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| Common garter snake,
Thamnophis sirtalis. |
Class: Reptiles
Order: Snakes
Family: Typical snakes
Species found in the Rideau River:
Ringneck snake, rat snake, northern water snake, smooth green snake, redbelly
snake, common garter snake
Characteristics of the family:
Found all over the world, the family of typical snakes includes the majority
of snake species. All members of this family that are found in Canada
are harmless.
Interesting facts:
A snake's tongue smells! No, not as in "odor" -- as in "nose": it is a
sensory tool to detect smells.
| Description |
The body is generally brown or
black, adorned with yellow or brownish stripes. Around the middle
of its body there are 19 scale rows. |
| Size |
Maximum length: 1.24 m |
| Distribution |
The subspecies
found in the Rideau River occupies an area extending from western
Quebec to eastern Manitoba. |
| Habitat |
In winter, the common garter
snake shelters in cracks and fissures under the frost line,
where they are sometimes found in thousands. |
| Food |
Insects, worms, fish, amphibians
and sometimes mice. |
| Life cycle |
The common garter snake gives
birth to live young, sometimes as many as 85 at one time. As
with all snakes, the young are independent from birth and receive
no care from their parents. |
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