diet consists of almost any creature they are capable of overpowering: slugs, earthworms, leeches, lizards, amphibians (including frog eggs), ants,crickets, minnows, and rodents. When living near water, they will eat other aquatic animals. The ribbon snake (Thamnophis sauritus) in particular favors frogs (including tadpoles), readily eating them despite their strong chemical defenses. Food is swallowed whole. Garter snakes often adapt to eating whatever they can find, and whenever, because food can be scarce or abundant. Although they feed mostly on live animals, they will sometimes eat eggs.

Mating ball

Venom :

 

Garter snakes were long thought to be nonvenomous, but recent discoveries have revealed they do, in fact, produce a mild neurotoxic venom.[4] Garter snakes cannot kill humans with the small amounts of comparatively mild venom they produce, and they also lack an effective means of delivering it. They do have enlarged teeth in the back of their mouths,[5] but their gums are significantly larger.[6][7] The Duvernoy's gland of garters are posterior (to the rear) of the snake's eyes.[8] The mild venom is spread into wounds through a chewing action.

 

Evidence suggests that garter snake and newt populations share an evolutionary link in their levels of tetrodotoxin (TTX) resistance, implying coevolution between predator and prey.[9]

Eating a frog

Reproduction :

 

Garter snakes go into brumation before they mate. They stop eating for about two weeks beforehand to clear their stomachs of any food that would rot there otherwise. Garter snakes begin mating as soon as they emerge from brumation. During the mating season, the males mate with several females. In chillier parts of their range, male common garter snakes awaken from brumation first, giving themselves enough time to prepare to mate with females when they finally appear. Males come out of their dens and, as soon as the females begin coming out, surround them. Female garter snakes produce a sex-specific pheromone that attracts male snakes in droves, sometimes leading to intense male to male competition and the formation of mating balls of up to 25 males per female. After copulation, a female leaves the den/mating area to find food and a place to give birth. Female garter snakes are able to store 

competition and the formation of mating balls of up to 25 males per female. After copulation, a female leaves the den/mating area to find food and a place to give birth. Female garter snakes are able to store the male's sperm for years before fertilization. The young are incubated in the lower abdomen, at about the midpoint of the length of the female's body. Garter snakes are ovoviviparous, meaning they give birth to live young. However, this is different from being truly viviparous, which is seen in mammals. Gestation is two to three months in most species. As few as three or as many as 80 snakes are born in a single litter. The young are independent upon birth. On record, the greatest number of garter snakes reported to be born in a single litter is 98.

Conservation status :

 

Despite the decline in their population from collection as pets (especially in the more northerly regions in which large groups are collected at hibernation),[citation needed] pollution of aquatic areas, and the introduction of bullfrogs as potential predators, garter snakes are still some of the most commonly found reptiles in much of their ranges. The San Francisco garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia), however, is an endangered subspecies and has been on the endangered list since 1969. Predation bycrawfish has also been responsible for the decline of the narrow-headed garter snake (Thamnophis rufipunctatus).[citation needed]

 

 

Young garter snake

Garter snakes in captivity :

 

T. sirtalis, T. marcianus and T. sauritus are the most popular species of garter snakes kept in captivity. Baby garter snakes shed their first skin almost immediately, and will begin eating soon after. Garter snakes just require a 10-gallon (38 liter) terrarium. The first shedding is very fine and often disintegrates in minutes under the slithering masses of new snakes. Feeding baby garter snakes can be tricky; earth worms (not compost worms), night crawlers (called dew worms in Canada), silversides (fish), or cut up pieces of pinky mice (thawed fully and waved before the snake on a pair of tongs or hemostats to avoid nipping fingers) will entice appetites.[10] Up to 10 days may pass before a baby garter snake eats; it takes them some time to become accustomed to new settings.

Species and subspecies :

 

  • Longnose garter snake, T. angustirostris (Kennicott, 1860)

  • Aquatic garter snake, T. atratus

    • Santa Cruz garter snake, T. a. atratus (Kennicott, 1860)

    • Oregon garter snake, T. a. hydrophilus Fitch, 1936

    • Diablo Range garter snake, T. a. zaxanthus Boundy, 1999

  • Shorthead garter snake, T. brachystoma (Cope, 1892)

  • Butler's garter snake, T. butleri (Cope, 1889)

  • Goldenhead garter snake, T. chrysocephalus (Cope, 1885)

  • Western aquatic garter snake, T. couchii (Kennicott, 1859)

  • Blackneck garter snake, T. cyrtopsis

    • Western blackneck garter snake, T. c. cyrtopsis (Kennicott, 1860)

    • Eastern garter snake, T. c. ocellatus (Cope, 1880)

    • Tropical blackneck garter snake, T. c. collaris (Jan, 1863)

    • Tepalcatepec Valley garter snake, T. c. postremus H.M. Smith, 1942

    • Yellow-throated garter snake, T. c. pulchrilatus (Cope, 1885)

  • Western terrestrial garter snake, T. elegans

    • Arizona garter snake, T. e. arizonae V. Tanner & Lowe, 1989

    • Mountain garter snake, T. e. elegans (Baird & Girard, 1853)

    • Mexican wandering garter snake, T. e. errans H.M. Smith, 1942

    • Coast garter snake, T. e. terrestris Fox, 1951

    • Wandering garter snake, T. e. vagrans (Baird & Girard, 1853)

    • Upper Basin garter snake, T. e. vascotanneri W. Tanner & Lowe, 1989

    • Sierra San Pedro Mártir garter snake, T. e. hueyi Van Denburgh & Slevin, 1923

  • Thamnophis eques

    • Mexican garter snake, T. e. eques (Reuss, 1834)

    • Laguna Totolcingo garter snake, T. e. carmenensis Conant, 2003

    • T. e. cuitzeoensis Conant, 2003

    • T. e. diluvialis Conant, 2003

    • T. e. insperatus Conant, 2003

    • Northern Mexican garter snake, T. e. megalops (Kennicott, 1860)

    • T. e. obscurus Conant, 2003

    • T. e. patzcuaroensis Conant, 2003

    • T. e. scotti Conant, 2003

    • T. e. virgatenuis Conant, 1963

  • Montane garter snake, T. exsul Rossman, 1969

  • Highland garter snake, T. fulvus (Bocourt, 1893)

  • Giant garter snake, T. gigas Fitch, 1940

  • Godman's garter snake,[11] T. godmani (Günther, 1894)

  • Two-striped garter snake, T. hammondii (Kennicott, 1860)

  • Thamnophis lineri Rossman & Burbrink, 2005[12]

  • Checkered garter snake, T. marcianus (Baird & Girard, 1853)

    • T. m. marcianus (Baird & Girard, 1853)

    • T. m. praeocularis (Bocourt, 1892)

    • T. m. bovalli (Dunn, 1940)

  • Blackbelly garter snake, T. melanogaster

    • Gray blackbelly garter snake, T. m. canescens H.M. Smith, 1942

    • Chihuahuan blackbelly garter snake, T. m. chihuahuanensis W. Tanner, 1959

  • Lined blackbelly garter snake, T. m. linearis H.M. Smith, Nixon & P.W. Smith, 1950

  • Mexican blackbelly garter snake, T. m. melanogaster (W. Peters, 1864)

  • Tamaulipan montane garter snake, T. mendax Walker, 1955

  • Northwestern garter snake, T. ordinoides (Baird & Girard, 1852)

  • Western ribbon snake, T. proximus

    • Chiapas Highland western ribbon snake, T. p. alpinus Rossman, 1963

    • Arid land western ribbon snake, T. p. diabolicus Rossman, 1963

    • Gulf Coast western ribbon snake, T. p. orarius Rossman, 1963

    • Western ribbon snake, T. p. proximus (Say, 1823)

    • Redstripe ribbon snake, T. p. rubrilineatus Rossman, 1963

    • Mexican ribbon snake, T. p. rutiloris (Cope, 1885)

  • Plains garter snake, T. radix (Baird & Girard, 1853)

  • Rossman's garter snake, T. rossmani Conant, 2000

  • Narrowhead garter snake, T. rufipunctatus

    • T. r. nigronuchalis Thompson, 1957

    • T. r. unilabialis W. Tanner, 1985

    • T. r. rufipunctatus (Cope, 1875)

  • Ribbon snake, T. sauritus

    • Bluestripe ribbon snake, T. s. nitae Rossman, 1963

    • Peninsula ribbon snake, T. s. sackenii (Kennicott, 1859)

    • Eastern ribbon snake, T. s. sauritus (Linnaeus, 1766)

    • Northern ribbon snake, T. s. septentrionalis Rossman, 1963

  • Longtail Alpine garter snake, T. scalaris (Cope, 1861)

  • Short-tail Alpine garter snake, T. scaliger (Jan, 1863)

  • Common garter snake, T. sirtalis

This eastern garter was spotted swallowing a toad sideways at a nature center in Akron, Ohio.

    • Red-spotted garter snake, T. s. concinnus (Hallowell, 1852)

    • New Mexico garter snake, T. s. dorsalis (Baird & Girard, 1853)

    • Valley garter snake, T. s. fitchi Fox, 1951

    • California red-sided garter snake, T. s. infernalis (Blainville, 1835)

    • T. s. lowei W. Tanner, 1988

    • Maritime garter snake, T. s. pallidulus Allen, 1899

    • Red-sided garter snake, T. s. parietalis (Say, 1823)

    • Puget Sound garter snake, T. s. pickeringii (Baird & Girard, 1853)

    • Bluestripe garter snake, T. s. similis Rossman, 1965

    • Eastern garter snake, T. s. sirtalis (Linnaeus, 1758)

    • Chicago garter snake, T. s. semifasciatus (Cope, 1892)

    • San Francisco garter snake, T. s. tetrataenia (Cope, 1875)

  • Sumichrast's garter snake, T. sumichrasti (Cope, 1866)

  • West Coast garter snake, T. valida

    • Mexican Pacific Lowlands garter snake, T. v. celaeno (Cope, 1860)

    • T. v. isabellae Conant, 1953

    • T. v. thamnophisoides Conant, 1961

    • T. v. valida (Kennicott, 1860)

Common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis)

Eastern blackneck garter (Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus)

Checkered garter snake(Thamnophis marcianus)

Eastern Plains garter snake (T. radix radix), a disputed subspecies ofThamnophis radix

Texas garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis annectens)

Other and recommended websites : 

 

-  www.bcreptiles.ca/snakes/comgarter 

 

-   www.dnr.state.mn.us/reptiles_amphibians/snakes_turtles/commongartersnake 

 

-  www.ontarionature.org/protect/species/reptiles_and_amphibians/eastern_gartersnake 

 

-   www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12145_12201-61200--,00. 

 

-   www.arkive.org/common-garter-snake/thamnophis-sirtalis/

 

-   www.snake-removal.com/garter 

 

-   www.californiaherps.com/identification/snakesid/gartersnakes.id 

 

-  www2.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/eastern_garter_snake 

 

-  www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Thamnophis_sirtalis/

 

-   www.livescience.com/44072-garter-snake 

Eastern Plains garter snake (T. radix radix), a disputed subspecies ofThamnophis radix

For the Refrences and external links click here to read the Wikipedia article .. 

Snake Bytes TV - Garter Snakes : SnakeBytesTV

 

AnimalBytesTV

If You're Scared of Snakes, Don't Watch This

Although initially defensive, most wild-caught garters adjust to captivity well and quickly become as tame as a corn snake. They also become willing to eat (sometimes taking food from their keeper’s hand) and reproduce readily in captivity. As an added bonus, they are livebearers, so there’s no need to buy an egg incubator and be concerned as to if the temperature and humidity in your incubator is correct. There’s nothing quite like looking into your snake’s enclosure one morning and seeing a couple dozen squiggly mini-replicas of your adult garters crawling around the cage.

  Eastern Garter Snake Care Tips  :

 

 courtesy to  :  www.reptilesmagazine.com/Snakes/Snake-Care/Eastern-Garter-Snake-Care-Tips/

Videos : 

The eastern garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis) is one of the most wide-ranging, variable and interesting reptile pets. Because of the eastern garter snake’s abundance, bright colors, small size and willingness to live near people, seeing and catching one often sparks a childhood fascination with reptiles that can last well into adulthood.

 

Many budding herpers have gotten their start in the hobby keeping these common, inexpensive and relatively easy-to-maintain snakes. Upon reaching adulthood, males are 18 inches or longer, and females are usually 24 inches or more.

Although defensive at first, even wild-caught garters can become tame for the patient keeper. 

For a long time, garter snakes have been underappreciated in the United States. They have, however, enjoyed favoritism among European hobbyists for the past few decades. In recent years, there’s been an increased interest in captive-bred, color morphs and locality-specific eastern garter snakes, which are often distinct in appearance. Although current Ohio regulations are too excessive for my liking, and I no longer keep eastern garters, what’s regarded as a popular “starter” snake has provided me with much enjoyment in the years when I used to keep these common reptiles.

 

Seeing Stripes

 

Thamnophis is the single most widely distributed reptile genus in North America. Garter snakes can be so far ranging partly due to their varied diet and adaptability to different habitats. In addition to basking on lakeshores, eastern garters can occur in a wide variety of other environments. I have found them on trails in the woods; underneath the bark of fallen trees; beneath artificial cover, such as plywood and tin, as well as natural cover, such as rocks and logs. Their range covers almost the entire eastern half of the United States as well as parts of Canada. Within that distribution, eastern garter snakes can be found in a diverse variety of habitats, often inhabiting meadows, woodland clearings, creeks, hillsides and urban areas — sometimes I’ve been lucky enough to find them in my backyard. They are indeed habitat generalists, utilizing a number of different environments.

Individuals found in Cuyahoga County, in northeast Ohio, sometimes exhibit attractive orange stripes.

I have also seen garters in all seasons, including winter, basking in the sun with patches of snow on the ground. The easiest time to find them is in the spring, when males actively search for mates. In spring, these snakes bask in plain sight as well as seek the heat stored by artificial cover, such as pieces of plywood or metal. When discovering these snakes underneath artificial cover, it is not unusual to find them in the company of other snake species.

 

Although seeing a garter in the wild may be pleasant, catching one isn’t necessarily an agreeable enterprise. They have a grab bag of defense tactics, including flattening their body to appear larger, smearing musk and fecal material on their captor, and biting. Experienced herpers take this all in stride, but newcomers may be put off. The eastern garter’s relatively small size makes its defensive tactics inconsequential to most herpers who want to catch one. Although these snakes average 18 to 30 inches, they can sometimes get much longer, especially females. The largest wild specimen I’ve encountered was a 32-inch female in Huntington Beach State Park in South Carolina.

 

Not a Garden-Variety Snake :

 

Often incorrectly called “garden snakes,” this snake’s genus earned its common name because people once described its stripes as resembling a garter. Although the “classic” form of this snake is marked with three yellow stripes (one down the back and one on each side) on a background color of black or brown, there are several variations to this theme. Some individuals can have a bold spotted or checkered pattern, or the vertebral stripe may be absent. The yellow stripes can be tinted green, blue, orange or red. Within a two-hour drive from my house in greater Cleveland, melanistic (all black), “stripeless,” orange striped or “standard issue” garters can all be found, depending on which direction I drive. As with many snakes that have a very wide range, the eastern garter is extremely variable both in coloration and in pattern.

 

In addition to their variable appearance, eastern garter snakes vary their diet according to the environment they inhabit. The melanistic form preys primarily on fish in the wild, due to its proximity to the Great Lakes. Once, while on a family outing in Akron, Ohio, I observed a young eastern garter snake swallowing an American toad (Bufo americanus) sideways.

Wild garters will also eat earthworms, slugs, frogs, tadpoles, salamanders, nestling birds and rodents. Their opportunistic feeding habits are one of the reasons that these snakes are so successful. In captivity, feed adults one mouse every five days.

 

Visible Captives :

 

A number of hobbyists who keep corn, king and other popular rodent-eating snakes have expressed their lament to me after setting their pet up in a naturalistic enclosure with plants, rocks, a realistic looking “rock” water dish and spotlight — only to find that their reptile remains hidden the majority of the time. This is merely the crepuscular nature of these animals. However, putting an eastern garter snake in the same setup yields some very different results. These snakes like to bask under spotlights and often busy themselves with exploring their cage. Because they eat small, frequent meals, the opportunity to observe their hunting and feeding response can occur with more regularity than with some other snakes.

 

 

This young male, found in central Ohio, shows typical eastern garter coloration and patterning.

Their small size means that garters won’t destroy plants and cage furnishings in the way larger constrictors can. In addition, these snakes can often be kept in pairs or in small groups. This permits the keeper to witness their interesting social interactions.

 

Garter Snake Enclosure Shopping List

 

All-glass aquariums with tight-fitting (preferably locking) screen tops work well for garters. I’ve used 20-gallon and 29-gallon tanks for adults. Some important terrarium components are as follows.

 

I1I Substrate. I use ordinary potting soil with about 20 percent sand mixed in. Substrate should be at least 3 inches deep to allow plants to grow in the enclosure. Over the top of the soil, I place either a layer of dried leaves or cypress bark. This is important, because soil can hold moisture, and although garter snakes are often found in moist habitats, their skin must be kept dry. Otherwise they may develop skin infections. The layer of leaves or bark ensures that when on the cage floor, the snake will be dry. The moisture underneath helps keep the terrarium humidity at a moderate level between 40 and 60 percent.

 

I2IPlants. I like to include some live plants in my garter snake enclosures. By far the easiest terrarium plant to keep is pothos (Epipremnum aureum). Pothos is a vine with heart-shaped green leaves featuring different color variations of white and yellow, depending on the variety. It is durable and tolerant of a wide range of light and watering conditions, making it an ideal terrarium plant. I’ve had moderate success with a few other types of houseplants, but for me, pothos is my “old standby.” In my experience, arrowhead (Syngonium podophyllum) and Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema modestum) are almost as hardy as pothos.
If you have live plants planted in the soil, when watering them, pour water near the base of the plant to limit substrate saturation. You can also plant them in pots.

I3I Basking Lights. Like most snakes, garters don’t require ultraviolet light. Pothos doesn’t either, so an incandescent bulb in a spotlight fixture at one end of the cage works well for creating heat and light. If kept at room temperature, a 40-watt bulb should be enough to create a hotspot between 84 and 88 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool end of the enclosure should be between 68 and 72 degrees. Be sure to check cage temperatures using a reliable thermometer.

 

I4I The Right Hide. A variety of naturalistic options exist in providing hiding areas for garter snakes. Cork bark provides a nice flat surface for them to hide under. There are some commercially available, naturalistic-looking caves on the market as well. Crafty keepers can build their own custom hiding areas out of stone or wood. The hide should be large enough for the snake to curl its entire body inside.

 

I5I Water Dish. This should be large enough to allow the snake to completely submerge itself and soak. Garters require only moderate humidity; a water dish is all they really need to meet the humidity needs stated previously.

 

I6I Branches. Although eastern garters are often found on the ground in the wild, tame captives will climb and often use a limb as a basking site. Position a branch under the spotlight. Alternatively, a shelf made of cork bark can be created in the enclosure with a branch allowing access to it.

A Good Choice :

 

When set up properly, a terrarium can provide a great deal of enjoyment. When done well, the display will offer the keeper the opportunity to see their reptile exhibit a wide range of behaviors in an attractive, naturalistic setting.
Eastern garter snakes are one of the most popular, interesting and widely available reptile pets. They are often among the first reptiles owned by children and budding herpetologists— though they offer an attractive alternative to advanced keepers, too. For those who like something more unusual, there are a number of captive-bred morphs available, including albino, snow, erythistic, axanthic, flame, etc. Keeping and breeding these snakes in naturalistic terrariums allows hobbyists to have a reptilian “slice of life” at home.   

 

.......................................................................................................................................................................

 

Tim Spuckler was the editor-in-chief of Notes From NOAH (Northern Ohio Association of Herpetologists) newsletter and currently owns his own herp-related business, Third Eye Herptile Propagation. He breeds milk snakes, kingsnakes, pine snakes, corn snakes and hognose snakes.

Garter Snake Care Sheet :

 

courtesy to : www.reptilesmagazine.com/Garter-Snake-Care-Sheet/

BY JEFF BENFER

 

 

Garter snakes are small colubrid snakes found throughout most of the United States.

Garter Snake (Thamnophis sp.):

 

Garter snakes are small colubrid snakes that are not constrictors. They do not pose any dangers to children other than salmonella, which can be carried by any reptile. They are active during the day so they have excellent eye sight which they use along with their keen sense of smell to find and capture prey. They make great display pets because they are very alert and active. In the wild they are often found around water; streams, rivers, lakes and marshes.

Availability

 

Garter snakes are readily available both online and in pet shops. Captive born baby garter snakes are most widely available in the late spring after the birthing season. Many different species and morphs are available in online classifieds thru the summer. Wild caught animals are rarely seen for sale anymore. Captive bred and born babies are preferred because they will have far less issues with feeding and disease.

 

 

Eastern blackneck garter snake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus).

Size :

 

Females are around 3ft long depending on species and males are usually 2ft or less in length. They are a fairly slim bodied snake, males more so than females. Babies are very small, average size at birth is 6-8 inches.

 

Life Span :

 

The average life span in the wild may only be 4-5 years however they can live twice as long in captivity. Captives reaching over 10 years old have been documented.

 

Caging :

 

Garters can be kept in rack systems, but are best suited for aquarium or terrarium style cages. Acrylic or screen style terrariums make ideal cages and can be decorated with wood and vines for the snake to climb around on, which provides beneficial exercise. Minimum size for and adult is a 28 quart plastic tube or a 29 gallon aquarium/terrarium. Males could be kept in slightly smaller cages than females due to their size difference. Multiple garter snakes can be kept together with more space however they should be separated for feeding to avoid incidental cannibalism. A pair of garter snakes can live comfortably in a 55 gallon size. The more space the better as garters are very active and like to climb.

Coast garter snake (Thamnophis elegans terrestris) found under a log.

Lighting, Temperature and Humidity :

 

While UV light may not be considered necessary it can be beneficial as garter snakes are active during the day in the wild. If UV light is not provided it is recommended to occasionally dust food items with a calcium/vitamin powder that contains D3. Garter snakes need a basking area between 90-95 degrees for proper digestion. Heat can be provided by either a basking lamp or heat tape under the tank or both. As with any reptile a temperature gradient should occur in the cage with hides on both the hot and cool sides. It is important to maintain moderate humidity for proper shedding however the cage should not be kept damp or wet as this will cause blistering on the belly. A water dish large enough for the snake to submerge in will provide plenty of humidity. In the winter time when indoor house humidity is long it may be important to partially cover screen tops to maintain moderate humidity.

 

 

 

 

Rear tooth of garter snake.

Substrate :

 

There are many substrates that will work for garter snakes. Popular choices are wood pellets, aspen shavings, newspaper pellets or pulp crumbles (Carefresh or similar products), wood bark chips and coconut coir products. Substrates to avoid are sand, clay cat litter, cedar, pine or other aromatic wood products, or dirt from outside. Newpaper or paper towels can be used for babies but are not good choices for adults. Due to garter’s high metabolism, a deeper more absorbent substrate is preferable. Also, garters like to burrow, so it is good to provide at least an inch or two of substrate. I have used newspaper pellets or pulp, aspen, and wood pellets with good results.

 

Food :

 

Many keepers feed adults a frozen thawed rodent only diet, which is fine because this provides complete nutrition. However in the wild garters would eat a more varied diet consisting of worms, amphibians, fish, and rodents, so it is a good idea to provide some variety in captivity. I prefer to feed both night crawlers and rodents. Babies are easy to start on small cut up pieces of night crawlers. Most feeder fish contain an enzyme called thiaminase, which breaks down thiamine (vitamin B1). Long term exclusive feeding of these fish should be avoided, because doing so can lead to a potentially fatal vitamin deficiency. Garters DO NOT eat crickets, mealworms or other insects. 

Garter snake eating a frog.

Water :

A water dish large enough for the snake to completely submerge in is ideal. Garters love water and will often soak, especially before shedding. A water area large enough for swimming is ideal but not necessary. Garters will sometimes defecate in water, so it is important to check and change frequently. I prefer to use 16 ounce disposable deli cups, which are replaced at least once a week. This is the bare minimum size for adults.

 

Handling and Temperament :

 

Wild caught garters can be defensive. Even some individual captive born babies can have a defensive disposition and will coil and strike. However, most captive animals will be quite tame if raised with regular handling.

 

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Jeff Benfer has kept garter snakes and many other species of reptiles and amphibians for more than 40 years, and he has successfully bred many species and subspecies of garter snakes. He has authored articles about garter snakes both in the U.S. and abroad, and he produced the world’s first snow red-sided garter snake in 2009. He has degrees in fine art, biotechnology and biochemistry and is currently working on completing a master’s degree in epidemiology. For more info visit http://gartersnakemorph.com/.

 

 

 

Vivarium & Terrarium Creatures .. 

 

 

American rat snake   Part 1 Part 2 Asian rat snakeBoomslangCalifornia kingsnakeCoachwhipCommon kingsnake  PART 1 Part 2 Corn snake part 1Part2Dwarf sand snakeEast African egg eaterEastern hognose snakeFalse water cobraGarter snakes  Part One  Part Two Gopher snakeJapanese rat snakeLeaf-nosed snakeMilk snake  Part One Part Two Neotropical rat snakeNorthern cat-eyed snakePine snakeRacer Rough green snakeShovel-nosed snakeSri Lankan wolf snakeTiger snake Western hognose snake


 

 

 

American rat snake   Part 1 Part 2 Asian rat snakeBoomslangCalifornia kingsnakeCoachwhipCommon kingsnake  PART 1 Part 2 Corn snake part 1Part2Dwarf sand snakeEast African egg eaterEastern hognose snakeFalse water cobraGarter snakes  Part One  Part Two Gopher snakeJapanese rat snakeLeaf-nosed snakeMilk snake  Part One Part Two Neotropical rat snakeNorthern cat-eyed snakePine snakeRacer Rough green snakeShovel-nosed snakeSri Lankan wolf snakeTiger snake Western hognose snake


 

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