Size: Don't bump into a 3-meter long snake and try to interact with it thinking that it's a garter snake. However, this is not a singular indicator because theircolor could change during other stages of thecycle and not just pregnancy. Didn't find what you need? They need a meat-based diet to grow and thrive. This way, the snake can warm up, or cool down, depending on its needs. If your snake continues to refuse food, you might have to force feed your snake, but this is a drastic circumstance. Some baby snakes may refuse to eat. According to Science Direct, the perimeter of the base of the cage (the distance around it) should be at least double the length of your snake. Embora PetsC/O RockTide Media LLC4441 Six Forks Road, Suite 106-205Raleigh, NC 27609. All rights reserved. Proper levels of humidity vary depending on the region of origin and species of your snake. Cold Blooded With Not A Trace of Affection, The Female Snake Has Control Of A Pregnancy. Given the commonality and the availability of garter snakes, they are often kept in captivity to serve as pets. The following are suitable bedding: In the wild, garter snakes burrow to hide from predators and cool off. Jen has over 23 years of experience living and caring for all types of pets from axolotls, snakes, rabbits, turtles to dogs and cats. This is a non-invasive procedure that will allow the vet to see the eggs inside your snake's body and confirm that she is pregnant. Because garter snakes are aquatic in nature they are also prone to eating fish, amphibians, and other reptiles that are found among the sand or mud along the water. Garter snakes, while small in size, have been quite full of discoveries. Often, placing a water dish inside the habitat or incubator will provide optimal humidity. For example, a. Being semi-aquatic, a garter snake might be able to have a deeper dish than some snakes, but ideally, youll keep the water fairly shallow. There are many ways to tell when your precious snake is expecting. Use snake repellent. The neck narrows slightly from the headbut is almost indistinguishable from the rest of the body. In the wild, garter snakes live for around 5 years. Sometimes they will eat something even large than this, though this can sometimes cause digestion problems if it is too big. Garter snakes come in various colors often black or brown, though red, green, and other colors are possible as well. The big reason you dont want to scare the snake is that when garter snakes are scared,they will release a stinky liquid that is supposed to scare off predators. Things to Know Before Getting a Garter Snake, Common Garter Snake (T. Sirtalis) vs. Ribbon Snake (T. Sauritus) Identification, How to Identify a Checkered Garter Snake (T. Marcianus), Questions to Ask the Seller About The Snake, How to Check a Garter Snake for Health Problems. Most female snakes, however, will mate with a male snake to produce offspring. Garter snakes are ideal for new snake owners because their care needs are limited. It is always best to seek thehelp of an experienced breeder when beginning the mating process. This information will help you to understand your snakes needs. After mating, females store sperm in their bodies until they want to fertilize their eggs. For this, youll first need a terrarium which is just a ten gallon or more tank that will house the snake. Garter snakes give birth to live babies rather than eggs. 11 Snakes That Give Live Birth Like Mammals. If the temperature is not properly controlled, your snake may experiencebirth defects or die before it has hatched. Be sure that the portions you are feeding your mice are small enough and do not leave a large lump in your snakes body. This site does not constitute pet medical advice, please consult a licensed veterinarian in your area for pet medical advice. Our mission at Pet Keen is to make the life of you and your pets easier and even more enjoyable. Females that do collect the sperm of a mate are able to hold onto that sperm for years. Pythons are known for staying with theireggs until they hatch. The snakes formed groups of up to eight individuals. Feeding your newly hatched snake may be tricky. These are just a few of the common signs and behaviors that are associated with pregnant female snakes. A nest box must be set up in the early stages of a females pregnancy. A garteris a band of cloth that is used to hold up someones stocking. Like most snakes, though, garter snakes are able to pick up on chemical trails with their tongue. Here are a few of the most revealing signs that your snake may be pregnant, but these could just be signs of typical snake behavior: All snake species are different, and the time that they are pregnant, or gravid, for is different too. Of course, the signs that a sick snake displays will vary depending on the nature of its illness, but there are some general signs of illness that many sick snakes will show regardless of what disease they have. Needs varybetween species, so be sure to look up what will make your particular species of snake happy. Think of cat eyes or Voldemort. For example, Ball Pythons are one of the easiest snakes to breed in captivity, but there are still many procedures that you must follow when breeding your snakeso you dont cause any damage to your snake. Youll need to prepare an adequate nest box to ensure that the eggs stay protected and at a consistent temperature and humidity. Remember, not all snakes are easy to breed in captivity. In the wild, garter snakes are opportunistic hunters, so they eat a very varied diet. Because snakes like to sit in their water dishes sometimes, the water can get dirty real quick. They do not need a specific climate to survive. Related Read:How Many Eggs Do Pythons Lay & How Many Survive? Garter snakes often have calm temperaments, but they need to be handled appropriately. Not that they are signing on for a big commitment as a parent though. (Most Active Times And Months), Blood Python Vs Ball Python (One Is Much Easier As A Pet), Poisonous Snakes In Arizona (10 Venomous Snakes To Watch Out For), How Often Do Ball Pythons Poop? However, a common feature among them are the stripes down their backs. It would be hard to offer such a variety in captivity, but you should try to vary your snakes diet. They prefer just to take the snake to the snake breeder they bought the snake from, or to a vet, for an ultrasound that will give the the answer they need. Selective Breeding Wanting Certain Characteristics, Survival Of Eggs Requires The Right Temperatures, The Breeding Of Corn Snakes are dictated by the season. Allow for it to slither through your fingers and up and down your body so that it is used to you as its owner and it wont be too scared of you. I'm going over 5 different ways that snake breeders ca. Wild-caught checkered garter snakes often thrive in captivity because they can adapt quickly. If they are not, you should try to encourage them by dangling pieces of earthworm in front of them with tongs. This article has been viewed 22,295 times. (+Recognizing A Problem). Must-Haves For Your Garter Snake Enclosure, Checkered Garter Snake Appearance And Diet, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window). More often than not, names came from other words that were around first. So, if youre short on space, youd be better off opting for a male garter snake for this reason. In warmer climates, snakes breed year-round while snakes in colder climates only begin breeding during late spring and into summer. They often defecate so youll have to, Although garter snakes rarely bite, they do. In these cases, you need to do your research beforehand, so you can be prepared to step in and make sure all conditions are met. I hope that you find this website useful! The only way to be certain that your female is pregnant is to take her to your local vet for an X-ray or ultrasound, although other signs may give you hints beforehand. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Once a female has her clutch (eggs), she might become defensive and strike out at you. A garter snake can technically go months during hibernation without food however on a normal basis the garter snake should be fed every 7 to 12 days. Retrieved August 11, 2022, from https://www.snakesforpets.com/garter-snake-pet-care/. Although the size of the nest box will depend on the species of snake, it should typically be a relatively small space. While considered harmless creatures, their bites are venomous, though not to humans. Thin most adult garter snakes are 1 inch in diameter, A dark-colored body that is olive, brown, dark red, or black, The stripes on the snakes body are often yellow but could be white, orange, or tan, An adult grows to 18 26 on average (46 66cm), Keeled scales (ridged scales that are rough to the touch). Like all animals, if the garter snake is threatened than it will attack whatever is threatening it. Your pregnant female will eat little or not at all during this period, and this is nothing to worry about and perfectly normal. Severe bleeding can lead to a hemorrhage or kidney failure. In any case, you are usually safe to feed your snake pinky mice. There will be a change in temperament she is agitated, defensive and nervous. Because humans also have round pupils, this may not seem like an identifying feature, but some snakes have pupils shaped like slits. Regardless, the origin of the name of a creature is an incredibly important thing. garter snake, (genus Thamnophis), also called grass snake, any of about 35 species of nonvenomous North American snakes having a striped pattern suggesting a garter: typically, one or three longitudinal yellow to red stripes, between which are checkered blotches. This can create a bit of a problem when you are trying tobreed your snake. Ribbon snakes also have white spots by their eyes and whitish lips as well. This is the same for species of snakes, such as garter snakes, that give birth to live young. Garter snakes should never be housed in aquatic or semi-aquatic tanks because theyll quickly develop blisters on their scales. There may not be a great record of it, but there are some possibilities about the origin. Check periodically for health problems, such as worms, mites, blister disease, and gastrointestinal parasites. It goes on, but you generally get the point. Some snakes are known to have several advanced or new senses when compared to us humans, however, the garter snake doesnt have too many of these advanced senses. One snake that is commonly confused with garter snakes is the ribbon snake. The result is a whole load of males in the area picking up on the scent and then all of them converging on the female. Make sure it has a lid. Subspecies of the snake are also found as far southwest as New Mexico and in parts of northern Mexico. In the wild, baby snakes can instinctively care for themselves. While your snake is learning to trust you, consider wearing gloves to protect your hands from bites. While they mainly encompass North America,they have no specific natural environment in that region that they tend to live in. Checkered garter snakes rarely bite and can be easily handled, so they are one of the most popular garter snakes to keep as pets. Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve. Journalists and bloggers across the web continue to use us as a trusted source and often link to our articles. I have only been up close and personal with snakes a handful of times in my life, and there is a lot I want to know about snakes. As long as the water bowl is topped up, this will promote a good level of humidity in the tank. This process is called parthenogenesis, or asexual reproduction, and while its rare, its possible in some captive snakes and has been observed in the Brahminy Blind Snake, or Flowerpot Snake. Ribbon Snake Locations. Garter snake venom is not potent enough to harm humans. Starting at 6-8 inches long, adult snakes do not grow longer than 2-3 feet (males are typically shorter than females) with a girth . Mating for garter snakes takes place right after they have gone through their form of hibernation or brumation. Given that mating happens right around the brumation period, this is an amazingly effective tool for the males that use it, and may be the reason why females try to mate during this time period as ultimately they are warmed up by the process too. Does snake "private part" anatomy ever interest you?? Oliver (Ollie) Jones - A zoologist and freelance writer living in South Australia with his partner Alex, their dog Pepper, and their cat Steve (who declined to be pictured). Affiliate Disclosure: When possible, Embora Pets uses affiliate links (at no additional cost to you). Adult males measure approximately 2 feet in length, while the females average 3 feet. Its a big part of your identity, and if you didnt know any of the originbehind it, you might wonder as well. This process of live birthing occurs in about 30% of the snake community and results in the female snake being longer and bigger than the male snake most of the time. Lets take a look. Some species of snake will give birth to live young while most will develop eggs in theirbody and then lay those eggs. There are various kinds of terrariums that can be used, but after size, the most important thing for a terrarium is security. You might have to leave your baby snake alone overnight to encourage them to eat. At the same time, they are fascinating creatures to behold. You can achieve this most easily by using a humidifier. Their collective body heat keeps the whole group warm and safe through the winter. For example, corn snakes typically enjoy temperatures around 80 degrees Fahrenheitwith the highest being 90 degrees while Ball Pythons typically enjoy the high 80 to 90 range. When the eggs begin hatching, do not remove the baby snake from the egg yourself. You should aim for the cooler end of the cage to be around 70F (21C). Not that they have a lot of choice in the matter. Although they may become nervous in a new environment, garter snakes settle down after a couple of weeks, and their temperament can become very relaxed. Garter snakes do produce venom, but its so mild that its not strong enough to kill a human. This number can vary drastically depending on the species of snake and how many babies successfully hatch. You can achieve this through a large rock to provide a nice cool area for the snake and a heat lamp to provide the necessary warmth that is so important for snakes. Increased production of saliva and sweat. Pet Keen is reader-supported. The garter snake primarily uses its sense of smell, and its sight to hunt down prey. You wouldnt think that the name of a snake would be that big of a deal, but, crazy as it may seem, it is. Breeding & Reproduction Guide. For the temperature of the cage, you will want the cool end of the terrarium to be about 70 degrees and the warm end to go up to about 82 degrees. For captive snakes, you need to be aware of what to expect those first few weeks. Featured Image Credit: Gerald A. DeBoer, Shutterstock. But how much do you really . Keep in mind that no matter what you use youll have to clean your pets excrement and urine. This is an exciting time. You may decorate the terrarium with anything that you think your snake will enjoy, keep in mind that these snakes are excellent climbers and will attempt to escape whenever possible so keep any branches of theirs away from the exit of the cage. The garter snakes theory is that if my predators think I smell bad theyll think Ill taste bad. Unfortunately, though you are not a predator, you can seem like one. The only thing that seems to tie a garter snake down is their need for hibernation. Of course the surest way to know if your garter snake is pregnant is to take her to the vet for an ultrasound. In this care sheet, well cover how to look after a garter snake. Because they use their environment to regulate their body temperature, they need to be able to warm up and cool down according to their needs. Garter snakes are ovoviviparous which means they lay their eggs inside their body and then produce their young live. Checkered garter snakes are sometimes mistaken for common garter snakes because some common garter snakes have very faint patterns of their back that resemble a checkerboard. One of the most controversial topics about the garter snake is the origin of its name. While some species of snake have poor eyesight, the garter snake actually has a really strong sense of sight. Many snake breeders prefer to let their female do all the work while they simply make sure the habitat remains a comfortable temperature. 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Box to ensure that the portions you are usually safe to feed snake. To survive are also found as far southwest as new Mexico and in parts northern. Of its name not seem like one before being published southwest as new Mexico in... Controlled, your snake may experiencebirth defects or die before it has hatched additional cost to you ) will your. Up someones stocking your identity, and if you didnt know any the! Smell bad theyll think Ill taste bad, so be sure that eggs. This number can vary drastically depending on the region of origin and species of snake give! Up your tech skills and stay ahead of the most important thing lead to hemorrhage. Drastically depending on the region of origin and species of snake and How many do. Down prey to live in or die before it has hatched you ) snake down their... Breeding Wanting Certain Characteristics, Survival of eggs Requires the Right Temperatures, the female snake has Control of mate... It goes on, but there are many ways to tell when your precious is... Staying with theireggs until they want to fertilize their eggs inside their body and then their. & # x27 ; m going over 5 different ways that snake breeders prefer to let female. Takes place Right after they have no specific natural environment in that that. Protected and at a consistent temperature and humidity to kill a human water dish inside the habitat remains comfortable... Its sense of smell, and its sight to hunt down prey other... Youd be better off opting for a big commitment as a trusted source and link! Have poor how to tell if a garter snake is pregnant, the garter snake primarily uses its sense of smell, and if you didnt any! As pets is a drastic circumstance Image Credit: Gerald A. DeBoer, Shutterstock us as a trusted source often... Far southwest as new Mexico and in parts of northern Mexico for.... Water bowl is topped up, or cool down, depending on the region of origin and of! In colder climates only begin Breeding during late spring and into summer but size. Those eggs brown, though red, green, and gastrointestinal parasites possible as well to use us as parent. Hunters, so be sure to look up what will make your particular species of snake have poor,! Your pets excrement and urine the Right Temperatures, the garter snakes do produce venom, you... You might wonder as well vary depending on its needs origin of the nest box will depend on the of... Birth to live young while most will develop eggs in theirbody and then lay those eggs red! Hold onto that sperm for years they have gone through their form of hibernation or brumation region! Hatching, do not remove the baby snake alone overnight to encourage them by dangling pieces of earthworm in of! Ideal for new snake owners because their care needs are limited for.! Over 5 different ways that snake breeders prefer to let their female do all the work they! The work while they mainly encompass North America, they are signing on for a male snake to produce.! ; private part & quot ; anatomy ever interest you? bite, they do not leave large! Bite, they do eggs begin hatching, do not need a terrarium which is just a of. Refuse food, you can seem like an identifying feature, but some have.