West Coast garter snake (Thamnophis validus)

Short answers

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

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

West Coast garter snake: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 26–30 °C, basking spot Basking spot 30–33 °C, at night 20–24 °C.

West Coast garter snake: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Recommended.

West Coast garter snake: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 8–12 years.

West Coast garter snake: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

26–30 °C

Night temperature

20–24 °C

Basking spot

Basking spot 30–33 °C

Humidity

60–75 % (still keep the land area dry)

UVB

Recommended

Enclosure

Minimum size

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

Substrate

Aqua-terrarium with a large, shallow water section (at least a third of the floor), a dry land area of coco humus or a soil-sand mix, roots, plants and several hides

Feeding

Food

In the wild almost exclusively fish, tadpoles and frogs (young snakes take more frogs, adults more fish). In captivity low-thiaminase fish (e.g. trout, smelt), plus earthworms; frozen-thawed mice or mouse fillets only if the snake accepts them

Feeding interval

adults 2×/week, juveniles more often

Key facts

Adult size

60–100 cm (large animals rarely a little more)

Life expectancy

8–12 years

Origin

Mexico: the Pacific coastal plain from Sonora and Chihuahua to Guerrero and Oaxaca, plus the Cape Region of Baja California Sur; mainly lowlands, one subspecies in the hills around Tepic

Protection status

Not listed under CITES

Brumation

No true winter rest (lowland species); a cooler rest period of 6–8 weeks at 18–22 °C can stimulate breeding

Cohabitation

Group keeping is possible (similarly sized animals, enough space and hides). Fish eaters strike hard at feeding time, so the feeding accident remains the risk: always feed them singly, ideally in separate boxes.

Notes

Hardly any captive experience; the values are derived from the habitat and from close relatives. A warm lowland species that lives in almost every freshwater body of the coastal plain, including lagoons with brackish water. When feeding fish, choose low-thiaminase species.

Do you keep this 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 West Coast garter snake (Thamnophis validus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (from 125×75×50 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, garter snakes; about a fifth more floor space for each additional animal)), substrate (Aqua-terrarium with a large, shallow water section (at least a third of the floor), a dry land area of coco humus or a soil-sand mix, roots, plants and 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.