Garter snakes are one of the most common snakes found in variety of habitats. Varying according to species, garters are generally striped against a plain or checkered background color. Often delicately or subtly colored, even those with vivid red or yellow stripes or yellow ventral scales are quick to blend in with their background in the wild. Some refer to them as garden snakes, because they are often found in gardens. The name “garter” was probably chosen because these snakes, like the fancy garters that once were used to hold up men’s socks, have colorful, longitudinal stripes.
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Natural Background: Garter snakes belong to the genus Thamnophis. Thamnophis are generally opportunistic in their choice of prey, a factor in the survival of populations and their occupation of a variety of habitats. In setting up a proper captive environment, it is essential to know which type of garter snake is essential in which type of habitat. Wild garter diets range from aquatic invertebrates to young vertebrates such as amphibians, birds and mammals. There are a wide variety of different species of garter snakes. Aquatic garters feed primarily on leeches, small (freshwater) fish, aquatic snails and other aquatic invertebrates, amphibian larvae, small frogs and salamanders.
Distribution: Garter snakes are extremely common across North America, from Canada to Central America, an everyday find in gardens. They are the single most widely distributed species of reptile in North America, and in fact, the common garter snake, T. sirtalis, is the only species of snake to be found in Alaska. The western plains and the red-sided garter snakes are found throughout South Dakota, although the red-sided snakes prefer places near aquatic habitat. The wandering garter snake is found only in the Black Hills.
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<!–[endif]–> <!–[if !vml]–><!–[endif]–>Predation: Garters rely primarily upon sight when hunting, “hearing” (sensing ground vibrations), taste and smell. They are quite agile, a trait which also enables them to successfully capture prey. They encounter their prey while moving through their territory during the cooler parts of the day–early morning, late afternoon and early evening. Garter snakes are opportunistic hunters. They will eat almost any animal that they can catch: grasshoppers, earthworms, frogs, toads, salamanders, and small birds and mammals. Garter snake habitat can be found in parks, meadows, woodlands, and yards, wherever there are ponds or streams nearby. They hunt in the early morning, late afternoon, and early evening when the temperature is warm without the strong direct heat of the mid-day sun. Their sight is good by snake standards and, if prey comes within striking distance of the snake, it will usually be pursued. They rely on speed and agility to capture prey. Garter snakes also gather information about their environment from their sense of smell. They use their forked tongue for this. They flick their tongue in the air to pick up scent particles. The tongue is returned to the mouth where each fork of the tongue is inserted into two openings in the top of the inside of their mouth. This enables them to process information about their surroundings. We hope you have enjoyed learning about garter snakes. As you have learned, they are very unique creatures, different than the more popular pythons, copperheads, coral snakes, corn snakes, and very different from the yellow sea snake. The garter snake is not poisonous nor is it the largest snake by any means, but one glance at the pictures of snakes above often shows striped reptiles. For more on the biggest snake, see the home page which frequently features them.
