Characteristics:
    A medium sized snake, reaching a length of around 3ft. A very brightly colored snake with an orange stripe down the back and yellow stripes on the sides against a black background. Scales are heavily keeled. The tail is long compared to most other snakes. The pair of dots on the snakes head are very prominent.

*Note: The western ribbonsnakes in IL and MO are considered to be the subspecies T. p. proximus.


Habitat:
   Often sighted around the edges of ponds, lakes, and wetlands. Forest edges and rocky hillsides near water are a favorite place of this snake. The river bluffs near cypress swamps in southern IL are perfect habitat for this snake.


Behavior:
    This slender snake is fast and agile. Quick to swim if threatened, this is a snake that is no stranger to water. Spending most of their time along the edges of swamps and ponds, they eat mostly fish and amphibians. They mate in the spring and give birth to live young in the late summer all the way into the fall. Very similar looking to other members of the Thamnophis genus, they are by far the most colorful representatives in IL.


Personal Remarks:
    This snake is a common find in the spring time around wetlands. It is not uncommon to see more than one in a day at some locations. They behave very much like a gartersnake if handled. Biting, musking, pooping, all of these are common behaviors for a threatened ribbonsnake. Even though we see them fairly often, it never gets old seeing a snake this colorful.