how to tell if a garter snake is pregnant

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. The first thing you will need to know is that these snakes are friendly, or rather, they are not aggressive, as it is hard to say if a snake is ever truly friendly. However, some have a checkered. So while not likely these snakes can get above 4 feet in length. Some females will eat only smaller portions of food, so try to offer your female some food but dont force her to eat. Even the snakes with the most docile natures may become instinctivelydefensive as she develops her young and guards her eggs. It will bite anything that continues to threaten it at this point, but the worst that will happen from that is some drawn blood, as there is nothing in the garter snake that is all that threatening to a human. It doesnt die out during this time. I did a little research so I can tell you all about them. How To Tell If A Snake Is Pregnant Your snake will not eat. Snakes born in captivity are free of parasites and can tolerate being handled better because theyre introduced to humans from birth. Feeding your newly hatched snake may be tricky. When holding a garter snake in your hands, youll need to provide support to the snakes to prevent it from slipping through your fingers. Dont use your fingers. There will be a change in temperament she is agitated, defensive and nervous. Because garter snakes are non-threatening towards humans, people assume that they do not produce venom. With all of this to cover and more, continue reading as we explore one of Americas most common snakes: the garter snake. A good way to combat this is by making sure she is properly fed before breeding begins. 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. Ollie, originally from the USA, holds his master's degree in wildlife biology and moved to Australia to pursue his career and passion but has found a new love for working online and writing about animals of all types. They can store sperm for up to five years! Always take the utmost precaution when trying to identify a snake. Garter Snake Size Garter snakes range from 6 - 8 inches when newborn. Garter snakes are cold-blooded (ectothermic), so you'll need a heat lamp or pad to regulate their body temperature. Garter snakes give birth to live babies rather than eggs. They rely on the external environment to help regulate their body temperature. Use the search! You should make sure that your female snake has a basking place with a temperature of at least 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The greatest risk from a garter snake bite would be the risk of infection if you didnt clean the wound properly. Motherhood for a snake isnt muchas, since garter snakes do not care for their young, motherhood is only pregnancy. Naturally, since they dont have to take care of their young, there isnt too much of an issue with the number of babies that they have so long as they have the energy to keep up with the pregnancy process. Since garter snakes, like all snakes, are cold-blooded, they need to go through this sort of hibernation called brumation. 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. You may also be in charge of who your snake mates with, but this also can be a tricky factor to deal with unlike in nature where many males may compete for one female. Embora Pets is a website full of resources created for pet owners by pet owners. How long can a garter snake go without eating? Wild-caught checkered garter snakes often thrive in captivity because they can adapt quickly. When cleaning your snakes vivarium, follow these steps: Keep a set of cleaning products specifically for this job. Caring for snake eggs can be tricky. Our mission at Pet Keen is to make the life of you and your pets easier and even more enjoyable. They do this in order to steal the body heat of the other snakes that think they are mating with a female. If you intend to capture a wild garter snake yourself, you should check federal and state laws before doing so because this may not be legal, or you may need a license to do so. Get chickens. Hi, I am Jen! Once your baby snakes hatch, you will be in charge of caring for them. The most popular garter snakes to keep as pets are: These subspecies are known to have a relaxed temperament, feeding well, and thriving in captivity. "Hiss" and Hers The substrate should be spot cleaned 2-3 times per week (as required) and replaced entirely every 3 weeks. Although many garter snakes are tame, it is best to assume they are not until proved otherwise. Garter snakes are some of the most prevalent snakes in North America, especially in the US. Do not exceed this amount as a calcium overdose can be toxic. It would be hard to offer such a variety in captivity, but you should try to vary your snakes diet. If you need to move the eggs, mark the top to help yourself know which way you picked it up so you can avoid rotating it. By using our site, you agree to our. Milk Snakes as Pets A Complete Care Guide for Beginners! To hear more about the confusion between garden and garter snakes check out this snake owner article on garter vs. garden snakes. Male garter snakes are shorter and thinner than their female counterparts, so they dont require as much tank space. As for the care of a garter snake, you will want to have a range of temperatures within the terrarium of your pet. This is the same for species of snakes, such as garter snakes, that give birth to live young. Journalists and bloggers across the web continue to use us as a trusted source and often link to our articles. For this, youll first need a terrarium which is just a ten gallon or more tank that will house the snake. Their collective body heat keeps the whole group warm and safe through the winter. Typically, these stripes will be a kind of yellow color, but it can vary a bit. Once again there is no hard proof for or against this theory. But how much do you really . Since snakes dont care for their young after they hatch or are born, it is up to you to make the decision of raising several extra mouths. Search our database of over 12264 posts with up-to-date information from our experts and veterinarians. Will Pet Snakes in Your Home Make the Place Smell Bad? Although these characteristic stripes can identify many types of garter snake, some subspecies have additional markings. What Smells Deter Cats from Peeing? According to CBC, the record for the longest garter snake was 132cm. Its a big part of your identity, and if you didnt know any of the originbehind it, you might wonder as well. Know what pit vipers look like. How Long Can Garter Snake Go Without Eating? The simple answer is yes. The easiest way to confirm that your snake is pregnant is to visit your local veterinarian and have them do an x-ray or ultrasounds, but there are a few other telling signs. Baby garters are prone to dry skin and dehydration. While your snake is learning to trust you, consider wearing gloves to protect your hands from bites. Try dangling some food in front of your snake using tongs to see if this encourages your snake to eat. Do garter snakes attack humans? Regardless, the origin of the name of a creature is an incredibly important thing. The most common way to tell garter snakes apart from other snakes is their color: they have dark bodies with three yellow stripes cascading down their backs. Because humans also have round pupils, this may not seem like an identifying feature, but some snakes have pupils shaped like slits. So, it is helpful to know what you are up against before you have a pile of eggs and an exhausted female in front of you. More often than not, names came from other words that were around first. (+Recognizing A Problem). How long can a garter snake get? 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 . Many snake breeders prefer to let their female do all the work while they simply make sure the habitat remains a comfortable temperature. It has the following physical characteristics: Ribbon snakes look very similar to common garter snakes, but there are some differences: The checkered garter snake is favored for its calm temperament. This is an exciting time. Ribbon Snake Scientific Classification Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Reptilia Order Squamata Family Colubridae Genus Thamnophis Scientific Name Thamnophis sauritus. One easy way that we normally will find out if it's male or female is we have small probes that we actually can slide in. If its small enough to fit inside the garter snakes body and weak enough for the garter to overpower, then its a potential meal for the garter snake. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. If youre mating 2 snakes, install a reptile basking light. So take care as you play with it the first couple of days. Some types are located in the colder regions of Alaska, whereas others are endemic to warmer southern states, like Florida. Yellow stripes on a black, brown or greenish background. This might just be a nice myth to chuckle at. From enclosure setu. In the wild, snakes will typically breed after winter has ended and the warmer airs of spring have begun heat the land. Ive collected some information to walk you through the processes. Pet Snakes That Eat Vegetables (With Video), Check there are no protruding bones as this could indicate that theres an injury. Is your snake fat? Garter snakes have small heads that come to a small rounded nose at the front. Some classifications differ as to the number of . 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. A gravid female's appetite will increase dramatically (I feed gravid females every other day) until a week or so before giving birth, when she'll quit eating entirely. Some owners believe that lighting is unnecessary. 8. Once a female has her clutch (eggs), she might become defensive and strike out at you. Also, because of the many places they can live, dont be surprised to find one hiding in your garden or yard. If it isnt cleaned quickly, the snake could get sick. If your snake becomes dehydrated, it will be unable to shed its skin effectively. Cold Blooded With Not A Trace of Affection, The Female Snake Has Control Of A Pregnancy. In the wild, garter snakes live for around 5 years. Your new snake will soon realize that it can trust you. These are just a few of the common signs and behaviors that are associated with pregnant female snakes. Breeding needs varybetween species. This can be as official as pet store snake bedding or as simple as shredded newspaper. Jen has over 23 years of experience living and caring for all types of pets from axolotls, snakes, rabbits, turtles to dogs and cats. Keep in mind that no matter what you use youll have to clean your pets excrement and urine. In the wild, baby snakes can instinctively care for themselves. Garter snakes, while small in size, have been quite full of discoveries. Unlike in the wild, there are no seasons for your snake. Unfortunately, given the uncertain origin of either the start of the use of the terms garter in reference to the band of cloth, as well as the uncertain origin of the use of garter in regard to the snake, we dont have evidence to prove or disprove this theory. Garter Snake - Thamnophis. As long as the water bowl is topped up, this will promote a good level of humidity in the tank. If the temperature is not properly controlled, your snake may experiencebirth defects or die before it has hatched. This is used both in hunting and finding a partner when looking to mate. However, no species of snake stay with their young after they hatch. So, if youre a beginner, youre better off opting for one of these snakes. "Garter Snake Care Advice for Beginners" Snakes For Pets, (August 11, 2022), https://www.snakesforpets.com/garter-snake-pet-care/. Be sure that the portions you are feeding your mice are small enough and do not leave a large lump in your snakes body. 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). {"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":"