Mountain Gartersnake

Description:

At first I thought this would be a Valley Gartersnake because of it's location but it lacked the Red coloring. But I received confirmation from Gary Nafis of California Herps that it is a Mountain Gartersnake. The subspecies mostly found in the Sierra Nevadas and found in areas north of California. But they also found in San Bernardino Mountains and in the Sacramento Valley area. It's a nonvenomous snake. It can kill prey with some toxins but that is just a mild irratation to humans. Size of the snake can reach 18-33" long.I didn't get to measure as after I took the photos it quickly retreated. Head is only slightly larger then it's slender body. A terrestrial snake which is more active during the day. Not dependent on water but is usually found near a water source. Color is usually dark olive/brown or black with no red markings. 3 well-defined light stripes on the back and sides. Dorsal stripe can be yellow, orange, or white. Lateral stripes may be paler. Belly is pale very little markings, and could be darker in the center. Diet ranges from amphibians, snails, slugs, worms and larve. Will also eat small fish, leeches, small mammals and birds. Can eat even lizards and snakes.

Habitat:

Can be found in meadows of mountain forest or in valleys, and mostly near water.

Notes:

I spotted this one as it was crossing a concrete path that followed a creek.