ODNR Division of Wildlife - A to Z Species Guide - Plains Gartersnake

Plains Gartersnake

Plains garter snake
Strange as it may seem, Ohio has an isolated colony of Plains gartersnakes. These brightly marked gartersnakes occur only in Marion and Wyandot counties, in the vicinity of the Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area, where they inhabit remnants of what was once the most extensive wet prairie in Ohio.

Plains Gartersnake
Thamnophis radix

At-a-Glance

• Length: 20-28 inches

• Number of offspring : 5-60

• Typical Foods: frogs, salamanders, and small rodents

• Ohio Status: Endangered 
Description
Gartersnakes--close relatives of the watersnake--are slender, medium-sized species which may attain a length of a yard or more, but are usually 18 to 26 inches long. Normally they have yellowish stripes on a dark background, but coloration and pattern are extremely variable. A distinctive feature of the Plains gartersnake is the lateral stripes along the third and fourth rows of scales.

Habitat and Habits
These snakes occur in a wide variety of moist habitats--in wet woodlands, meadows, bogs, and marshes, and along drainage ditches and streams.

Reproduction and Care of the Young
Plains gartersnakes mate in the spring and fall. Young are born July-September, each measuring about 6.5 - 7.5 inches long.