Species profile
Common Gartersnake
Thamnophis sirtalis
At a glance
Common Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis) is an IUCN Least Concern reptile with specific harvest rules tracked in 1 of 65 jurisdictions covered by CatchRules.
Confirmed by 177,143 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Ontario, New York, and Pennsylvania the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- The most widely distributed reptile in North America, found coast to coast.
- Manitoba dens can contain tens of thousands of snakes hibernating together.
- Some populations tolerate toxins from rough-skinned newts that would kill other predators.
- Females can give birth to litters of up to 80 live young at once.
- Among the last North American snakes to enter hibernation each autumn.
Where Common Gartersnake are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Common Gartersnake
Background
The common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) is a species of natricine snake, which is indigenous to North America and found widely across the continent. Most common garter snakes have a pattern of yellow stripes on a black, brown or green background, and their average total length (including tail) is about 55 cm (22 in), with a maximum total length of about 137 cm (54 in). The average body mass…
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Common Gartersnake article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other reptiles on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.