Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am a biology teacher and last year when I was working in Iroquois county in Illinois, security brought in a tiny snake they found roaming in a classroom. Since it was so cold out and the snake was very small, I kept it as a class pet. A year later, it is still doing well, but I am having trouble Identifying it!

It looks like a Western Ribbon, or Plains Garter to me, but I want to make sure I have it right! Right now it is barely as thick as a pencil, and only eats worms and fish! I haven't tried toads, and it won't touch a pinky mouse, or any part of it!

Here are a few pics:

Thanks so much!
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*Amy*

By the way, I put it in my dog food container to snap the picture! This thing is so quick it kept hiding or escaping in its cage!
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*Amy*

It looks like a Plains Gartersnake to me. The lateral stripes on your snake appear to involve scale rows three and four which would eliminate other garter species and the tail seems too short for that of a ribbon snake.

If you want your garter to eat pinkies, you'll probably have to trick him Try washing a very small prekilled pinky to remove the mouse scent and rub it on a worm. Rubbing it on one of your native treefrogs can also render it very appealing. You can also place the washed pinky in a bowl with a fish or two. Garters aren't especially coordinated when fishing and the dead pinky will often be inadvertently grabbed and consumed. I've noticed that the growth rate of my garters increased dramatically once I introduced mice into their diets.

-Alice

After I posted I looked up the two species in my key and I read that Western Ribbons do not have the black labial markings my snake has, and Plains Garters do...so that helps! Thanks so much for the response! I will have to try and scent some pinkies! I would love to fatten her up a bit! I have over 20 species of boids and colubrids, so I breed rats...hopefully the garter will be large enough someday to take a small rat pink! Until then I guess I'll have to splurge at the petstore!

Thanks again!
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*Amy*

I agree that it is a Plains Garter, Thamnophis radix. Definitely switch it to pinks. The techniques Alice described are the same ones I use and they should do the trick. I would add a few points. Concentrate the scent on the head of the pinkie as the snake will grab the head first and have an easier time swallowing. If rubbing the pink on a fish does not work try the pinkie and fish in a bowl as Alice suggested. When I use this technique I use a very small shallow bowl or dish with water only deep enough to cover half the pinkie. The pinkie should also be scented. Plains Garters are known to feed very well on rodents and in the long run it is cheaper, easier and more nutritious than fish or worms. If you are feeding your snake mostly worms it is recommended that a calcium supplement be used.
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Randy Hallman

Yes, I will definetly attempt to convert this guy onto rodents! Nothing would make me happier! Thanks for your suggestions
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*Amy*