Wandering Garter Snake

Appearance

A medium-sized slender snake with the head barely wider than the neck and keeled dorsal scales. Typical color is gray, brown, or geenish and there are typically light dorsal and lateral stripes. The dorsal stripe is yellow, brown, or orange-ish, but black markings on the edges may make it appear irregular. Sometimes a series of dark and light dots may also be present. The dorsal stripes tend to fade on the tail. The sides are checkered with black markings. Occasionally these markings will fill in most of the sides between stripes. The underside is light with scattered black markings, often concentrated in the center. They may reach sizees of up to 109 cm, but average size is closer to 50 - 70 cm.

Naming

Thamnophis - Greek - thamnos - shrub or bush, and ophis - snake, serpent
elegans - Latin - fine or elegant -- "delicately carinated"
vagrans - Latin - wandering - Yarrow, 1875: "rightly called from its wide range"

Behavior

Active mostly during the day. Chiefly terrestrial - not as dependant on water as other gartersnake species, but are 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.

Habitat

Often found in rocky or grassy areas near a water source. May also be found in and around forested areas.

Food

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.

Defense

If frightened when picked up, this snake will often strike repeatedly and release cloacal contents (feces) and musk.