Posted from thamnophissirtalisparietalis.blogspot.com with permission.
Introduction
The common garter snake is a small colubrid snake of the subfamily Natricinae, commonly encountered by the average person in the field when exploring on camping trips and outings. These prolific and widespread snakes come in a great variety of species and colors, earning them a spot as a popular snake among educational programs and reptile hobbyists.
While many people have traditionally kept and captured the common garter snake, a growing interest in keeping garter snakes of the genus Thamnophis has sprouted around the world. These snakes are quite different from other snakes maintained in captive collections and sport some interesting behaviors that enamor those who watch them. To successfully care for and reproduce the common garter snake in captivity, one must reproduce conditions conducive to their wellbeing. As with most herps in captivity, this can be done easily by understanding and then replicating how these snakes live in the wild.
A female common garter snake.
Natural History
Natural history is a term often used by researchers, typically to describe the role a species plays in its environment, behaviors, and adaptations. When we refer to "natural history," it is common for a historical image to come to mind, as if we are studying the past. Regardless of how one interprets it, understanding how a species lives and thrives in its native range can be a great start to managing said species in captivity.
The common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) is a highly variable snake species found in abundance throughout much of the eastern United States. Other species of garter snakes of the genus Thamnophis are extremely widespread snakes, observed in nearly every part of the United States into Canada. In this article, we will be focusing in on the common garter snake, a species that can be found within one of the largest ranges of any of the Thamnophis in the United States.
The common garter snake is a crucial prey animal in the habitats it occupies. Along with this, these snakes feed on earthworms and amphibians, transferring nutrients through a food web- Garter snakes are preyed on by many bird species. Snakes of the genus Thamnophis can expel an odorous musk when threatened and may bite as a defense mechanism. Garter snakes are not dangerous to people, but reports of allergic reactions to their bites have been reported. Garter snakes are classified as "rear-fang venomous" snakes; While many dangerous venomous snake species- like the Crotalids of North America- sport fangs in the front of their mouth, garter snakes' fangs lie near the end of the jaw. These fangs are used to draw prey into their mouth when confronted and sport a mild toxin that affects fish and amphibian prey. Garter snake "venom" is heavily specialized to their specific diet; therefore, it poses no threat to human beings.
Three male common garter snakes.
Anatomy and Phylogeny
All snakes in the genus Thamnophis sport keeled scales. A keel is a raised line along a scale that allows for enhanced protection and mobility in snakes. These keels often help snakes climb trees and shrubs, especially when utilized in a rectilinear motion. When surveying for Thamnophis in prairie and wetland habitats, one can often see ribbon and garter snakes perched in trees- sometimes up to 4 feet above the ground! This behavior is fitting, seeing as the name Thamnophis translates roughly to "bush serpent" in Latin.
Common garter snakes exhibit many subspecies, with up to 14 recognized. The common garter snake can be differentiated from other garter snakes by counting scales, a tool often utilized by field researchers. While one can frequently view these snakes in the wild and make a very accurate identification, many common garter snakes share range overlaps with other Thamnophis species and therefore may be tricky to identify for the beginner.
Thamnophis sirtalis exhibits 7 "labial" scales, a term used to describe the scales on the "upper lip." Thamnophis sirtalis also exhibits its characteristic stripes on the second and third row of its sides. Because Thamnophis color can be so incredibly variable among regions, this is a good way for beginners to identify this species apart from other "look-alikes," such as the plains garter (Thamnophis radix,) or the terrestrial garter (Thamnophis elegans.)
Habitat Use and Behavior
Common garter snakes can be found in an exceedingly wide range of habitats. Due to their resilient nature and high fecundity, these snakes can be found both in urban areas and in wetlands and damp prairies here in the Midwest. The common garter snake is often seen in areas with tall grass, basking on rocks, and hunting along the edge of ponds and wetlands. Thamnophis spend the winter in large groups, dormant in a hibernaculum. Garter snakes may share these dens with other species that share their range.
Common garter snakes have been known to exhibit a notably large degree of social behaviors. These snakes are rarely found alone and are often found sharing cover or dens with each other.
An example of prime Thamnophis habitat. Large expanses of prairie are interconnected with wetland at this site.
Sexual Dimorphism, Reproduction, and Size
Garter snakes of all species exhibit a hefty degree of sexual dimorphism. Male snakes of the genus Thamnophis are substantially smaller than females. Male snakes are long and quite thin, with smaller heads. Female snakes are large as adults and can be variable in weight depending on age and season.
Male common garter snakes often reach lengths of 2-3 feet, though it is more common for them to land on the shorter end of the scale. Male garters weigh significantly less than females. (A larger adult male garter snake I keep fluctuates from 60-70 grams.) Overall, males are small and often exhibit longer tails compared to females.
Female common garter snakes are quite a bit different. Because garter snakes are in the subfamily Natricinae, they exhibit a peculiar difference from many other colubrids. Garter snakes give live birth to their young, incubating their eggs within their bodies. As a result, females are much larger than males to maximize their reproductive success. A female may give birth to 20-30 snakes on average, with a potential maximum of up to 40 young in a litter. Because of this, female garter snakes typically weigh upwards of 150 grams (about 5.29 oz) when not maintained with a male. When gravid, however, these snakes may reach weights upwards of 300 grams (about 10.58 oz).
Maintenance and Keeping
Selecting an enclosure to keep a common garter snake in is a contested topic. While the general goal of many snake keepers is to provide an enclosure that allows a snake to fully stretch out its body in an uninhibited fashion, the exploratory and active nature of garter snakes should be considered when preparing a home for a garter snake.
A single garter snake may thrive in as little as a 20-gallon equivalent enclosure, but ample enrichment opportunities must be provided for this active and inquisitive snake. Keeping this species in a bin or rack system is often far less conducive to snake well-being, and far less enjoyable for the keeper. These snakes make fantastic display animals for educational centers or for the average hobbyist and require an enclosure that allows them to be appreciated properly.
The common garter snake is a species that can safely be housed in groups. However, some care should be taken when placing snakes of vastly different sizes together. Garter snakes may accidentally cannibalize their tank mates when feeding. I highly recommend reading the "Feeding" section of this article to better understand how to approach feeding time when cohabitating with garter snakes.
When housing garter snakes in groups, a 40-gallon enclosure is a good minimum. Each snake should be able to explore uninhibited. Garter snakes are a species that will use every square inch of their enclosure, so I always recommend going bigger if possible.
Lighting and Heating
The common garter snake is very adaptable, coming from a multitude of diverse habitats. Because of this adaptability, these snakes can tolerate a broad variety of temperatures. When building an enclosure, I typically create a hot spot on one side of the enclosure that reaches 90 F. Along with this, I provide a large branch underneath this basking spot. Having a large branch beneath the basking spot allows each snake to decide how much heat to bask under. After a meal, a large female snake may want to be directly underneath the rays of a heating element to maximize digestion. The key to properly maintaining these snakes is allowing for a gradient of heat in the enclosure. These snakes are fantastic at managing their own body temperature when the opportunity is provided.
Because these snakes are diurnal, an overhead heat source is a must. Garter snakes are heliocentric, and associate warmth with proper lighting. As a result, utilizing heating pads commonly used for snakes like pythons may not provide the kind of heat they need, resulting in less vigorous snakes.
Along with a heat lamp, I recommend providing an LED light above the enclosure to allow for a clear day and night cycle. As diurnal animals, garter snakes require a clear lighting schedule. Remember: we're seeking to provide many of the elements that these snakes would experience in the wild to maximize satisfaction and health within an enclosure.
Many successful keepers utilize full-spectrum UVB lighting for their snakes. It's been found that UVB lighting can be extremely beneficial in promoting healthy bone density and natural processes in captive reptile bodies. I recommend providing this form of lighting whenever possible, but these snakes can be maintained without this specific lighting if dietary needs are met successfully.
Substrates
Garter snakes can be kept on a wide variety of substrates, ranging from the humble paper towel to a bioactive soil mixture. I personally prefer keeping my adults and subadults on an organic topsoil mixture, as this allows for proper humidity and gives each snake the chance to burrow (which they do often.)
A male and female common garter snake housed on an organic topsoil substrate.
Inside the Enclosure
Garter snakes can be maintained in bioactive enclosures. Grasses and sturdy houseplants often prove to be good choices. It should be kept in mind, however, that a large female snake may trample and crush overly sensitive plants within the enclosure. Choosing sturdy plants is necessary.
The common garter snake is often associated with wetland habitats and can be frequently found near water. As a result, these snakes need a large, regularly cleaned water dish. A dish should be big enough for the largest snake in an enclosure to sit in comfortably, and to totally submerge itself in. Proper hydration is crucial to reptile growth and health. All snakes should always have access to clean, fresh water.
I recommend keeping humidity around 50%. However, providing spots with varying amounts of humidity is the best way to avoid health problems. The basking spot should be warm and dry. The opposite side of the enclosure should contain a humid hiding spot for the shedding process. I recommend keeping the water dish on this side to give the snakes variance in the conditions in their environment. It is important to remember that these snakes can choose their location easily in their habitats in the wild, and that should be reflected in their enclosures.
Garter snakes are not snakes that should be kept in a "bare minimum" style enclosure. These snakes need room and options for ample activity. I recommend filling your enclosure with branches that reach high to allow for climbing opportunities. Both live and fake plants can be utilized to fill open space, and dead leaf litter provides enrichment by creating shelter. Keeping several decor items on hand to "switch up” a garter snake enclosure is highly recommended. Enrichment for these snakes can be as simple as providing a new scent or item in the enclosure. I utilize safe, cut plants from pesticide-free areas to provide new scents for my group of snakes.
An enclosure housing a group of red-sided garter snakes, (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis).
Handling
Garters can become quite tolerant of handling with time. While these snakes can become very tame with regular handling, you can expect them to explore and move around quite a lot when taken out of the enclosure. These are not ball pythons! I would say that female garter snakes feel a lot like a small corn snake when being handled. Males are flightier and may take a little more work to handle easily. Another important consideration when first handling these snakes is their ability to "musk." Garter snakes, when handled incorrectly or frightened, can spray a foul-smelling "goo" from their vent. Because of this, working carefully with these snakes when you begin handling them is important. While snake musk poses little danger to people, it smells awful.
Avoid grabbing a garter snake firmly in the first few weeks you have it. This is a surefire way to receive a good musking!
This male Red-Sided Garter snake was quite a flighty snake at first. With regular, patient handling, he is now quite calm when held.
Feeding
Feeding garter snakes in captivity is a contested topic- a keeper can take many positions. Some breeders insist that frozen-thawed, whole pinky and fuzzy mice should be the main staple of a garter snake diet. Others insist that variety is the key to long-term longevity for these snakes. The reality of what works best will certainly vary among keepers. Regardless, it's very clear that garter snakes, at least Thamnophis sirtalis, prey upon a great number of food items, and can be considered generalists in that regard.
Garter snakes are not aggressive strikers when feeding. Typically, when presented with a food item, snakes will exhibit rapid flicking of the tongue. This allows them to transfer the smell of food in the air to their Jacobson's organ. This small organ in the roof of a snake's mouth tells them about the "smells" in the air around them and allows them to identify when prey is nearby. A forked tongue allows them to differentiate the direction from which prey may be moving. A healthy snake will often exhibit robust tongue flicking behavior in the presence of suitable prey.
Spraying the enclosure before feeding will often accentuate a healthy feeding response in these snakes. When feeding, garter snakes will either shoot forward a short distance to "grab" the prey item in their mouth or may simply approach slowly and begin to eat their prey calmly. Garters do not constrict their prey, choosing instead to purely strike and eat in one motion.
A healthy snake can become easy to feed using a pair of tongs as it becomes more accustomed to a keeper's presence. Even wild snakes may take food quickly from tongs. It is important to be patient when tong-feeding your snake for the first time. Each snake is a unique individual with a predisposition, and so some may be shyer than others.
How often you feed your snake should depend on a few factors. Males will eat substantially less food, especially during breeding season, and males may even completely go off food in the spring and summer. If this happens, do not be alarmed! For a male who refuses to eat, earthworms are a favorite that are often relished by even the most stubborn of snakes.
A male garter snake feeding.
Female snakes should usually have large appetites. Unless your snake is in a shedding cycle, female snakes will rarely refuse food. Female snakes will eat much more during the breeding season. Because these snakes can have quite large litters, a female may need to be fed twice a week during the breeding season to ensure she receives enough food to produce healthy babies. More on female snakes can be found in the "Breeding" section.
Feeding Garters in Groups
While most Thamnophis fare very well in captivity when kept in groups, there is a risk of cannibalism in this species if proper precautions are not taken.
Garter snakes are often incredibly careful feeders when kept together. The common garter snake is particularly careful of tank mates when feeding, but accidents can occur at feeding time when housing groups of this species together.
The best way to ensure that snake feeding time goes smoothly is to follow a straightforward process. First, feed this species often; these snakes have high metabolisms and depending on the food you choose to feed them, they may need to eat as much as three times a week as adults. These snakes are quite different from commonly kept species like rat snakes and pythons. Multiple meals a week and multiple items per feeding is the way to go with this species.
Here is a tip from my experiences caring for this species: When feeding garter snakes, I recommend starting with any large females you have in the enclosure. Start by tong feeding them the larger prey items (whole fuzzy or pinky mice, fish, etc.) Because much of the cannibalism risk comes from very hungry, much larger female snakes, ensuring they get their food first is an effective way to minimize accidents.
After the larger females have each been fed, you can begin to prep everyone else's food. Personally, I like to feed the females their larger feeders first. This gets the smaller, less ravenous males ready to eat. From there, I dice up earthworms and silversides into small cubes, roughly the size of the head of one of the snakes. These small pieces of food reduce competition and prey drive when garters are housed together. Placing an entire earthworm or other large feeder into an enclosure with multiple garters can prove dangerous, as the snakes will grab onto each end of the worm. While this "Lady and the Tramp-esque" show is quite entertaining, a larger garter may accidentally mistake the other for food. This is often how accidental cannibalism occurs in this species. By dicing suitable prey that is placed into the enclosure, this can be effectively prevented.
Rodents as Feeders
Whole mice are known by many snake keepers as a complete diet. By feeding your garter snake whole rodent prey at least once a month, you ensure that they consume nutrients that are not typically found in other feeder items; A full mouse contains bones, organ meat, and many micronutrients that cannot be found in other feeders. Whole mice are especially important when breeding garter snakes, as they make a particularly good feeder item for hungry, gravid females. Not providing enough whole prey for gravid female snakes can result in litters with health complications, so I highly recommend feeding females fuzzy mice regularly. Male garters enjoy pinky mice, as these are small enough for them to eat easily.
When feeding mice to garter snakes, a picky eater may refuse to eat rodents. To acclimate garter snakes to rodents, I recommend rubbing a nightcrawler earthworm on the rodent before feeding. Nightcrawlers are a favorite of garter snakes but offer far less nutrition than a rodent. Eventually, after a few weeks of feeding rodents with earthworm scent, your snakes may no longer require their food to be scented. It is very touch-and-go. Remember to be patient with your snakes, and to take it easy on yourself. These snakes can be fussy at first on occasion, especially for first-time snake keepers.
Fish
A major component of the diet of wild garter snakes is fish. While fish can be a good feeder, I recommend feeding fish on a rotation with other prey items. Special considerations must be taken when feeding fish to garter snakes.
Regardless of what fish you feed your garter snake, keepers need to be aware of the concept of thiaminase. Thiaminase is an enzyme found in certain species of fish that, when consumed in large quantities, can inhibit the use and absorption of vitamin B1. Many fish like carp, danio, and goldfish have extremely high amounts of this enzyme. Because of this, feeding fish with high thiaminase can cause premature death in snakes. Researching what types of fish are safe to feed to your snakes is crucial. Some fish that contain little to no thiaminase include tilapia, pollock, salmon, and guppies. Along with this, silversides are a safe fish with little thiaminase concerns.
When selecting fish as food for snakes, veer away from fish labeled as "feeders" at big box stores. Fish like goldfish and rosy red minnows are cheap and easy to acquire but often contain high loads of bacteria and parasites due to how they are raised and kept. If you need to feed live fish to your snakes, starting a small tank or bin with guppies or other live-bearing fish is a healthier and more beneficial alternative. Breeding guppies as snake food is especially helpful in feeding freshly born young snakes.
A fantastic frozen fish option for all keepers to consider are frozen silversides, commonly sold in the aquarium frozen food fridge at many pet stores. These fish contain no thiaminase and provide a whole prey item to your snake. These are far more nutritious than feeding diced fish filets to your snake. For males, I recommend cutting these in half, though an adult female snake can eat these whole.
A common recommendation from many keepers has been to include frozen-thawed fish filets, like tilapia, to snakes as part of a complete diet. While filet itself is not harmful, I have found that many, if not most manufacturers in the United States add some form of preservative to the filets we purchase from grocers. My experience with fish filets is that feeding them on a rotation may not be enough to mitigate the preservative levels in them. After raising 5 separate litters of garter snakes, I can no longer recommend feeding filet, as some brands I have purchased have caused great losses during reproduction season. These filets are good as a backup but are an extremely poor food item in the long term.
A female snake feeding on diced tilapia filet.
Frogs
Another food item that garter snakes regularly consume in the wild is frogs. Amphibians can be tougher to source than other prey options but are a good feeder item. Frog legs can be diced into small pieces for garter snakes.
Earthworms
Ah, the humble earthworm. Believe it or not, earthworms are the one food that most common garter snakes will accept without issue. When purchasing earthworms from a store, be sure to buy worms labeled as "nightcrawlers," as these make the best food for these snakes. Avoid worms labeled as compost worms, or red wigglers. These worms make good fishing bait but excrete a foul-smelling toxin that tastes quite bad to most reptiles and amphibians. There is also some debate over whether these red wigglers are toxic when fed to snakes. Regardless, avoid these worms as feeders, and choose nightcrawlers instead.
Unsuitable Feeders
Unfortunately, there are still some misconceptions about what garter snakes can and cannot eat. To this day, many infographics included in ecological texts and art advertise garter snakes as an insect eating species. While other small North American snakes, like the green snakes (Op heodrys) feed on insect prey, garter snakes will not feed on insects at all. Garter snakes have no interest in eating insects. In fact, these snakes seem to not even register insects as food!
Refusal of Food
If you have tried all these things and still cannot get your snake to eat, do not panic. Garters will sometimes refuse food for several reasons. Once you have ensured your snakes are warm and humid enough, you may have to wait a few days before trying again.
Another cause of food refusal can be the shedding process, known scientifically as “ecdysis.” When garter snakes shed their skin, they do so over a few days. In Autumn of 2023, I had a terrible scare with an older female snake- after refusing food for over two weeks, she began to turn blue (as snakes do before they perform ecdysis). After she completed her shed, she resumed feeding like normal.
Breeding the Common Garter Snake
Breeding garter snakes is not a simple endeavor. At this point, I have produced quite a few litters, and each litter nearly always poses some major challenges. Before deciding to breed these snakes, I highly recommend understanding what you will be getting into. Raising up to 40 snakes the size of a shoelace is not a simple endeavor but can be done with the right equipment and a little extra space.
The breeding process for garter snakes is remarkably simple. Because these snakes can be housed together in the same enclosure, breeding will often occur naturally if a male and female are housed together. Some breeders will choose to brumate their garter snakes using a refrigerator set to a proper temperature, which can encourage breeding and allow for the female snakes to have a break.
Garter snakes mate in a fascinating way. A male will seek out a female during breeding season and move so that he is positioned beside her body, up against her. Males will then undulate their bodies along the female to determine if she is interested in mating. If a female is ovulating, she will accept her suitor's advances and allow him to mate with her. After this, a female will typically give birth to a litter.
Temperature and feeding consistency will determine how successful a female is when giving birth to her clutch. A healthy snake will give birth to 10-40 young that are quite active and well-formed. Not feeding a gravid female enough or keeping her too cold during her gravid period will result in poorly formed, sometimes underdeveloped young.
Even the healthiest of female snakes may give birth to a few "slugs." Slugs are common in garter snake breeding. Because garter snakes give birth to such a massive amount of young, females may give birth to some young that are partially developed. They may also give birth to jelly-like, unfertilized eggs. It is common to see a few jellies and slugs in each litter, regardless of how well cared for your snake is.
If all works out, breeding your snakes may result in a large litter of babies! Caring for these young ones is its own job.
Caring for Young Garter Snakes
Young garter snakes come out of their mother fully formed and fully independent. However, these tiny snakes are often very fragile. Because garter snakes prioritize numbers over quality in their young, it is not uncommon to lose a few young snakes as they age. To minimize casualties, I have found a few things that work very well for young snakes.
A group of young red-sided garter snakes. A pencil for scale showcases how tiny these neonate snakes are.
Housing Juveniles
Young garter snakes are quite fragile and small during their first few months of life. Because of this, an enclosure for young garter snakes should have a tight-fitting lid with no small cracks or areas where a snake may escape from. If you are concerned about a snake escaping, there is probably a good chance it will! Securing any gaps or cracks in an enclosure that young snakes will inhabit is a must!
Young garter snakes do better when raised together as babies, at least in my experience. Separating each snake can make it difficult to meet each of their needs. Remember, an average litter has around 20 young snakes. Enclosure size for young snakes is less important than meeting their needs for the first few months. Very small, freshly born snakes can be kept in enclosures as small as 5 gallons. I would recommend keeping 10 or so freshly born snakes per 5-gallon enclosure for the first month or two. As they grow, transitioning to a 10-gallon enclosure may be more reasonable.
Young garter snakes are quite easy to "decorate" for. These snakes should have a sizeable hide on the warm side of their enclosure and a hide on the cool side. This allows the young to choose how warm they would like to be. Along with this, providing small sticks and dried leaves can allow the young to feel more comfortable in their enclosure. Regardless, to successfully raise these sensitive young past their first few months, simplicity and minimalism should be core tenets of the process of setting up an enclosure.
An example of a simple set-up for a group of young snakes.
Substrate for Young Snakes
For starters, young garter snakes should be kept on paper towels. Young garters tend to drag their food around their enclosure as they eat. This can become a recipe for disaster in a tank with dirt. Dirt and soil can very easily be ingested by these tiny snakes by accident. For a larger, healthy adult snake, soil poses no threat. For a fragile, newborn neonate, loose soil can pose a serious impaction threat. Providing paper towels as a substrate for the first few months of life is a surefire way to maximize the number of healthy snakes from a given litter. Paper towels in the enclosure should be changed each week, possibly more frequently depending on the number of snakes per enclosure.
Heating a Juvenile Snake Enclosure
Growing garter snakes need to be kept very warm. In nature, young garter snakes are born in the late summer when their natural environment is quite hot. With regular feeding and an overhead heat source that allows for a hotspot of 90 F, young garter snakes will grow remarkably fast. I utilize 30-40w bulbs for 5- and 10-gallon enclosures.
Water for Young Garters
Young garter snakes are extremely prone to drying out due to their small size. Having a large, shallow water dish that young snakes can easily access is necessary. Along with this, young garters need a humid environment to avoid dehydration. Heavily spray down neonate enclosures once a day.
Feeding Juveniles
Feeding these tiny snakes is the largest concern. Young garter snakes, if kept warm and humid enough, often have a good feeding response. The only trick with these snakes is getting them to start eating, and to source small enough prey for them to eat.
Young garter snakes need extremely small prey items, especially for the first few months of life. The easiest way to provide this for these tiny snakes is by feeding nightcrawlers, finely diced, and placed into a shallow bowl. Nightcrawlers should be cut into pieces that are about the size of the head of the snake being fed. Too large of a piece can result in difficulty digesting and may result in premature death.
Often, young snakes will have some difficulty when starting to eat. Having a small batch of juvenile guppies can be a fantastic way to get a picky young snake to start eating. Unfortunately, the first few months of feeding these snakes is just difficult to manage. Unless you have copious amounts of small fish or have the time to dice earthworms at least twice a week, I would not recommend breeding these snakes for those who have no interest in dealing with these eccentricities. If you can get past the difficult stage, these snakes make incredibly rewarding captives to reproduce.
Captive Breeding and Management - Ethical Considerations
As with many reptile species, garter snakes are sometimes available as field-collected specimens. Snakes collected from outside tend to include many challenges for the average keeper. Snakes collected from outdoors often carry a load of parasites and bacteria. Sometimes, when these snakes begin to make the transition from wild animals to house pets, they suffer from stress. This stress can cause bacteria and parasites to explode, killing the snake.
Snake Fungal Disease (SFD) is another pathogen commonly seen in garter snakes in the wild. This emerging disease is believed to be devastating to snake populations. Snakes with SFD often present several symptoms. This fungus is nearly impossible to eradicate in wild snakes.
For these reasons, I highly discourage keepers from collecting their own snakes without doing extensive research. Along with pathogen concerns, local conservation law MUST be considered if one chooses to collect snakes from the wild. Because of these reasons, the average person has truly little business taking these snakes from the wild for use as pets.
Captive-bred garter snakes are becoming increasingly common. As the garter snake hobby begins to explode here in the United States, we can surely expect to see more of these snakes available as captive-bred babies. Sourcing these snakes from breeders using sites like Craigslist and Morph Market often results in much healthier snakes and a much easier and more rewarding experience. Purchasing snakes from breeders ensures that wild animals stay in the wild. Captive-bred snakes also suffer from far less health issues than those found outside. Captive bred animals are the way to go!
Conclusion
It is quite clear that the common garter snake is extremely under-appreciated in the reptile hobby. While garter snakes have not always historically been seen as valuable additions to a hobbyist's collection, it is very clear that these snakes have some unique traits, colors, and behaviors that make them ideal captives when kept and bred responsibly.
Long gone are the days of these snakes being collected in large numbers from the wild and sold for $20 in American pet shops! The age of responsible and widespread garter snake keeping is here, and that's great news. Regardless of the species one keeps, it is quite clear that much can be gained from keeping these inquisitive serpents of the Eastern United States.
Further Reading
Here at the bottom of this page, I have linked some reputable sources for further reading on caring for and learning about garter snakes. Each source has a brief description describing it below.
Care and Husbandry Related Sources
1.) Gartersnake.info
This is a fantastic source for reading about general care and tips on keeping Thamnophis. The page itself is a bit dated, but the information stands true still. The author of this page has quite a bit of experience keeping these snakes and displays it very well. Evidence is anecdotal, but valuable, nonetheless.
Brett Dunn of Garters Dunn Right is a Thamnophis breeder producing many garter snakes in captivity. So many of the color morphs being produced by this breeder are incredible! Brett has several care guides available and some snakes for sale often.
While Facebook groups are not always the best place to obtain information, this group is very solid. If you have a question you would like to ask about a species you keep, or to see how other people keep their garter snakes, this may be a useful source to check out. It is important to remember that social media "groups" can often contain misinformation and charged emotional responses from folks on the internet. Regardless, they can be used as a resource by the discerning keeper.
Scientific and Peer-Reviewed Sources
This fascinating paper, published in Springer Nature Journal and written by Morgan Skinner of Wilfrid Laurier University, explains how social structure and individual recognition occurs in groups of common garter snakes.
2.) Geographic variation in the garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) of the North-Central United States
This publication from the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society goes in depth describing some of the variations between subspecies found within Thamnophis sirtalis.
Written in association with Spock’s Sanctuary Reptile Center in West Des Moines, IA for the discerning keeper.
Authored by student intern Skye Krause. A special “Thank-You!” to Erin Eddy for assistance with editing and proofreading. Science is a wheel to be turned by many!
Photos provided by Skye Krause. Images and text are original works and are the intellectual property of Skye Krause unless stated otherwise.
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