What Do Garter Snakes Eat?
Garter snakes are named based on the pattern of yellow stripes over a brown or black background on its longitudinal body that is noticeable on the middle of its back and sides of closely resembling a garter in form. They are also sometimes called garden or gardener snakes because they are often seen in a garden.
It is a known fact that garter snakes, just like any other type of snake, are carnivorous in nature. So what exactly do garter snakes eat?
Garter snakes will eat close to everything that they are able to overpower. Cold blooded animals such as frogs, toads or earthworms are some of what garter snakes eat. They also consume slugs, leeches, lizards, insects such as spiders, rodents, amphibians, insects and birds.
When garter snakes live or are close to the water, they would prey on other aquatic invertebrates or mammals but particularly favors frogs (even tadpoles) and fish. Garter snakes that have grown bigger in size can feed on salamanders or even a waterfowl. Although they prefer live animals, they can also feed on eggs and amphibian larvae.
It is a known fact that garter snakes, just like any other type of snake, are carnivorous in nature. So what exactly do garter snakes eat?
Garter snakes will eat close to everything that they are able to overpower. Cold blooded animals such as frogs, toads or earthworms are some of what garter snakes eat. They also consume slugs, leeches, lizards, insects such as spiders, rodents, amphibians, insects and birds.
When garter snakes live or are close to the water, they would prey on other aquatic invertebrates or mammals but particularly favors frogs (even tadpoles) and fish. Garter snakes that have grown bigger in size can feed on salamanders or even a waterfowl. Although they prefer live animals, they can also feed on eggs and amphibian larvae.
Since garter snakes are said to be harmless snakes, there are a number of individuals who keep them as a pet, take them out of the wild and keep them in captivity. Since garter snakes prefer to feed on their prey, we would have to go back to the same question of what garter snakes eat when they are in captivity.
Once a garter snake has been put in captivity, it’s rather difficult to feed them a wild diet simply because you will lead you to problems with the animal welfare groups. So as an alternative option, feeding them with fish or earthworms would be sufficient enough to provide them a well balanced diet if you add vitamin supplements to their meal.
Make sure to thoroughly wash the earthworms that you have harvested prior to offering them to the garter snake. Also, be cautious about where you would harvest these earthworms as they may be in an area that contains pesticides or herbicides which could be dangerous or harmful to the garter snake.
Fresh whole fish over slices of fillet is another variant of food that could be offered to the captive garter snake because they easily recognize this as food. If you provide them with frozen fish, it is a must to add B1 supplements (thiamine) because freezing destroys thiamine. Lance fish and sand eels that is served in a shallow bowl of water could be enticing alternative as this simulates a prey and is thus, an additional appetizing variant to what garter snakes eat.
Once a garter snake has been put in captivity, it’s rather difficult to feed them a wild diet simply because you will lead you to problems with the animal welfare groups. So as an alternative option, feeding them with fish or earthworms would be sufficient enough to provide them a well balanced diet if you add vitamin supplements to their meal.
Make sure to thoroughly wash the earthworms that you have harvested prior to offering them to the garter snake. Also, be cautious about where you would harvest these earthworms as they may be in an area that contains pesticides or herbicides which could be dangerous or harmful to the garter snake.
Fresh whole fish over slices of fillet is another variant of food that could be offered to the captive garter snake because they easily recognize this as food. If you provide them with frozen fish, it is a must to add B1 supplements (thiamine) because freezing destroys thiamine. Lance fish and sand eels that is served in a shallow bowl of water could be enticing alternative as this simulates a prey and is thus, an additional appetizing variant to what garter snakes eat.