how to tell if a garter snake is pregnant

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. Milk Snakes as Pets A Complete Care Guide for Beginners! Once youve made that choice though, you probably will want some tips on how to breed your snake. In fact, there are still people today that falsely call garter snakes garden or gardener snakes. The only way to tell with absolute certainty whether your snake is pregnant is to take her to a vet for a scan, although several tell-tale signs can give you a few hints beforehand. Do not exceed this amount as a calcium overdose can be toxic. When cleaning your snakes vivarium, follow these steps: Keep a set of cleaning products specifically for this job. The second story is that the name garter snake comes from the German word for garden. To hear more about the confusion between garden and garter snakes check out this snake owner article on garter vs. garden snakes. One narrow stripe runs down the center of the snake's back, with a broad stripe on each side. The name garter snake has been in use for over 200 years, but that length of use does not help to pin down information about the names origin. Some classifications differ as to the number of . PetKeen.com does not intend to provide veterinary advice. You should make sure that your female snake has a basking place with a temperature of at least 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Garter Snakes / By reptilelink. Get a good look at the snake without getting close enough for it to strikestay as far away as possible. Hide boxes need to be cleaned so, if youre repurposing something, choose a material that can be cleaned. However, there are a couple of things that you will want to have prepared before you take steps to have a garter snake as a pet. Always take the utmost precaution when trying to identify a snake. Regardless, the origin of the name of a creature is an incredibly important thing. Also, because of the many places they can live, dont be surprised to find one hiding in your garden or yard. In the wild, garter snakes live for around 5 years. Dont use your fingers. Central-America; If you are close enough to a garter snake to look at its eyes, you should see that they are likely a yellowish-gold color and that they have round pupils. This information will help you to understand your snakes needs. This is used both in hunting and finding a partner when looking to mate. In addition to their markings, garter snakes have the following characteristics: These features are all found in garter snakes, though do bear in mind that there are some differences within the species. Your baby snake might not want to eat right away and you should never force your snake to eat if it is not ready. Frogs would stand no chance against this venom. However, some have a checkered. So here are two known stories for how the snake got its name: The first story is that the garter snakes name came from a comparison of the stripes on the side and back of the snake to the garter stockings that people were commonly wearing at the time of the naming of the snake. Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve. MLA Style: Carter, Lou. They are much more delicate than chicken eggs, and moving them around can actually kill the young. The information might match up, or it might not. Hi, I am Jen! Whether you have concerns about your dog, cat, or other pet, trained vets have the answers! Garter snakes are a great option as a pet they are really low maintenance and are not aggressive or deadly to their owners. I did a little research so I can tell you all about them. If you dont have a female snake that cares for the eggs, here are a few factors you need to control to care for your eggs: An adequate nest box will help ensure that the clutch of eggs stays protected and maintains the proper temperatures and humidity levels. Garter Snake or Garden Snake or Gardner Snake are all common names for the same species: Thamnophis sirtilis. Garter snake is a common name for generally harmless, small to medium-sized snakes belonging to the genus Thamnophis in the family Colubridae.Native to North and Central America, species in the genus Thamnophis can be found from the subarctic plains of Canada to Costa Rica.. With about 35 recognized species and subspecies, garter snakes are highly variable in appearance. Female snakes tend to avoid eating while they are pregnant. Garter snakes need the temperature to be 25-30C (80F). This can be as official as pet store snake bedding or as simple as shredded newspaper. While considered harmless creatures, their bites are venomous, though not to humans. How can pet snake owners tell their animals are sick? This will ensure her comfort and the proper development of the eggs. wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. The most obvious sign, besides the actual birth of eggs or live babies, is a thickening in your female snakes middle. Each container should be lined with the appropriate material and contain a water dish and hiding place. Your email address will not be published. Survival is more important than staying solitary after all. All rights reserved. Snakes For Pets. Pit vipers are venomous and dangerous snakes to have in the garden, so instant recognition and staying safe are the way to go if they enter your garden. It may look like she has just eaten a particularly large meal, but it is actually her body developing the eggs or young. Do not wash the items in your kitchen to prevent cross-contamination. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. The garter snake (Thamnophis) can be found in most parts of North America. According to most sources, there are 34 different subspecies of garter snake. The tail accounts for at least one-third of the entire length of the snake. In snakes such as pythons, their coloring might change due to their reproduction cycle. Ribbon Snake Scientific Classification Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Reptilia Order Squamata Family Colubridae Genus Thamnophis Scientific Name Thamnophis sauritus. Unfortunately, we arent able to pin down the exact origin of the name. Good thing too. This means it could comfortably house a snake up to 20 long. However, in some cases, more lighting could make a positive difference: Get a humidity gauge to monitor the humidity in the vivarium. Like all animals, if the garter snake is threatened than it will attack whatever is threatening it. Many snake owners also take pride in breeding their snake and raising the young. Another sign that your female snake might be expecting babies is her sudden lack of appetite. Once your baby snakes hatch, you will be in charge of caring for them. 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. Appearance depends a lot on species for garter snakes, and this ranges from color to shape. If you dont really care about the colors or patterns of the babies, then you dont have to worry too much about genetics and breeding partners. One of the more recent discoveries about the garter snake has been the fact that it is venomous. How Long Should I Leave My New Snake Alone Before I Handle Them. It goes on, but you generally get the point. Is your snake fat? Breeding needs varybetween species. Do garter snakes attack humans? Even if you think it is non-venomous, any snake can bite and cause pain and inflict damage, including leaving behind bacteria in a wound. Pet Keen is reader-supported. If you think your garter snake is pregnant congratulations! In the most simple sense, garter snake will eat anything that they can, but they are limited by their small size. Even the snakes with the most docile natures may become instinctivelydefensive as she develops her young and guards her eggs. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Check periodically for health problems, such as worms, mites, blister disease, and gastrointestinal parasites. So, if youre short on space, youd be better off opting for a male garter snake for this reason. (+Recognizing A Problem). Controlling temperature is the largest factor in ensuring that your eggs survive till hatching time. But aside from size, how can you determine if you are looking at a garter snake? Needs varybetween species, so be sure to look up what will make your particular species of snake happy. Try dangling some food in front of your snake using tongs to see if this encourages your snake to eat. Breeding snakes at home is certainly an exciting and rewarding process, but even experts can have difficulty at times telling whether a snake is pregnant or not. 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. Ribbon snakes are thinner than garter snakes and have narrower heads. A female will lay anywhere from 20 to 40 babies on an average, though the lowest reported babies have been 3 and the highest has been 101. Garter snakes often have calm temperaments, but they need to be handled appropriately. How Many Eggs Do Pythons Lay & How Many Survive. 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. Be sure that the portions you are feeding your mice are small enough and do not leave a large lump in your snakes body. Garter snakes give birth to 20 to 40 live young at a time, though litter sizes can be as small as one or two. It will also give the snakes home a more authentic look. Garter snakes make great first snakes for families with elementary school-age children and older, because these snakes are active during the day, do not constrict, and do not get very big. Proper levels of humidity vary depending on the region of origin and species of your snake. They will become more aggressive. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/3a\/Identify-Garden-Snakes-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Identify-Garden-Snakes-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3a\/Identify-Garden-Snakes-Step-1.jpg\/aid5538102-v4-728px-Identify-Garden-Snakes-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"