Thamnophis
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Thamnophis (4) Ranges, Terrain, etc...
Thamnophis (4) Ranges, Terrain, etc...
Information regarding ranges, terrains, reproduction, diet, and size cross-referenced using:
1. Pages 664-666, 667-668, 669-670, and 674-676, The Audubon Society Field Guide to North
American Reptiles and Amphibians. c. 1979.
2. Pages 210-214, 216-218, 220-224, and 226-230, Reptiles of the Northwest. c. 2002.
3. Pages 375-379, 382-384, 386-387, and 500-501, Western Reptiles and Amphibians (3rd ed.).
c. 2003.
1. Pages 664-666, 667-668, 669-670, and 674-676, The Audubon Society Field Guide to North
American Reptiles and Amphibians. c. 1979.
2. Pages 210-214, 216-218, 220-224, and 226-230, Reptiles of the Northwest. c. 2002.
3. Pages 375-379, 382-384, 386-387, and 500-501, Western Reptiles and Amphibians (3rd ed.).
c. 2003.
Complete
The Common Garter Snake - Preferred terrain for this species is any grasslands, scrub, chaparral, woodland or open
forests, prairie swales, farms, or parks near water (marshes, damp meadows, bogs, irrigation ditches, streams,
rivers, sloughs, lakes, or ponds) from sea level to up to 8,000 feet. They may often be found sheltering under logs,
bark, woodpiles, boards, and rocks.
The California Red-sided Garter Snake - This subspecies is found all along coastal California from Humboldt County
(south of the Klamath River) south to San Diego County. The Southern California populations are severely
decimated.
The Valley Garter Snake - This subspecies has a wide distributions ranging from extreme SE Alaska through SC
British Columbia, Canada to Central and Eastern Washington,south to Central and Eastern Oregon (+ SW),
Western Montana to Idaho, NC Utah, WC Colorado, extreme NW and WC Nevada, and NW / NC and Central
California. Here in Northwestern California It is found almost everywhere within its preferred terrain except
where it is displaced by the California Red-sided Garter
The Northwestern Garter Snake - As this species is chiefly terrestrial, ideal terrain includes moist meadows and open
forest clearings with abundant low vegetation (no dense forests!). They are commonly found in log piles left by old
logging operations as well as pastures, old homesteads, and gardens. Sea level to 5,500 feet.
This snake is found on Vancouver Island and in SW mainland British Columbia, Canada; Western Washington,
Western Oregon, and Northwestern California (west of the Cascades).
The Western Terrestrial Garter Snake - Chiefly terrestrial, this species is usually found on the margins of streams,
ponds, lakes, and damp meadows from seal level to 10,000 feet. Both the Mountain and Coast subspecies prefer to
seek cover on land rather than in the water. The Wandering Garter differs in that during the arid months of summer it
often becomes very aquatic.
The Mountain Garter Snake - This subspecies may be found in a variety of habitats including oak savannas, dry pine
woodlands, and brushy chaparral of the inland valleys, foothills, and mountains (up to alpine levels)
The Mountain Garter may be found in Western Oregon (west of the Cascades), and in California, the
northern interior (intergrading with the Wandering Garter in the Northeast)) and then south along the
Western Sierra Nevada Mountains and Central Valley (north of California's lower Great Basin inlet; isolated
populations also exist in the San Bernardino Mountains. It is also found on the eastern slopes of the Sierras
in extreme Western Nevada.
The Coast Garter Snake - This subspecies prefers open coniferous forests and hillsides near the coast.
It may be found along the coasts from extreme SW Oregon to California north of Santa Barbara County.
The Wandering Garter Snake - This subspecies may be found in similar terrains to that of the Mountain Garter except
for the fact that its home range is more arid and leads into high desert terrains with juniper and sagebrush.
This garter snake has a wide range that begins in So. British Columbia (including Vancouver Island and
isolated spots in Western mainland BC), So. Alberta (with isolated northern populations), and Southwestern
Saskatchewan, Canada; in the U.S. (south from Western BC) one range fingers from the Puget Sound (WA)
south and inland towards the Oregon border (west of the Cascades); east of the Cascades it may be found
in Central and East Washington, Central and East Oregon, North, Central, and extreme Western Nevada, NE
California (intergrading with the Mountain Garter) and EC California (east of the southern Sierras), Idaho,
WC and Southern Montana, most of Wyoming (with an isolated spot in the East), Western and Central
Colorado, Utah (except in the West), NE and Central Arizona, Northern and Western New Mexico (with
isolated populations further south), and extreme Western Oklahoma.
The Pacific Coast Aquatic Garter Snake - This species is highly aquatic, living along grass, brush, and woodlands near
ponds, small lakes, streams, or rocky creeks and rivers. Sea level to 6,300 feet.
The Oregon Garter Snake - This subspecies prefers permanent streams or rivers with rocky beds and swift clear
water near sedges, willows,cottonwoods, maples, and alder surrounded by slopes with mixed conifers,
madrones, brush, and chaparral.
It is found in SW Oregon and NW California in the Klamath Mountains and Western Siskiyou. It is found as
far east as Shasta County (hybridizing with the Sierra Garter in the Pit River Drainage). It is absent along the
coast from south of the Klamath River to Eureka, however curves south along the coastal mountains
towards Mendocino and Lake Counties (where it intergrades with the Santa Cruz Garter subspecies).
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
The Common Garter mates from late March to May, or early October. An average of 12-18 young are born June to August.
The Northwestern Garter may mate in spring or fall, and it may bear an average of 3-20 young from June to September.
The Western Terrestrial Garter mates in spring and bears an average of 4-19 young from July to September.
The Pacific Coast Aquatic Garter bears 3-12 young from August to early October.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Common Garter - earthworms, slugs, leeches, fish, tadpoles, frogs and toads, salamanders and newts, small mammals
and birds.
Northwestern Garter - earthworms, slugs, snails, small frogs, salamanders (primarily plethodonts), and maybe small fish.
Western Terrestrial Garter - earthworms, slugs, fish, tadpoles, frogs, lizards, small snakes, mice, and small birds. Some
have been documented eating carrion. In some of the northern coastal regions crustaceans and inter-tidal
fish have been taken.
Pacific Coast Aquatic Garter - earthworms, leeches, fish, tadpoles, frogs (esp. Foothill Yellow-legged), and salamanders
(primarily Pacific Giant Salamander larvae and occasionally plethodonts).
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Common - 18 to 36 inches (up to 52 inches)
Northwestern - 13 to 26 inches (up to 38 inches)
Western Terrestrial - 18 to 43 inches
Pacific Coast Aquatic - 18 to 40 inches
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
forests, prairie swales, farms, or parks near water (marshes, damp meadows, bogs, irrigation ditches, streams,
rivers, sloughs, lakes, or ponds) from sea level to up to 8,000 feet. They may often be found sheltering under logs,
bark, woodpiles, boards, and rocks.
The California Red-sided Garter Snake - This subspecies is found all along coastal California from Humboldt County
(south of the Klamath River) south to San Diego County. The Southern California populations are severely
decimated.
The Valley Garter Snake - This subspecies has a wide distributions ranging from extreme SE Alaska through SC
British Columbia, Canada to Central and Eastern Washington,south to Central and Eastern Oregon (+ SW),
Western Montana to Idaho, NC Utah, WC Colorado, extreme NW and WC Nevada, and NW / NC and Central
California. Here in Northwestern California It is found almost everywhere within its preferred terrain except
where it is displaced by the California Red-sided Garter
The Northwestern Garter Snake - As this species is chiefly terrestrial, ideal terrain includes moist meadows and open
forest clearings with abundant low vegetation (no dense forests!). They are commonly found in log piles left by old
logging operations as well as pastures, old homesteads, and gardens. Sea level to 5,500 feet.
This snake is found on Vancouver Island and in SW mainland British Columbia, Canada; Western Washington,
Western Oregon, and Northwestern California (west of the Cascades).
The Western Terrestrial Garter Snake - Chiefly terrestrial, this species is usually found on the margins of streams,
ponds, lakes, and damp meadows from seal level to 10,000 feet. Both the Mountain and Coast subspecies prefer to
seek cover on land rather than in the water. The Wandering Garter differs in that during the arid months of summer it
often becomes very aquatic.
The Mountain Garter Snake - This subspecies may be found in a variety of habitats including oak savannas, dry pine
woodlands, and brushy chaparral of the inland valleys, foothills, and mountains (up to alpine levels)
The Mountain Garter may be found in Western Oregon (west of the Cascades), and in California, the
northern interior (intergrading with the Wandering Garter in the Northeast)) and then south along the
Western Sierra Nevada Mountains and Central Valley (north of California's lower Great Basin inlet; isolated
populations also exist in the San Bernardino Mountains. It is also found on the eastern slopes of the Sierras
in extreme Western Nevada.
The Coast Garter Snake - This subspecies prefers open coniferous forests and hillsides near the coast.
It may be found along the coasts from extreme SW Oregon to California north of Santa Barbara County.
The Wandering Garter Snake - This subspecies may be found in similar terrains to that of the Mountain Garter except
for the fact that its home range is more arid and leads into high desert terrains with juniper and sagebrush.
This garter snake has a wide range that begins in So. British Columbia (including Vancouver Island and
isolated spots in Western mainland BC), So. Alberta (with isolated northern populations), and Southwestern
Saskatchewan, Canada; in the U.S. (south from Western BC) one range fingers from the Puget Sound (WA)
south and inland towards the Oregon border (west of the Cascades); east of the Cascades it may be found
in Central and East Washington, Central and East Oregon, North, Central, and extreme Western Nevada, NE
California (intergrading with the Mountain Garter) and EC California (east of the southern Sierras), Idaho,
WC and Southern Montana, most of Wyoming (with an isolated spot in the East), Western and Central
Colorado, Utah (except in the West), NE and Central Arizona, Northern and Western New Mexico (with
isolated populations further south), and extreme Western Oklahoma.
The Pacific Coast Aquatic Garter Snake - This species is highly aquatic, living along grass, brush, and woodlands near
ponds, small lakes, streams, or rocky creeks and rivers. Sea level to 6,300 feet.
The Oregon Garter Snake - This subspecies prefers permanent streams or rivers with rocky beds and swift clear
water near sedges, willows,cottonwoods, maples, and alder surrounded by slopes with mixed conifers,
madrones, brush, and chaparral.
It is found in SW Oregon and NW California in the Klamath Mountains and Western Siskiyou. It is found as
far east as Shasta County (hybridizing with the Sierra Garter in the Pit River Drainage). It is absent along the
coast from south of the Klamath River to Eureka, however curves south along the coastal mountains
towards Mendocino and Lake Counties (where it intergrades with the Santa Cruz Garter subspecies).
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
The Common Garter mates from late March to May, or early October. An average of 12-18 young are born June to August.
The Northwestern Garter may mate in spring or fall, and it may bear an average of 3-20 young from June to September.
The Western Terrestrial Garter mates in spring and bears an average of 4-19 young from July to September.
The Pacific Coast Aquatic Garter bears 3-12 young from August to early October.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Common Garter - earthworms, slugs, leeches, fish, tadpoles, frogs and toads, salamanders and newts, small mammals
and birds.
Northwestern Garter - earthworms, slugs, snails, small frogs, salamanders (primarily plethodonts), and maybe small fish.
Western Terrestrial Garter - earthworms, slugs, fish, tadpoles, frogs, lizards, small snakes, mice, and small birds. Some
have been documented eating carrion. In some of the northern coastal regions crustaceans and inter-tidal
fish have been taken.
Pacific Coast Aquatic Garter - earthworms, leeches, fish, tadpoles, frogs (esp. Foothill Yellow-legged), and salamanders
(primarily Pacific Giant Salamander larvae and occasionally plethodonts).
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Common - 18 to 36 inches (up to 52 inches)
Northwestern - 13 to 26 inches (up to 38 inches)
Western Terrestrial - 18 to 43 inches
Pacific Coast Aquatic - 18 to 40 inches
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
| Thamnophis Main Page |
| Thamnophis (2) I.D. Comparisons |
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Observing the physical features of our local garters is the first step in establishing a proper identification. Understanding
known ranges and preferred terrain is usually all else that is needed for verification. In addition, the latter may also explain
the individual cases where hybridization and intergradation occur.
known ranges and preferred terrain is usually all else that is needed for verification. In addition, the latter may also explain
the individual cases where hybridization and intergradation occur.
Ranges and Terrains
| Reproduction |
| Recorded Diets |
| Recorded Lengths |
| In Captivity |
Garter snakes often fare well in captivity providing they are given living conditions comparable to their native environments,
however...
In accordance with the Native Reptile and Amphibian Captive Propagation Laws and Regulations of the California
Department of Fish and Game, you are allowed to possess only two of any one species at a time with a standard up to
date California fishing license. This excludes the San Francisco Garter Snake (T. s. tetrataenia) which is protected and
severely endangered. It is also prohibited to collect any Common Garter Snakes in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San
Diego, and Ventura counties.
Although garter snakes are commercially bred for the pet industry, propagation of garters native to California is prohibited.
Being caught propagating without a permit will result in fines as well as the confiscation of the captive collection and its
destruction. Both captivly bred and kept wild-caught specimens should never be returned to the wild without special
permission and professional supervision.
Many enthusiasts may go all the way and indeed build the ideal habitat. This is no guarantee that the specimen will
adapt, especially those captured as adults (often set in their ways with behaviors, territory, and preferred diets). Stress is
a major factor in captive deaths. Parasites brought in with a captive snake may also speed up its demise. Mites, which
are often removed during the slinking and burrowing through larger territories, multiply into dangerous densities within the
confines of an artificial environment. Mites can infest other captive herps you may have in your collection.
Wild caught garter snakes that are returned to the wild often don't survive simply due to the stress endured trying to adapt
in captivity. Lowered immunities result in sickness. Combined with internal or external parasites one sick specimen
released into the wild could contaminate a local population, especially if the animal is released in a location other than
where it was found.
If you do find yourself interested in acquiring a garter snake, please verse yourself in their upkeep. They can be quite
messy due to their diet and their unique musky odor. And opt for the snake that was captive-bred and not wild-caught.
however...
In accordance with the Native Reptile and Amphibian Captive Propagation Laws and Regulations of the California
Department of Fish and Game, you are allowed to possess only two of any one species at a time with a standard up to
date California fishing license. This excludes the San Francisco Garter Snake (T. s. tetrataenia) which is protected and
severely endangered. It is also prohibited to collect any Common Garter Snakes in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San
Diego, and Ventura counties.
Although garter snakes are commercially bred for the pet industry, propagation of garters native to California is prohibited.
Being caught propagating without a permit will result in fines as well as the confiscation of the captive collection and its
destruction. Both captivly bred and kept wild-caught specimens should never be returned to the wild without special
permission and professional supervision.
Many enthusiasts may go all the way and indeed build the ideal habitat. This is no guarantee that the specimen will
adapt, especially those captured as adults (often set in their ways with behaviors, territory, and preferred diets). Stress is
a major factor in captive deaths. Parasites brought in with a captive snake may also speed up its demise. Mites, which
are often removed during the slinking and burrowing through larger territories, multiply into dangerous densities within the
confines of an artificial environment. Mites can infest other captive herps you may have in your collection.
Wild caught garter snakes that are returned to the wild often don't survive simply due to the stress endured trying to adapt
in captivity. Lowered immunities result in sickness. Combined with internal or external parasites one sick specimen
released into the wild could contaminate a local population, especially if the animal is released in a location other than
where it was found.
If you do find yourself interested in acquiring a garter snake, please verse yourself in their upkeep. They can be quite
messy due to their diet and their unique musky odor. And opt for the snake that was captive-bred and not wild-caught.
| SOMEWHAT ADAPTABLE / HIGH MAINTENANCE |
