Western Terrestrial Garter Snake  - Thamnophis elegans

Location/Trail:  Veit SpringsDate sighted:  7/04/2010Season:  SummerGarter snakes have toxins in their saliva which can be deadly to their prey and their bite might produce an unpleasant reaction in humans, but they are not considered dangerous to humans.

Thamnophis elegans measures 18 - 43 inches in length (46 - 109 cm).

A medium-sized slender snake with a head barely wider than the neck and keeled dorsal scales. Ground color is a dark olive-brown or black with no red markings. 3 well-defined light stripes on the back and sides. The dorsal stripe is yellow, orange, or white. The lateral stripes may be paler. Underside is pale with few markings, and is sometimes darker in the center.

Active in daylight. Chiefly terrestrial - not as dependant on water as other gartersnake species, but more likely to be found near water. When frightened, this species will sometimes seek refuge in vegetation or ground cover, but it will also crawl quickly into water and swim away from trouble.

If frightened when picked up, this snake will often strike repeatedly and release cloacal contents.