McMartinVille--Reptiles

 
NO NEED FOR A CAR, CLICKED YER MOUSE... AND HERE YOU ARE! "McMartinVille"
 

Checkered Garter Snake

Order:  Squamata (scaled reptiles)
Suborder:  Serpentes (snakes)
Family:  Colubridae ("typical" snakes)
Subfamily:  Natricinae (garter and water snakes)
Genus:  Thamnophis (garter and ribbon snakes)
Also Known As:  Marcy's Garter Snake

Scientific Name:  Thamnophis marcianus marcianus (Baird & Girard, 1853)

Habitat:  Grasslands, usually near a water source.

Thamnos="bush," ophis="snake," marcianus in honor of 19th-century Army Inspector General Randolph B. Marcy

Length:  Up to 3.5 feet long.
Food:  Fish, frogs, tadpoles, earthworms and slugs.  Will also take small vertebrates. Checkered Garter Snake Range

This snake was found by Erik and me on 22 March 2003 in a vacant lot in San Antonio.  It was sheltered under a discarded board.  Checkered garters are fairly common in this area.

Checkered Garter Snake
Here's one from 09 March 2003.  Erik had picked it up first, and it didn't seem to mind.  When he gave it to me, it decided to go on the offensive and attempted to swallow my index finger!  It drew blood and worked a little saliva into the bite but I didn't experience any reaction (some people have been known to develop allergic reactions to garter saliva).  Photo taken by Erik--I had my hands full! Checkered Garter Snake Bite