Garter snakes have complex systems of pheromonal communication. Garter snakes on average tend to be around 5.3 ounces and anywhere from 18 to 30 inches long depending on gender and the type of garter snake you may have. Garter snakes are small, between 23 to 30 inches in length. But the key characteristic to look out for in these snakes is their striping patterns. My husband and I recently adopted a Labrador retriever. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. If unable to flee they coil to make themselves appear larger, and may strike and bite. Reptiles Keeper's Guide: Garter and Ribbon Snakes. They are found as far south as the Gulf of Mexico in the eastern United States. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant DRL-0628151.Copyright © 2002-2020, The Regents of the University of Michigan. [6], Giant garter snakes are active during the day from spring to late fall and will over-winter in terrestrial environments before emerging the following spring. Stebbins, R. 1985. Animal Behavior, 61: 827-833. [13], Despite the decline in their population from collection as pets (especially in the more northerly regions in which large groups are collected at hibernation),[14] pollution of aquatic areas, and the introduction of American bullfrogs as potential predators, garter snakes are still some of the most commonly found reptiles in much of their ranges. Accessed "*Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia*" (On-line). Simply give it some space and tend to your bite. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Also, remember that these snakes are thin and only grow up to 5 feet long. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. BioKIDS home  |  Questions? Birds of prey, crows, egrets, herons, cranes, raccoons, otters, and other snake species (such as coral snakes and kingsnakes) will eat garter snakes, with even shrews and frogs eating the juveniles. Common garter snakes usually have three white, yellow, blue, or green stripes running the lengths of their brown or olive bodies. Due to their small size and stature, these poor snakes are very vulnerable to predators and its harder for them to hunt for food. Males were observed to have a decreased body condition during early spring, as a result of allocating energy towards mate searching and reproductive opportunities, forgoing growth and feeding. [10] Giant garters are prey for various raptor birds and have evolved a fast diving behaviour to avoid them. Newly born snakes tend to stay around their mother for several hours or days but she provides no parental care or protection after they are born. Portland, Oregon. Common garter snakes are found throughout eastern North America from Florida to coastal Quebec, west to British Columbia, south into southern California east of the Sierras, and throughout the less arid areas of the southwest. Snakes are also sensitive to vibrations and have reasonably good vision. Highly aquatic, it is active when water temperatures are at 68 °F (20 °C) or more and is dormant underground when its aquatic habitat is below this temperature. Most litters range from 10 to 40 young and litter size depends on the size of the female, with larger females giving birth to larger litters. The young are incubated in the lower abdomen, about half way down from the snake's body. [3] The giant garter snake has fared better in the Sacramento Valley because rice cultivation and the associated canals have provided habitat. Garter snakes grow up to their adult forms really fast. U.S. 1998. Despite the fact that they are harmless snakes, they are often persecuted by humans. If grabbed, these snakes writhe and release a foul-smelling secretion; they will also urinate on their attacker. They are often stout-bodied with a ridge down the center of their back. However, Common garter snakes have been recorded in lengths nearing 4 feet. They begin life super small and they can get pretty big by the time they are an adult, possibly reaching a decent size of up to 5 feet in length. In this article, we give a full detailed description of what a garter snake is like. The length of the garter snake varies from 46 to 137cm (18 to 54 inches), and it weighs approximately 140g (5 ounces).

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