They can perceive small movements and follow them closely. While this species is not necessarily more prone to bite humans than other species of garter snake, bites from this species may be of special concern. in deserts low (less than 30 cm per year) and unpredictable rainfall results in landscapes dominated by plants and animals adapted to aridity. "Thamnophis elegans" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. 1997. It should not be difficult to convert a snake of this species to a mouse-based diet, though there are always exceptions. An isolated population occurs in Baja California, Mexico. Garter Snakes Released at Den Site. It is an intriguing species that sometimes wanders far away from water and can be quit terrestrial, hence the name Western Terrestrial Garter Snake. If you have experience with this species and would like to share, please contact me. The head of the western garter snake is large and distinct from its neck. In dune areas vegetation is also sparse and conditions are dry. Courtship begins when the temperature rises in the spring and females release a pheromone to alert males they are ready to mate. Their senses of taste and smell are combined and sensed through the Jacobson's organ, a series of sensory pits at the roof of the mouth. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 108: 756-772. Houston: Gulf. The male succumbed to internal parasites in 2003. Brown, Philip R. 1997. The contents of this site are copyright © their respective authors and are subject to a Creative Commons Licence. The black-necked gartersnake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis) is typically described as a Southwest species. Melanistic wandering garters have been produced. In the United States, T. elegans ranges from New Mexico to western Oklahoma and Nebraska, through the Dakotas to the Canadian border and west to the Pacific Coast. Snakes of North America: Eastern and Central Regions. The ADW Team gratefully acknowledges their support. This includes Greenland, the Canadian Arctic islands, and all of the North American as far south as the highlands of central Mexico. Members of some populations of the western terrestrial garter snake, Thamnophis elegans, are the only garter snakes known to constrict prey (Peterson, 1978; Gregory et al., 1980). Mexican garter snake (Thamnophis eques). Disturbed B.C. Two of these subspecies — the Arizona Garter Snake, found in Arizona and New Mexico, and the Upper Basin Garter Snake, found in Utah and along Utah’s borders with Arizona, Colorado and Wyoming — are poorly defined and not recognized by the CNAH. Thamnophis elegans is found in central British Columbia, central Alberta, and southwestern Manitoba in Canada. 2003. Sparkman, A., A. Bronikowski, J. Billings, D. Von Borstel, S. Arnold. Houston: Gulf. Lakeside CA: Advanced Vivarium Systems. They commonly eat frog and toad larvae, leeches, and fish. Range The second most widely distributed garter snake in Canada, the western garter snake can be found from southern British Columbia and Alberta east to southwestern Saskatchewan all the way south to central New Mexico and west into central California. animals which must use heat acquired from the environment and behavioral adaptations to regulate body temperature. Immobility and supination in garter snakes (Thamnophis elegans) following handling by human predators. Geographic variation in the foraging behavior of the garter snake, Thamnophis elegans. They are most commonly found around lakes and slow flowing streams, but occur in deserts, plains, mountains, meadows, and forests as well. Moving westward, the Mountain Garter Snake is found in California, Nevada and Oregon, and the Coast Garter Snake is found along the Pacific Coast in California and Oregon. Elevational distribution of reptile species observed from all sampling techniques for 1993, 1994, and 1995. Gregory, P., L. Gregory. (Cossel Jr, 2000; Wechsler, 2001), Thamnophis elegans has a 2 to 3 month gestation period. Drummond, H., G. Burghardt. The picture shows a typical wandering garter snake skin pattern, characterized by the light color stripes. A website for garter snake enthusiasts, Gartersnake.info provides information on every species of garter snake, including articles, answers to your questions, and the most comprehensive guide to keeping them in captivity on the web. As pets. This is a notably large range. Harding, J. Individuals that live in inland areas usually hunt in and around water. Bronikowski, A., D. Vleck. Males become sexually active when the air temperature beings to rise. They have 8 upper labial scales that border the mouth, and 10 lower labial scales along the jaw. Multiple paternity in the western terrestrial garter snake, Thamnophis elegans. 2012. It can be found in the western United States, as far east as western Nebraska and the Oklahoma Panhandle. ... Western terrestrial garter snake (Thamnophis elegans). 1996. They also retreat to shelter when it is too hot during the summer and emerge from their dens to bask on rocks on warm winter days. (Drummond and Burghardt, 1983; Kaplan, 2000; Sparkman and Palacios, 2009; Sparkman, et al., 2013), Western terrestrial garter snakes may eat small mammals that are considered pests. 2005. "An introduction to the natural history of North American garter snakes with basic triage practices" (On-line). The Evolution of Garter Snake Toxin Resistance, Raising Baby Garter Snakes: Some Personal Observations, Scientific and Common Names for the Amphibians and Reptiles of Mexico in English and Spanish, The General Care and Maintenance of Garter Snakes and Water Snakes, Snakes of the United States and Canada: Natural History and Care in Captivity, The Garter Snakes: Natural History and Care in Captivity, Snakes of North America: Eastern and Central Regions, Culebra de Agua Nómada Occidental Terrestre. The species is solitary when they are active, but hibernate communally during winter. London: Blandford. The young venture out to eat anything they can find before temperatures drop too low. It’s hosted by DreamHost and powered by Movable Type. Malabar FL: Krieger. When these snakes hibernate during winter, they often move into rocky areas. Help us improve the site by taking our survey. that region of the Earth between 23.5 degrees North and 60 degrees North (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle) and between 23.5 degrees South and 60 degrees South (between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle). The secretion has a bad odor that the snake will rub on itself and on predators when attacked. Washington: Smithsonian Books. They occur north into the very southern tip of Alaska, south to Oklahoma, east to Iowa and Minnesota and west to Montana and Wyoming. (Gould, 2013; Kaplan, 2000), The lifespan of Thamnophis elegans varies based on habitat. 1983. I’m a big fan of this species, which I think is overlooked due to its rather drab colouration (red-morph coast garters notwithstanding). Thamnophis elegans, the western terrestrial garter snake, is found in North America, ranging from northern Mexico to Canada. Some of the most common subspecies include: Eastern – found east of the Mississippi River and in Ontario. commonly is … Accessed January 22, 2021 at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Thamnophis_elegans/. (Garner and Larsen, 2005; Gould, 2013), Females retain the eggs in their body before they hatch, which is a significant energy investment. gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate), Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great Lakes Region, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/bio/reptile/serp/thel/thelfram.htm, http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/63976/0, http://www.thamnophis.com/archive/articles/artic22.htm, http://www1.dnr.wa.gov/nhp/refdesk/herp/html/4thel.html, http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/972/print. 2nd ed. Snakes of North America: Western Region. A terrestrial biome. The Western Terrestrial Garter Snakes are frequent visitors to many backyards throughout its range. having a body temperature that fluctuates with that of the immediate environment; having no mechanism or a poorly developed mechanism for regulating internal body temperature. Contributor Galleries Out west they can be found high up into the mountains. This is a notably large range. having markings, coloration, shapes, or other features that cause an animal to be camouflaged in its natural environment; being difficult to see or otherwise detect. These snakes require energy to invest in reproduction and they need to eat enough to survive winter hibernation. Frost, D., G. Hammerson, B. Hollingsworth. the kind of polygamy in which a female pairs with several males, each of which also pairs with several different females. In addition, females that were heavier before insemination tend to have larger litters. The Klamath Garter Snake, Thamnophis elegans biscutatus (Cope, 1883), is now considered an intergrade of T. e. elegans and T. e. vagrans. Western terrestrial garter snake (Thamnophis elegans). Accessed Jake Whitaker (author), University of Wyoming, Hayley Lanier (editor), University of Wyoming - Casper, Angela Miner (editor), Animal Diversity Web Staff. They are preyed on by a wide variety of predatory birds and mammals. 1994. Savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that do not form a closed canopy. Grants DRL 0089283, DRL 0628151, DUE 0633095, DRL 0918590, and DUE 1122742. At least five subspecies are currently recognized. 2003. 1997. The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. Ge­o­graphic Range Thamnophis el­e­gans, the west­ern ter­res­trial garter snake, is found in North Amer­ica, rang­ing from north­ern Mex­ico to Canada. Adults vary from 16 to 43 inches in length. In Canada, it can be found throughout the central and southern regions of Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba. A widespread and adaptable snake found across the western half of North America, Thamnophis elegans has been recorded from sea level to high elevations. Disclaimer, privacy info. At least five subspecies are currently recognized. Garter Snake Hibernaculum Disturbed in B.C. living in landscapes dominated by human agriculture. 2013. Ranges widely from the California coast north through most of northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana, into Canada, including Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan, and east into the states of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico and just barely making it into South Dakota, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. In the Coast Range, it is found commonly in forest clearings that contain rotting stumps and logs. (Fortunately, no snakes were eaten during mating or birthing.) Common garter snakes live in a wide range of habitats across North America. 2000. November 13, 2013 Western terrestrial garter snake is a species of snake belonging to the family Colubridae, found in western North America. These snakes have a chemical that is secreted from their cloaca and musk glands when threatened. Extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical and tropical Africa and South America, and in Australia. Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians and reptiles. movements of a hard surface that are produced by animals as signals to others. This is not a universal reaction — the one bite I have observed produced no such symptoms — but be advised that this is possible. Bartlett, R. D. and Alan Tennant. Wandering garter snake. They return to shelter in the evening before temperatures drop too low. Dark-coloured populations from the Puget Sound area, once classified as Thamnophis elegans nigrescens Johnson, 1947, are now considered T. e. vagrans. National Science Foundation Grasslands. Until they are large enough to eat normal prey, young snakes eat insects and other invertebrates. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Alberta. The Wandering Garter Snake (T. e. vagrans) is a species of special concern in Oklahoma. 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