Garter snake facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The article is about North American garter snakes. For the unrelated venomous snakes of Africa also called garter snakes, see Elapsoidea.

Quick facts for kids Garter snake

The eastern garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Subfamily:	Natricinae
Genus:	*Thamnophis* Fitzinger, 1843
Species
35, see text

Thamnophis distribution
Synonyms
List Atomarchus Chilopoma Eutaenia Eutainia Phamnovis Prymnomiodon Stypocemus Tropidonote Tropidonotus

Garter snakes are fascinating reptiles found across North and Central America. These small to medium-sized snakes belong to a group called Thamnophis. You can find them from central Canada all the way south to Costa Rica. They are known for their varied looks and interesting behaviors.

What are Garter Snakes?
Where Do Garter Snakes Live?
How Do Garter Snakes Behave?
- Social Life of Garter Snakes
What Do Garter Snakes Eat?
Are Garter Snakes Venomous?
Protecting Garter Snakes
Types of Garter Snakes
Images for kids
Related pages
See also

What are Garter Snakes?

Garter snakes are part of the Colubridae family. This is a large group of snakes. They come in many different colors and patterns. Most garter snakes have large round eyes. They also have a slender body. Their scales often look 'raised' or keeled. Many have stripes running along their bodies. These stripes can be blue, yellow, or red. They are mixed with black tops and lighter underbellies.

These snakes vary in size. They can be anywhere from about 45 centimeters (18 inches) to 130 centimeters (51 inches) long. The first garter snake was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. Later, Leopold Fitzinger named their genus Thamnophis in 1843. Today, scientists recognize about 37 different species of garter snakes.

Where Do Garter Snakes Live?

Garter snakes live all over North America and Central America. You can find them in almost all of the United States. They also live in every Canadian province. Their range stretches from the cold plains of Canada to the warm areas of Florida. They are also found across Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica.

These snakes are very good at adapting. They can live in many different places. This includes forests, grasslands, and even your lawn. However, they always prefer to be near water. You might find them near a pond, stream, or wetland. This is because many of their favorite foods live in or near water. Garter snakes also like places with mixed tree cover. This helps them control their body temperature.

Interestingly, garter snakes were not originally from the island of Newfoundland in eastern Canada. But since at least 2010, they have been living and breeding there. Scientists believe they arrived by accident, perhaps in hay shipments.

How Do Garter Snakes Behave?

Garter snakes have special ways of communicating. They use scents called pheromones. They can follow these scent trails to find other snakes. Male and female snakes have different scents. Sometimes, male garter snakes can even produce both male and female scents! This helps them get more attention during mating season. It also helps them warm up faster after hibernation. This is called kleptothermy, where they get heat from other snakes. A female garter snake can have many babies at once, sometimes up to 57!

The small teeth of a garter snake

Garter snakes use their tongues to "taste" the air. This helps them pick up chemical signals. These signals go to a special organ in their mouth. This organ helps them understand their surroundings.

If a garter snake feels threatened, it might coil up. It could also strike. But usually, it tries to hide its head. It might also wave its tail around. They can also release a stinky, musky smell. This smell comes from a gland near their tail. These tricks help them escape from danger. They might also slither into water to get away from predators on land. Many animals hunt garter snakes. These include Hawks, crows, raccoons, and even other snakes. Young garter snakes can even be eaten by shrews and frogs.

A close-up of the scales on a common garter snake

Like all reptiles, garter snakes need the sun. They bask to warm up their bodies. This helps them control their body temperature. During winter, garter snakes don't truly hibernate. Instead, they go into a deep sleep called brumation. They often gather in large groups in special dens. These dens are called hibernacula. They might travel long distances to reach these safe winter spots.

Social Life of Garter Snakes

For a long time, people thought snakes were mostly solitary. But a study in Ontario, Canada, showed something different. Scientists tracked over 3,000 Butler's garter snakes for 12 years. They found that these snakes form social groups. They don't just wander around alone. These groups usually have three to four snakes. Some larger groups had up to 46 snakes! This shows that garter snakes can be quite social.

What Do Garter Snakes Eat?

Garter snakes are carnivores. This means they only eat meat. They will eat almost any creature they can catch. Their diet includes slugs, earthworms, and leeches. They also eat lizards, amphibians, and even minnows. Sometimes, they will eat rodents. If they live near water, they will eat more aquatic animals. For example, ribbon snakes, a type of garter snake, love to eat frogs. They even eat frogs that have strong chemical defenses!

A garter snake eating a frog

Garter snakes swallow their food whole. They are very adaptable eaters. They eat whatever food is available. Sometimes food is hard to find, and sometimes it's plentiful. While they mostly hunt live animals, they will sometimes eat eggs too.

Are Garter Snakes Venomous?

For many years, people thought garter snakes were not venomous. But in the early 2000s, scientists made a discovery. They found that garter snakes do produce a mild venom. However, this venom is not strong enough to harm humans. They also don't have fangs like other venomous snakes. They have small teeth at the back of their mouths. Their gums are quite large. The liquid they produce is only slightly toxic. So, a garter snake bite might cause a little swelling or bruising. But it won't seriously injure or kill a person.

Garter snakes can also become poisonous. This happens when they eat toxic newts. They can store the newts' toxins in their liver for weeks. This makes the garter snake poisonous to anything that tries to eat it. It's a cool way they protect themselves!

Protecting Garter Snakes

Garter snakes are still common in many places. But their numbers are decreasing in some areas. People sometimes collect them as pets. Pollution in water areas also harms them. Another problem is the introduction of American bullfrogs. These bullfrogs can eat garter snakes.

A group of garter snakes during mating season

A young garter snake

One specific type, the San Francisco garter snake, is in danger. It has been on the endangered list since 1969. Crayfish are also a threat to the narrow-headed garter snake. Many people now breed garter snakes. This helps make them popular pets without taking them from the wild.

Types of Garter Snakes

There are many different kinds of garter snakes. Scientists currently recognize about 37 species. Some of these species also have several subspecies. This means there are many variations in their appearance and where they live. Each type has unique patterns and colors. They are all part of the Thamnophis genus.