Common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)

Short answers

Common garter snake: How big does the enclosure need to be?

From 125×75×50 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, garter snakes; considerably more floor space for each additional animal).

Common garter snake: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 23–28 °C, basking spot Basking spot 30–32 °C, at night 17–22 °C.

Common garter snake: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Recommended (UV index around 2–3 at the basking spot).

Common garter snake: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 8–12 years (individual animals up to 20).

Common garter snake: Is it suitable for beginners?

Yes – it is considered suitable for beginners (difficulty: Beginner).

Climate

Daytime temperature

23–28 °C

Night temperature

17–22 °C

Basking spot

Basking spot 30–32 °C

Humidity

40–60 % (humid hide with moss)

UVB

Recommended (UV index around 2–3 at the basking spot)

Enclosure

Minimum size

from 125×75×50 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, garter snakes; considerably more floor space for each additional animal)

Substrate

Diggable soil or coco humus with a leaf-litter layer, one dry and one damp corner, a large shallow water basin, several hides

Feeding

Food

Fish (low in thiaminase; avoid e.g. smelt and goldfish), earthworms (no red wigglers), frozen-thawed mice or mouse fillet; occasionally dusted with calcium/vitamins

Feeding interval

adults 1–2×/week, juveniles more often

Key facts

Adult size

50–100 cm (females up to 120 cm, record 137 cm; males mostly under 60 cm)

Life expectancy

8–12 years (individual animals up to 20)

Origin

North America: southern Canada to Alaska, almost the entire USA, northern Mexico

Protection status

Not listed under CITES

Brumation

A winter rest of 8–12 weeks at 5–10 °C (animals from Florida or Texas shorter and slightly warmer)

Cohabitation

Can be kept in pairs or as a small group of similarly sized animals, then in a considerably larger enclosure. ReptiFiles advises against housing this species together at all because of a tendency towards cannibalism; if you want to rule out every risk, keep them singly. Always feed them singly, ideally in separate boxes – the feeding accident (two animals on the same worm or fish) is the main risk.

Notes

Entry for the species as a whole. There are many subspecies; common in the hobby are T. s. sirtalis (eastern), T. s. similis (blue-striped garter snake from Florida), T. s. infernalis, T. s. fitchi and T. s. concinnus; the red-sided (T. s. parietalis) and San Francisco garter snake (T. s. tetrataenia) have their own entries. Care is similar for all of them; only the winter rest and temperatures depend on origin.

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Related species

• Ahumada's alpine garter snake (Thamnophis ahumadai) – Expert
• Bogert's garter snake (Thamnophis bogerti) – Expert
• Butler's garter snake (Thamnophis butleri) – Intermediate
• Cope's mountain meadow snake (Thamnophis copei) – Expert
• Fox's mountain meadow snake (Thamnophis foxi) – Expert
• Yellow-throated garter snake (Thamnophis pulchrilatus) – Expert
• Godman's garter snake (Thamnophis godmani) – Expert
• Goldenhead garter snake (Thamnophis chrysocephalus) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (from 125×75×50 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, garter snakes; considerably more floor space for each additional animal)), substrate (Diggable soil or coco humus with a leaf-litter layer, one dry and one damp corner, a large shallow water basin, several hides), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.