Characteristics:
The common gartersnake is a medium sized snake, growing to a length of around 3ft. They have a dark gray to black colorations with a yellow strip running down the back and along each side. A reddish coloration between scales is not uncommon. Back scales are heavily keeled. The gartersnake looks very similar to the ribbonsnake. The easiest way to tell them apart is the absence of a pair of prominent light spots on the head of the gartersnake.
*Note: The gartersnakes in this area are considered a subspecies call the Eastern Gartersnake (T. s. sirtalis).
Habitat:
Usually observed in forests on forest edges. Sometimes they are found in people's yards or in junk piles.
Behavior:
The common garter snake is one of the first snakes out of hibernation in the spring. They have even been observed out basking on sunny days in the winter. They mate almost immediatly after coming out of hibernation and give birth to live young anywhere from July to October. They feed on a variety of things such as fish, lizards, worms, insects, small birds and most notably toads, which few other things will eat.
The gartersnake is often incorrectly called the garden snake. This is because they often are found in gardens searching for food. If handled they will thrash about, bite, and expel musk.
Personal Remarks:
I feel sort of bad because I see so many of these that I almost just ignore them. It actually is a pretty amazing snake and I feel like I should stop to appreciate it a bit more, but I see so many of these guys, even in my own yard, that they seem very mundane to me now. I can't count how many times I have seen one in my yard trying to eat a toad that is obviously WAY to big for it. It seems like there are more and more of them every year in my yard.
These guys have a bit of a strange temperment. When first handled they throw a fit, pooping, musking, biting, etc., but after just a few minutes they calm down and are like a pet you have had for years.
The common gartersnake is a medium sized snake, growing to a length of around 3ft. They have a dark gray to black colorations with a yellow strip running down the back and along each side. A reddish coloration between scales is not uncommon. Back scales are heavily keeled. The gartersnake looks very similar to the ribbonsnake. The easiest way to tell them apart is the absence of a pair of prominent light spots on the head of the gartersnake.
*Note: The gartersnakes in this area are considered a subspecies call the Eastern Gartersnake (T. s. sirtalis).
Habitat:
Usually observed in forests on forest edges. Sometimes they are found in people's yards or in junk piles.
Behavior:
The common garter snake is one of the first snakes out of hibernation in the spring. They have even been observed out basking on sunny days in the winter. They mate almost immediatly after coming out of hibernation and give birth to live young anywhere from July to October. They feed on a variety of things such as fish, lizards, worms, insects, small birds and most notably toads, which few other things will eat.
The gartersnake is often incorrectly called the garden snake. This is because they often are found in gardens searching for food. If handled they will thrash about, bite, and expel musk.
Personal Remarks:
I feel sort of bad because I see so many of these that I almost just ignore them. It actually is a pretty amazing snake and I feel like I should stop to appreciate it a bit more, but I see so many of these guys, even in my own yard, that they seem very mundane to me now. I can't count how many times I have seen one in my yard trying to eat a toad that is obviously WAY to big for it. It seems like there are more and more of them every year in my yard.
These guys have a bit of a strange temperment. When first handled they throw a fit, pooping, musking, biting, etc., but after just a few minutes they calm down and are like a pet you have had for years.
