Garter Snake

ARTICLE CONTENTS:  |  Suggested Reading  |  Links to Other Sites
Garter snake is a common name for 30 species of harmless colubrid SNAKES of the genus Thamnophis. They are found from the southern Northwest Territories to Costa Rica. Most have a prominent, longitudinal stripe down the back, and on many species, a parallel stripe below on each side, but stripeless, spotted species also occur. Six species have been recorded in Canada, including the common garter snake (T. sirtalis), which has the widest range of any North American snake. Garter snakes are often abundant and occupy a wide variety of terrestrial and semi-aquatic habitats, including urban settings.

Diets vary among species but include slugs, earthworms, fish and amphibians. Mammals are eaten occasionally, especially by the western garter snake (T. elegans), which restrains such prey by a primitive coiling behaviour. All are live-bearing and normally produce 5-25 young by mid- to late summer but much larger litters are reported occasionally.

Garter Snake, Eastern
Garter Snake, Eastern
The eastern garter snake is one of 5 subspecies of the common garter snake in Canada (artwork by Charles Douglas).

Author PATRICK T. GREGORY


Suggested Reading
Carl H. Ernst and Evelyn E. Ernst, Snakes of the United States and Canada (2003); Douglas A. Rossman, Neil B. Ford and Richard A. Seigel, The Garter Snakes: Evolution and Ecology (1996).


Links to Other Sites
Canadian Biodiversity Website
A great information source for all budding biologists. Learn about biodiversity theory, natural history, and conservation issues. From McGill’s Redpath Museum.

Why survey Herptiles?
This Parks Canada website is devoted to the study of amphibian and reptilian species native to Canada.

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