Garter Snakes facts

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Garter snakes will retain poisons they eat in their liver, making themselves temporarily poisonous to their predators. They are also technically venomous, but have long lost the ability to practically use the venom they produce.

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Male garter snakes that need extra warmth after hibernating will mimic females in order to trick other males into trying to mate with them so they can cuddle and steal their body heat.

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Red-sided garter snake has large eyes and long, slender body. Its red tongue ends with black tip.
Reptiles and amphibians found in Lassen Volcanic National Park include striped whitesnake, garter snakes, alligator lizards, sagebrush lizards, rubber boas, rough skinned newts, and western toads, among others.
Natural enemies of red-sided garter snakes are large fish, snapping turtles, birds, bullfrogs and large species of snakes.
Red-sided garter snake is mostly active in the morning and in the evening (diurnal).
Red-sided garter snake seeks protection in the water when it is faced with danger. It also releases foul-smelling substance to repel the predators.
Newly born red-sided garter snakes need to fend for themselves from the moment of birth. They reach sexual maturity at the age of 2 to 3 years.
Mating season takes place during the spring and autumn. Red-sided garter snakes mate on the wintering grounds. 10 or more males form mating balls around one or two females. The most dominant males get opportunity to mate.
Red-sided garter snake hibernates during the winter. Hundreds or thousands of red-sided garter snakes spend coldest period of year inside deep crevices of rocks or in the sinkhole on the pastures.
Red-sided garter snake has slightly venomous saliva which easily kills frogs and other small animals (it induces only itching and swelling of the skin in humans). This snake swallows venomous rough-skinned newt and collects the toxin from the newt's body to protect itself against predators.
Lizards such as tree lizards, sagebrush lizards, and greater short-horned lizards can be found in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Snakes in the park include whip snakes, garter snakes, milk snakes, and gopher snakes.

garter snakes facts — What do garter snakes eat?

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Completely black red-sided garter snakes (melanistic forms) can be occasionally seen in the wild.

Reptiles found in Isle Royale National Park include garter snakes, northern redbelly snakes, and black rat snakes. Toads, frogs and salamanders are also common.

Female gives birth to 10 to 30 live babies during the summer and fall. Most red-sided garter snakes are born in the shrubby and rocky areas, where they are safe from the predators. In the northern areas, females reproduce once every two years.

Common garter snake is one of the rare animals that can safely consume rough-skinned newts.

Red-sided garter snake is a carnivore (meat-eater). Its diet is based on small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, earthworms, leeches, insects and eggs.

When do garter snakes come out?

Red-sided garter snake can survive 2 to 4 years in the wild and 6 to 10 years in the captivity.

How garter snakes look like?

Reptiles and amphibians that can be found in Great Sand Dunes National Park include woodhouse toads, tiger salamanders, painted turtles, skinks, plateau lizards, short horned lizards, garter snakes, smooth green snakes and bullsnakes.

Red-sided garter snake can reach 51 inches in length and 5.3 ounces of weight. Females are larger than males.

Natural enemies of Yosemite toads are garter snakes, blackbirds, ravens, gulls, robins and large frogs.

Only two types of snake are known to be poisonous: Southeast Asian snakes of the genus Rhabdophis, and certain garter snakes in Oregon that eat rough-skinned newts.

Red-sided garter snake is dark green or black colored. Three, well-defined yellow stripes stretch along the backs and lateral sides of the body. Space between the stripes is filled with red or orange vertical bars.

When do garter snakes mate?

Red-sided garter snake uses keen sense of smell and eyesight to detect the prey.

Garter snakes can become toxic to their own predators by eating poisonous toads/newts, and absorbing their toxins.

Male garter snakes that need extra warmth after hibernation will mimic females in order to trick other males into trying to mate with them. This way, the female-posing snake can steal the others' body heat.

How to get rid of garter snakes?

Alice Roosevelt had a pet garter snake called 'Emily Spinach' that lived in her bedroom at the White House

The common garter snake has the ability to ingest poisonous newts with neurotoxins, in turn making their own tissue poisonous to their predators

Some male Canadian red sided garter snakes engage in female mimicry by producing fake pheromones after emerging from hibernation. Rival males then cover them in an attempt to mate. This 'heat stealing' allows the snake to become more quickly revitalized.

Fort Livingstone was built in the summer of 1874 with the intent of making it the capital of Canada's Northwest Territories. The next spring, they realized the fort had been built on top of an enormous garter snake den. Within a few years, the fort was abandoned.

The scaleless breeds of snakes that have been discovered in the wild include ball python, garter, gopher and corn snakes.

In Manitoba, Canada there is a conservation area known as the Narcisse Snake Dens conservation area where you can watch tens of thousands of red-gided garter snakes slither out of their dens for a few weeks each spring.

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