Massachusetts State Reptile
Garter Snake (common name) Thamnophis sirtalis (scientific name) Overview The garter snake is a relatively harmless, mildly poisonous snake commonly found across North America. Its bite and saliva can kill small animals, but usually causes no more than minor irritation in humans. It’s extremely adaptable and can live in a wide variety of habitats, though it generally likes to be near freshwater. It relies on heat from the sun and other garter snakes to maintain its body temperature. The garter snake was designated the official reptile of Massachusetts on January 3, 2007. Close-Up STATUS Official PHYSICAL DETAILS There are a number of subspecies of garter snakes, most with a limited range, and their patterns and coloring can vary a lot. Garter snakes typically have one to three yellow, orange, or tan stripes on their backs. This pattern gives the snakes their name, since the striped pattern is supposed to look like a garter. The most common pattern is a narrow stripe along the center of the snake’s back with a wider stripe on each side. A dark line that separates the yellow stripe along the garter snake’s side from its belly is sometimes visible. This snake’s overall color is usually black or sometimes brown and occasionally has a red or green cast to it.      Males Females Size Average length 18-26 in (45.8-66 cm), maximum 48 in (122 cm) Average length 18-26 in (45.8-66 cm), maximum 48 in (122 cm) Weight Average 0.4 lbs (0.2 kg) Average 0.4 lbs (0.2 kg) LIFESPAN Up to 14 years in captivity; average lifespan of 6 years in the wild. HABITAT Varied, including wetlands, marshes, edges of ponds and streams, rocky areas, fields, and forests from sea level up to mountains. Range: All but the northernmost parts of North America. Conservation status: Least Concern (LC). Garter snakes are adaptable and generally common, although a few subspecies are endangered. Numbers are declining across the board because of pollution, predation by bullfrogs and bass, and people collecting wild snakes for pets. BEHAVIOR Garter snakes leave pheromone trails other snakes can follow, and they can tell whether they’re following a male or a female. They hibernate in cold weather, and emerge ready to mate in March or April. Before mating, these snakes fast for about two weeks. Males generally mate with more than one female, and compete with each other for the opportunity to mate. Garter snakes start eating again once they’ve mated successfully. A female can wait for years to produce young after a single mating episode. She incubates young in her lower abdomen and gives birth to 80 live snakes. Young garter snakes look similar to adults and are immediately independent. A garter snake usually reacts to a disturbance by hiding its head and waving its tail, but it’s possible for it to strike. It may also retreat to water. The snakes spend their days basking in the sun and hunting for food. As weather gets cold, a garter snake searches for a place to hibernate, usually an existing burrow or crevice underground, below the frost line. It generally hibernates with garter and other snakes. DIET Insects, earthworms, leeches, spiders, lizards, amphibians, aquatic animals, rodents, toads, and occasionally eggs. OFFSPRING Breeding interval: Annual Birthing period: July-October Average litter size: 23 young Size at birth: 5-9 in (13-23 cm) TRIVIA Garter snakes use the Jacobson’s organ in the roof of the mouth to taste and smell. Garter snakes prefer to swallow small prey and eggs whole. Male garter snakes will sometimes imitate female pheromones to attract other snakes. This is a technique used to keep warm.
	Click to enlarge an image Garter Snake Garter Snake Showing Forked Tongue Swarming Garter Snakes During Mating Season CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Suborder: Serpentes Family: Colubridae Genus: Thamnophis Species: T. sirtalis
	Raw Data Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Author: World Trade Press