Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Caught in central Ohio. I think it is some kind of garter or ribbon but would like a more positive id. It was along the railroad tracks under a piece of metal in the weeds. makes no attempt to bite or even get away.The red-orange belly is alot brighter than the pic shows.
Thanks
Greg

Looks like an Eastern Garter (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis) to me.

It looks like a Butler's Garter snake to me. On a Butler's the lateral stripe is on rows 3&4. On an Eastern the stripe is on rows 2&3. Ribon snakes also have stipes on rows 2&4, but the head on that snake looks more like a Butler's than an Eastern. Also, Butler's may have orange lateral stripes, ribbons don't.

It appears that the dorsal lateral stripe is confined to just rows 2 and 3, rather 2,3, and 4 (as in Butler's). The head does appear rather short though, like a Butler's. The Butler's is also rare or completely lacking over most of its given range.
Well, I guess it is safe to agree that it is either one or the other.

It's some sort of Thamnophis looks to red to be a butleri to me. Not sure about sirtalis sirtalis.

Jeff

I checked out Rossman's garter snake book, & found I was wrong on the Butler's stripe location. Apparently it involves "rows 2,3 and the lower edge of 4 (at least anteriorly)". The eastern garter snake's "lateral stripe usually confined to dorsal scale rows 2 & 3". This being the case, I'm not sure about the snake in the photo, but I'm now leaning towards sirtalis.