Checkered garter snake


The checkered garter snake is a species of garter snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central America.

Etymology

The specific epithet marcianus is in honor of American Brigadier General Randolph B. Marcy, who led surveying expeditions to the frontier areas in the mid-19th century.

Description

The checkered garter snake is typically greenish in color, with a distinct, black checkerboard pattern down its back. It is capable of growing to a total length of 42 inches, but is usually 18 to 24 inches.

Habitat

The preferred habitats of T. marcianus are desert and grassland, usually close to water.

Diet

The diet of T. marcianus includes small frogs, toads, small fish, and earthworms. If kept as a pet, it can be trained on live or freeze-thawed mice, but even so, it is fussy eater and can suddenly start to refuse mice at any point.

Defensive behavior

T. marcianus will strike and bite if provoked. It will also release a foul-smelling liquid from its cloaca onto attackers.

Venom

T. marcianus has been found to have mild venom.

Subspecies

Three subspecies of T. marcianus are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.
Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Thamnophis.

In captivity

The checkered garter snake is one of the easiest garter snakes to tame. Even a wild-caught one can become tame in a few days if handled carefully. The checkered garter snake is frequently available in the exotic pet trade, and makes a hardy captive animal. It can be trained to accept mice or fish fillets as food. Captive breeding, while not common, is done, and albino variants are being produced.