A widespread and adaptable snake found across the western half of North America, Thamnophis elegans has been recorded from sea level to high elevations. It has possibly the widest prey preferences of any natricine: it will eat amphibians, earthworms, fish, mammals and other reptiles.

Subspecies

Up to six subspecies of Thamnophis elegans have been recognized; three of the five found in the U.S. and Canada, however, are not recognized by Collins on the basis of recent research.

Arizona Garter Snake

Thamnophis elegans arizonae Tanner and Lowe, 1989

Found in Arizona and New Mexico. Poorly defined; subspecies not recognized by Collins.

Mountain Garter Snake

Thamnophis elegans elegans (Baird and Girard, 1853)

Found in California, Nevada and Oregon.

San Pedro Mártir Garter Snake

Thamnophis elegans hueyi (Van Denburgh and Slevin, 1923)

Found in Baja California. Spanish common name: Culebra de Agua Nómada de San Pedro Mártir.

Coast Garter Snake

Thamnophis elegans terrestris Fox, 1951

Found along the Pacific coast of California and Oregon. Three colour morphs — brown, black and a colourful red — are known. Subspecies not recognized by Collins.

Wandering Garter Snake

Thamnophis elegans vagrans (Baird and Girard, 1853)

The subspecies with the broadest distribution, found in the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains.

Upper Basin Garter Snake

Thamnophis elegans vascotanneri Tanner and Lowe, 1989

Found in Utah and along Utah’s borders with Arizona, Colorado and Wyoming. Poorly defined; subspecies not recognized by Collins.

Invalid Subspecies

The Klamath Garter Snake, Thamnophis elegans biscutatus (Cope, 1883), is now considered an intergrade of T. e. elegans and T. e. vagrans. Dark-coloured populations from the Puget Sound area, once classified as Thamnophis elegans nigrescens Johnson, 1947, are now considered T. e. vagrans.

The Mexican Wandering Garter Snake, first described as Thamnophis elegans errans by Hobart M. Smith in 1942, is now considered a separate species, T. errans.

Conservation

This is a fairly common and widespread snake. The Wandering Garter Snake (T. e. vagrans) is a species of special concern in Oklahoma.

Captive Care

The Western Terrestrial Garter Snake is considered one of the easiest garter snake species to maintain in captivity because of its wide prey preferences. It should not be difficult to convert a snake of this species to a mouse-based diet, though there are always exceptions. In my experience, feeding response is very good, if not outright ferocious.

These snakes have a reputation for cannibalism and should be housed one to a cage to prevent them from eating one another.

While this species is not necessarily more prone to bite humans than other species of garter snake, bites from this species may be of special concern. Secretions from these snakes’ Duvernoy’s gland may be somewhat toxic; pain, redness and swelling have been reported by people who have been bitten by Western Terrestrial Garter Snakes. This is not a universal reaction — the one bite I have observed produced no such symptoms — but be advised that this is possible.

Western Terrestrial Garter Snakes are reasonably common in the pet trade, at least as garter snakes go. The most commonly seen varieties are the Coast Garter Snake (especially the red morph) and the Wandering Garter Snake. Melanistic wandering garters have been produced.

I acquired a pair of yearling wandering garters in 2000; in 2002 they had a litter of seven babies. (Fortunately, no snakes were eaten during mating or birthing.) The male succumbed to internal parasites in 2003. The female is, as of early 2012, still going strong at nearly 13 years of age. She’s been a great snake: curious and tame (biting only once in all that time), with a constrictor’s muscle tone and a coachwhip’s appetite.

I’m a big fan of this species, which I think is overlooked due to its rather drab colouration (red-morph coast garters notwithstanding). They’re well worth your attention.

If you have experience with this species and would like to share, please contact me.

For general information on keeping garter snakes in captivity, please see the Care Guide.

Articles and News

• 30 Oct 2009 The Best Garter Snake Photos of the Year
• 5 May 2005 Raising Baby Garter Snakes: Some Personal Observations
• 3 Jun 2004 Some Notes on Wandering Garter Snakes, Thamnophis elegans vagrans

Sources