The Checkered Garter Snake normally grows to 18-24 inches. It has keeled scales, a single anal scale, and narrow yellowish stripes down each side and the back. There is a large yellowish or cream colored crescent mark on each side of the head. The areas between
The stripes are brownish-yellow with a bold checkered pattern of dark spots. The belly is plain yellowish.
This rare snake is limited to the southern portions of those counties along the southern border of Kansas. It has not been recorded east of the Arkansas River. It frequents margins of pools of water in streams, small ponds and lakes, or near springs. During winter, this snake uses small animal burrows or deep crevices in rocky hillsides to avoid the cold.
Checkered Garter Snakes are protected by the Kansas Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act and administrative regulations applicable thereto. Any time an eligible project is proposed that will impact the species' preferred habitats within its probable range, the project sponsor must contact the Ecological Services Section, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, 512 SE 25th Ave., Pratt, Kansas 67124-8174. Commission personnel can then advise the project sponsor on permit requirements.
As defined by the Kansas Administrative Regulations, critical habitats include those areas documented as currently supporting self-sustaining population(s) of any threatened or endangered species of wildlife as well as those areas determined by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism to be essential for the conservation of any threatened or endangered species of wildlife.
The checkered garter snake (Thamnophis marcianus) 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.
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.[3]
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 (including tail) of 42 inches (107 cm), but is usually 18 to 24 inches (46 to 61 cm).[4]
The preferred habitats of T. marcianus are desert and grassland, usually close to water.[4]
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 a fussy eater and can suddenly start to refuse mice at any point.
T. marcianus will strike and bite if provoked. It will also release a foul-smelling liquid from its cloaca onto attackers.
T. marcianus were long thought to be nonvenomous, but recent discoveries have revealed that they do in fact produce a mild neurotoxic venom. T. marcianus cannot kill humans with the small amounts of venom they produce, which is comparatively mild, and they also lack an effective means of delivering it. They do have enlarged teeth in the back of their mouth, but their gums are significantly larger. The Duvernoy's gland of garters are posterior (to the rear) of the snake's eyes. The mild venom is spread into wounds through a chewing action.
Three subspecies of T. marcianus are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.[2]
Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Thamnophis.
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.
The checkered garter snake (Thamnophis marcianus) 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.