There are several groups of snakes named Garter Snakes, including a group in Southern Africa. These snakes are related to cobras and are venomous.
However, I will be discussing the Garter Snakes from North America, which are harmless. Garter Snakes are small snakes reaching 75cm in length, some of the larger species can reach a meter in length but are usually smaller. Garter snakes are diurnal and crawl actively around the cage in search of food. Because of this, Garter Snakes require larger cages than do King Snakes and Rat Snakes, who wait in their hide boxes for a mouse to be dangled in front of them with a feeding tong. Garter Snakes live near water and will eat earthworms, fish, frogs and tadpoles. Some of the larger species such as the Checkered Garter Snake will eat small mice. Feed your Garter Snake three times a week. Provide a daylight basking bulb to provide light and to heat the tank. Use a heat pad to heat the cage at night. Even though Garter Snakes live and hunt near water, their cages must be kept dry or they will develop scale rot and fungal infections. Use a bedding of corn cob. In closing if you want a small snake which you can watch during the day, and can create a naturalistic cage setup for. This is the snake for you.
Picture of a group of Checkered Garter Snakes. The pale snake is an albino.
Timothy Zedi
Tim Zedi is a seasoned reptile enthusiast with over 25 years of experience in keeping and breeding a wide variety of reptiles. Tim was the former chairman of the West Rand Herpetological Association and volunteered at the Transvaal Snake Park.Tim has been instrumental in creating knowledge in the reptile community. He is a regular contributor to Practical Reptile Keeping magazine, where he shares his expertise and insights. Through his work, Tim has become a respected figure in the herpetology field, dedicated to educating others and promoting responsible reptile care.