Eastern Garter Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis
Appearance 2
46 to 137 centimeters long. Brown to gray to olive green with light stripes of white, yellow, blue, green or brown. Sometimes the stripes can’t be seen, and sometimes the stripes contain patterns of dark spots. The underside is the same color as the stripes. The head is dark with no markings, rounded and wider than the neck. It is nonvenomous. If stripes are very distinct, it might actually be a Northern Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis sauritus), a close relative.
Habitat 2
They prefer grasslands with water sources but can live in woodlands, marshes and even suburban and urban areas.
Behavior/Reproduction 2
Garter snakes mate after hibernation. Males will mate with multiple females. Females give birth to live 4-80 young two or three months later in July and August. The young are immediately independent. The males reach maturity in 1.5 years and the females reach maturity in 2.
Garter snakes are mostly solitary creatures. By day they sun themselves to maintain their body temperatures, and by night they often sleep in groups. They can track each other using their sense of smell. They hunt by catching prey with their teeth and swallowing it whole. They are rely on plant cover to protect them from predators. They hibernate in stumps, burrows or rock piles between late October and March or early April, often in groups, but they will break their hibernation to sun themselves on warm winter days.
Fun Fact 2
Although snakes are predators, they are also prey. Garter snakes are preyed upon by crows, hawks, herons, milk snakes, snapping turtles, shrews, foxes and even squirrels.
Citations 2
http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Thamnophis_sirtalis/
Sources and Credits
- (c) Brian Gratwicke, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://www.flickr.com/photos/19731486@N07/3640282100
- (c) gburg2016, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
More Info
iNat Map
| Category | Amphibians and Reptiles |
|---|
