Eastern Gater Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
Eastern Gater Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
Colubridae
The eastern garter snake is a small slender colubrid which has strongly keeled scales. The background colour of this snake is usually golden or olive. Three distinct stripes of lighter colouration run the length of the snake. There are then black blotches on the snake which look similar to a chess board in pattern. Click here for images.
USA (Western and Central mainly)
Upto 4ft.
Upto 15years.
30x12x12in for a mature adult.
Woodland with a large waterbowl for soaking and drinking, this snake will spend more time in its bowl than most other snakes.
In the wild the Eastern Garter Snake will eat insects (earthworms primarily), frogs, fish, toads, etc. There is no reason a captive diet cannot be made up of insects and fish (and the odd amphibian if the opportunity arrises) if it is suplimented correctly (generally with calcium and vitamin D3 multivitamin powders usually associated with lizards). Alot of people do however prefer to wean these onto rodents by scenting the prey heavily with fish. It would be worth noting that garter snakes generally eat more often than most other snakes, they should be fed 2-3times weekly.
