Eastern Plains Garter Snake
[Thamnophis radix]
The eastern plains garter snake can grow to be 16 to 36 inches long. Their coloration can be dark olive to dark brown. They have one dorsal stripe and two lateral stripes.
Location: The Lower RainForest
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Range
Range of the eastern plains garter snake is extreme western Indiana, northern Illinois and Missouri, eastern Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and southwest Wisconsin.
Habitat
The eastern plains garter snake prefers damp areas such as wet meadows, bogs, mud bottomed streams, and ditches.
Conservation Status
Least ConcernPrimary Threats
Gestation
The gestation time for the eastern plains garter snake is around 4 months.
Litter
Young eastern plains garter snakes are born alive and the numbers range from 6 to 40 snakes with 20 being the average.
Behavior
Eastern plains garter snakes are one of the most cold-tolerant snakes, often emerging from hibernation to bask on warm, sunny winter days. Predators include birds of prey, mammals, and other snakes.
Reproduction
Eastern plains garter snakes mate in April or May, and give birth to 5 to 30 young from August through early October. Newborns are from 15 to 25 cm. in length. Newborns eat earthworms, fish, and frogs, but reject grasshoppers.
Wild Diet
Fish, frogs, toads, earthworms, insects, and carrion.