Texas garter snake facts for kids
The Texas garter snake is a type of garter snake. Its scientific name is Thamnophis sirtalis annectens. This snake lives only in the United States. It is a special kind of subspecies of the common garter snake.
Quick facts for kids Thamnophis sirtalis annectens |
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| Texas garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis annectens | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Thamnophis |
| Species: | |
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T. s. annectens
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| Trinomial name | |
| Thamnophis sirtalis annectens Brown, 1950
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Contents
Where the Texas Garter Snake Lives
You can mostly find the Texas garter snake in central Texas. There are also smaller groups of them in Kansas and South Dakota. These groups are separate from the main one.
What Kind of Home Do They Like?
Texas garter snakes live on the ground. They are not very common, even in Texas. You usually won't see many of them together.
These snakes can live in many different places. But they almost always stay close to water. You might find them near streams or in wet soil. They often hide under things like old metal or wood. They also like to hide underground or in plants.
What Does a Texas Garter Snake Look Like?
This snake is completely harmless. It is part of the colubrid snake family. People sometimes confuse it with other garter snake types.
The Texas garter snake has a greenish-black back. It has a bright orange or red stripe down its middle. There are also yellowish stripes on each side of its body. These side stripes go through the second, third, and fourth rows of scales above its belly. Adult snakes are usually about 38 to 71 centimeters (15 to 28 inches) long.
How Do They Protect Themselves?
Texas garter snakes are usually not aggressive. But young snakes might strike if they feel trapped. If you pick one up, it will often wiggle a lot. It does this to try and get away. It might also release a bad-smelling liquid from its body. This is called musk, and it helps scare off predators.
