Mountain Garter Snake

Description:

Nonvenomous Gartersnakes have toxins in their saliva which can be deadly to their prey and their bite might produce an unpleasant reaction in humans, but they are not considered dangerous to humans. Size Thamnophis elegans measures 18 - 43 inches in length (46 - 109 cm). Appearance A medium-sized slender snake with a head barely wider than the neck and keeled dorsal scales. Ground color is a dark olive-brown or black with no red markings. 3 well-defined light stripes on the back and sides. The dorsal stripe is yellow, orange, or white. The lateral stripes may be paler. Underside is pale with few markings, and is sometimes darker in the center. Behavior Active in daylight. Chiefly terrestrial - not as dependant on water as other gartersnake species, but more likely to be found near water. When frightened, this species will sometimes seek refuge in vegetation or ground cover, but it will also crawl quickly into water and swim away from trouble. If frightened when picked up, this snake will often strike repeatedly and release cloacal contents. Diet This snake eats a wide range of prey (among the widest of any snake species), including amphibians and their larvae, fish, birds, mice, lizards, snakes, worms, leeches, slugs, and snails. Reproduction Breeds primarily in spring, with young born live July - Sepember.

Habitat:

Range Occurs throughout the Sierra Nevada Mountains, through most of the north except for the outer Coast Ranges south at least as far as Mt. St. Helena. There is an isolated population in the San Bernardino mountains and in the Sacramento Valley. Ranges north into Oregon. The species Thamnophis elegans ranges from sea level to 13,100 ft. (3,990 m) in elevation in Colorado. (Stebbins, 2003) Habitat Inhabits streamsides, springs, mountain lakes, in grassland, meadows, brush, woodland, and coniferous forest.

Notes:

Garter snakes will often sleep together to keep their body temperature warm at night. They also sleep in large nests next to one another's body during hibernation.