Reptile & Amphibian Forums

PATRIOT NEWS (Pennsylvania) 27 February 06 Cold-tolerant garters among 1st to sneak into spring (Marcus Schneck)
Within the next few weeks, before air temperatures are close to what even we warm-blooded humans consider warm, garter snakes will begin to emerge from their winter hibernation dens.
Extremely cold-tolerant, garter snakes are among the first snakes to come out of hibernation in the spring and one of the last to enter the den in the fall.
That same hardiness explains why garters are the only snake species in Alaska and range farther north into Canada than any other North American reptile.
During the non-hibernating months of the year, when the snake needs to be most active and able to digest its food as quickly as possible, the cold-blooded garter snake will use thermoregulation.
It will bask in the sun during the morning hours to raise its body temperature into the comfort zone between 82 and 90 degrees.
However, basking is not an option during hibernation.
To keep their body temperature from falling too low during hibernation, garter snakes generally spend the winter months in group dens in rocks below the frost line.
They often travel considerable distances in the fall to find those dens, sometimes aided by trails of pheromones laid down by other garter snakes, and often return to the same den every year.
In the den the snakes will entwine themselves tightly around one another, which prevents the body temperature of any one snake from falling too low and maintains an overall warmer environment in the den.
The group denning also serves to facilitate breeding in the spring.
The males leave the den first and wait near the entrance for the females, each one of which is surrounded by males as she leaves the den in late March through April.
The quick quiz:
1. The female garter snake gives birth to live babies, from seven to 85 of them, in late June to August. Do you think she is a caring mother, spending additional time to care for her babies?
2. True or false. When threatened, a garter snake will emit a musky odor that can deter some predators.
3. How many species of snake are found in Pennsylvania? A. 7; B. 14; or C. 21. Answers
1. No, the young garter snakes are on their own from their moment of birth, able to hunt for themselves. Their primary food is earthworms.
2. True. Threatened garter snakes also often defecate to make themselves even more repellent.
3. There are 21 species of snake in Pennsylvania, only three of which are poisonous.
Cold-tolerant garters among 1st to sneak into spring

Fun article thanks
-----
Matt from Minnesota