Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello. i was out picking up my dinner when i saw some kids being all excited in a corner and i came closer and saw they were poking at a poor garter snake who was nearly frozen to death. there was kind of a fake spring in january and i thought perhaps the mother had come out of hibernation and given birth as he is a very little guy and mostly starved with very loose skin. he was hanging in a tree and too cold to slither away. so i picked him up and took him home where i had a spare reptarium. i'm going to try picking up some guppies and mealworms for him today and hope he'll eat. and maybe eventually switch to frozen pinkies by scenting them being that i have about one million of them in my freezer for my boas. i'd be very grateful for any advice that people might have and also if you can tell me what type of snake this might be. i live in portland, oregon. thanks for the help. i named him lucky and i plan on letting him go in a much more natural area rather than this busy area by the freeway when he's strong enough.

Looks like a northwestern garter.Garters can tolerate very cold temps.They often come out of hibernation when temps are in the forties.How long they stay out? who knows.It is pretty normal though.I am pretty sure that garter is a worm and slug specialist.If you did not want the hassle of keeping it.You could probally release it where you found it with no problems.

well, he seems hurt and very lethargic. he doesn't even really move away if i tap his head or the tip of his tail. if i pick him up he just kind of hangs there... although he does move and flicker his tongue and his eyes seem bright.

i bought some nightcrawlers to try and feed him, but he didn't seem interested at all. do i need to cut them to be smaller? how do i entice a garter to eat?

i don't mind the hassle... i'm just rather in the dark about this... and i hope he'll gain strength and zip about like a normal garter eventually

I agree with Mr. Dickinson. This is a Northwestern Garter Snake, Thamnophis ordinoides. I have never kept this particular species but they are known to be worm specialists. It might take him awhile to start feeding but I am sure he will if basic husbandry requirements are met. When feeding Garters a diet of worms it is important to give a calcium supplement. Rossman, Ford and Seigel report that this species is inoffensive but may be difficult to keep. They also state that laboratory studies suggest that fish and small amphibian larvae might also be consumed. I believe this refers to tongue flicking behavior rather than actual feeding in the lab but I would experiment with small fish after the snake is established on worms. They are legal to possess in your state but it is illegal to offer the animal for sale. Keep us posted on how he is doing.

Rossman, Ford and Seigel. 1996. The Garter Snakes, Evolution and Ecology. University of Oklahoma Press.

Randy
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Firehouse Herps

i'm sorry to say that he died tonight. but at least he died in a warm, safe place.

Just saw two eastern garters outside in 40 degree weather. They were being eaten by a red-tailed hawk.