Western
New York Herpetological Society
www.wnyherp.org
© 2001
- 2003 by Western New York Herpetological Society
This
document is for guidance only and should not be used as the sole source of
information. New information is being developed daily. It is recommended that a
concerted effort be made to maintain up-to-date knowledge of the animals of
interest.
Common
Name:
Garter,
Ribbon and Water Snakes
Latin
Name:
Thamnophis spp.
Native
to:
North
and Central America
Size:
Up
to three feet in length
Life
span:
This
group of snakes can live for 10 years or more with proper care.
General
appearance:
All
members of the genus Thamnophis are
slender-bodied snakes and are usually striped with a solid or checkered body.
Males generally have a thicker base of the tail than females.
Housing
requirements:
Enclosure:
Most
single snakes can be housed in a 10-gallon or 20-gallon tank with a secured
screen top depending on the size of the snake. It is important that the
enclosure is escape-proof as these snakes
excel
at escaping from their enclosures.
Temperature:
Like
most snakes, members of Thamnophis like
a temperature gradient. The cool end on the enclosure
should be around 70° F with a basking spot of around 84° F. At night the
basking area
should
be turned off.
Heat/Light:
It
has not been proven whether these snakes require UV light or not, though they
should be provided with an appropriate photoperiod. Basking areas can be
achieved by using incandescent
basking
bulbs, infrared heat bulbs or ceramic emitters. Under no circumstance is a hot
rock acceptable since these will often cause serious burns to your animal.
Timers and thermostats can be
used
to control photoperiods and temperatures in the enclosure
Substrate:
A
variety of substrates can be utilized for these snakes. Newspaper or paper towels
can be used,
though
many favor a more visually appealing substrate. Aspen shavings can be used as
well as a
sandy
soil mixture of about 50% natural play sand and 50% potting soil. Cedar
shavings should be
avoided
as they can prove to be toxic to your animal. New research has also proved that
pine
shavings
may also have negative long term effects as well.
Environment:
A
suitably large enough pool should be provided for the snake to allow it to
swim. A hide box
should
also be provided. Branches for climbing can also be provided,
Diet:
These
snakes eat a varied diet. Items such as earthworms, red worms, and other
insects will usually be readily accepted. Fish such as guppies, sand eels and
Lance fish can also be provided in the pool. An exclusive diet of just fish is
not nutritionally complete and should be fed with other prey items such as
earthworms. Many specimens can also be converted to appropriate sized mice.
Maintenance:
Fresh
water should be offered daily. If using newsprint then clean as needed. Wood
shavings or a soil mix should be spot cleaned as needed. Periodically, the
enclosure should be disinfected. A 5% bleach solution makes an excellent
disinfectant. Be sure to rinse the enclosure thoroughly after disinfecting. As always,
be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling your snake or any cage
accessories.
Other
references or recommended reading:
Kaplan,
Melissa. “Garter Snakes.” Updated 17 August 2002. Retrieved 1 July 2003.
<http://www.anapsid.org/gartcare.html>
Francis,
Alan. “Maintenance of Garter Snakes.” Updated May 2002. Retrieved 1 July 2003.
<http://www.gartersnake.co.uk/maintenance.htm>
“Garter
& Ribbon Snake Care.” Teen Reptile Club. Retrieved 1 July 2003.
<http://teenreptileclub.freewebspace.com/custom2.html>