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Serpents
Garter Snake or Ribbon Snake
What ever you call them, it can
be frightening to stumble upon one
Thamnophis sirtalis
Photo of An Eastern Garter Snake
Even though the Garter Snake and
Ribbon Snake is non-venomous and won't hurt humans, they can sometimes
make us hurt ourselves when we suddenly come upon them unexpectedly.
I personally think they are beautiful
creatures but wouldn't want to have one as a pet. I would prefer they
stay in their own habitat and out of sight. They have their place in our
world by helping to keep down the rodent population..
The photo of the smaller snake below
was found in our backyard, needless to say, it startled me, I was not
happy to see it but I didn't want to destroy it either. I noticed
this was a non-venomous snake by it's round eyes, but to be certain I
checked on the Internet for our states reptiles and found that it
was indeed a non-venomous snake. If you are ever unsure of any reptile
you see, please do not attempt to go near it.
I suggest letting a professional remove the snake to a better
environment far away from your home.
Snakes have their place in our world, doing good things. Destroying a
snake because of fear, the lack of knowledge about them or
before we have familiarized ourselves to which ones are venomous
and non-venomous, is very sad.
This was the first snake I have seen in our garden in twenty five years, but because it eats
fish, It was removed safely and promptly to another area far away from our home;
A safer place for the snake, away from my pets, for us and from my goldfish
and Koi.
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Garter snake wrapped around the
branches of hibiscus that grows close to our goldfish and Koi pond.
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Ribbon Snake
(Thamnophis sauritus) |
Thamnophis sirtalis
Photo from a reptile magazine
Garter Snake
Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis
sirtalis): This species is found in a diversity of grassy habitats that
are usually wet or damp, although not necessarily near permanent aquatic
areas. It is usually less than 2 feet long, large specimens occasionally
reach lengths greater than 3 feet. It is distinguished from all other
Georgia species, except ribbon snakes, by the presence of three yellow
longitudinal stripes down a dark body. Garter snakes have black lines on
their lip scales, whereas ribbon snakes do not. Some garter snakes in
Georgia have a checkered body pattern with poorly defined stripes. This
species gives birth to live young, sometimes having more than 50 babies.
Common garter snakes feed on earthworms, frogs, toads, salamanders, fish
and tadpoles.
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The Eastern Ribbon Snakes are usually
found near aquatic areas, particularly along lake or swamp margins. The
species is more slender than the garter snake, but it is otherwise
similar in general appearance. Ribbon snakes usually are less than 2
feet in length, although occasionally individuals may reach 3 feet.
Eastern ribbon snakes feed on salamanders, frogs and small fish.
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