Giant garter snake (Thamnophis gigas)

Short answers

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

From 190×115×75 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, garter snakes; considerably more floor space for each additional animal).

Giant garter snake: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 24–30 °C, basking spot Basking spot 30–32 °C, at night 18–22 °C.

Giant garter snake: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Recommended.

Giant garter snake: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 10–15 years.

Giant garter snake: Is it suitable for beginners?

No – better suited to experienced keepers (difficulty: Expert).

Climate

Daytime temperature

24–30 °C

Night temperature

18–22 °C

Basking spot

Basking spot 30–32 °C

Humidity

50–65 % (keep the land area dry; humidity comes from the large water section)

UVB

Recommended

Enclosure

Minimum size

from 190×115×75 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, garter snakes; considerably more floor space for each additional animal)

Substrate

Aqua-terrarium: a large, shallow water section (at least a third of the floor) with dense planting, a dry land area of coco humus or a soil-sand mix, several hides and basking spots right at the water's edge

Feeding

Food

A pronounced fish and amphibian eater: in captivity mainly low-thiaminase fish (e.g. trout, smelt), plus earthworms; frozen-thawed mice or mouse fillets only if the snake accepts them (switching can take time)

Feeding interval

adults 1–2×/week, juveniles more often

Key facts

Adult size

90–150 cm (females larger, rarely up to 165 cm – the largest garter snake)

Life expectancy

10–15 years

Origin

USA: only California's Central Valley (Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys), lowlands up to about 120 m elevation

Protection status

Not listed under CITES

Brumation

A winter rest of 8–12 weeks at 8–12 °C

Cohabitation

Pairs or a small group are possible, but only in a very large aqua-terrarium; because of their size, keeping them singly is often more practical. Fish eaters strike hard at feeding time: always feed them singly, ideally in separate boxes, and only house animals of the same size together.

Notes

Hardly any captive experience; the values are derived from the habitat and from close relatives. Strongly tied to water in the wild and protected in the USA – animals from legal captive breeding are practically unobtainable in Europe. When feeding fish, choose low-thiaminase species.

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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
• Common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) – Beginner
• Godman's garter snake (Thamnophis godmani) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Giant garter snake (Thamnophis gigas) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (from 190×115×75 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, garter snakes; considerably more floor space for each additional animal)), substrate (Aqua-terrarium: a large, shallow water section (at least a third of the floor) with dense planting, a dry land area of coco humus or a soil-sand mix, several hides and basking spots right at the water's edge), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.