The Puget Sound Garter Snake
At this time of year our garter snakes can be found along streams, rivers, and lakes, marshes, and wet meadows. They spend their days basking in sun yet always prepared to dive under water to avoid predators. They use the position of the sun to orient themselves, and to be able to find their way back to the hibernacula (a place to overwinter) in the fall. They hunt mostly during the day, but occasionally are seen hunting at night. The Garter snake active period also changes with the season. They eat slugs, frogs, toads, tadpoles, and insects but if the opportunity arises, they will eat birds, fish, and other reptiles. They also have the ability to eat prey that is toxic to other predators. They can eat both the deadly Rough-skinned Newt and the toxic Bufo Toad. Although the snakes can consume these toxic preys, the poison does temporally slow down the Garter’s movements. The young snakes eat earthworms until they learn to capture the more aggressive prey. Their defence mechanism includes releasing a foul blend of musk and feces from a hole at the base of the tail. If the stench doesn’t put off the aggressor, then they will flatten their heads and try to bite.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky
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