Thamnophis radix (Prairie Garter snake)

Origin: From Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba (Canada) southwards through eastern Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado into northeastern New Mexico and Oklahoma. From there eastwards across the Great Plains into southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois, and northwestern Indiana. Isolated populations are found in western Central Ohio, in Missouri, and adjacent Illinois (near St. Louis).

Length: males around 85 cm / females 105-110 cm
Age: between 6 and 10 years old.
Thamnophis radix owes its Dutch name to the longitudinal stripes that resemble a garter. Prairie Garter Snakes have three of these stripes: one dorsal stripe and two lateral stripes. The color of the stripes is yellow-black, and the belly is yellow.

Care
Experience: Average snake keeper
Food: Live or dead prey animals. Main prey animals provided are amphibians, earthworms, insects, mice

Feeding adults: earthworms, insects, mice. 3 times a week.

Feeding young: earthworms, freshwater fish, insects, cut into small pieces. Every other day.

Water bowl: Yes
Water change: 3 times a week
Feeding
There is the choice to offer the prey animals live or dead. It is recommended to offer dead food. This is more practical and prevents the prey animal from injuring your snake. Additionally, it is advised to offer the prey animal using feeding tongs and to feed your snake outside the enclosure. This ensures that your hand is not associated with food and prevents your snake from grabbing your hand during feeding. If you do opt for live food, you must supervise during feeding. This is because when two snakes take the same prey, they can injure each other and sometimes even eat each other. The ideal prey animal is approximately as wide as the widest part of the snake. Water
A spacious water bowl, large enough for all snakes to lie in at the same time, serves as a drinking and bathing area and sometimes also as a toilet. Therefore, ensure that the water is changed when it is dirty, as they drink that water as well.

Cleaning
To keep your Thamnophis healthy, a hygienic living environment is important. To achieve this, the enclosure must be cleaned regularly. Cleaning once a week is sufficient. Additionally, to prevent the buildup of bacteria, the entire enclosure must be cleaned and disinfected a few times a year.

Handling
This species has a calm temperament and is usually easy to handle. Nevertheless, there are a few things to keep in mind when handling. First, never squeeze your snake while handling, as their vertebrae are fragile and can break easily. It is best to let your snake rest quietly in your hand. Also, ensure that your hands are washed and do not smell of food. Finally, do not handle your snake when it is shedding and do not handle it in the dark. Housing
Minimum enclosure size for 1 pair: 100 x 50 x 50
Lying surface area: 50% of the tank
Daytime temperature on the warmer side: 29-32C
Daytime temperature on the cooler side: 21-27C
Nighttime temperature: 20 degrees
Light hours: In summer, the lighting may be on for a maximum of fourteen hours per day; in winter, the lighting may be switched off for a few weeks. Ensure a gradual transition between these phases.
Humidity level: 40-60%
Substrate:

Moss or a mixture of peat moss and sand is very suitable as a substrate. Alternatives include newspaper or paper towels, dust-free sawdust, bark chips, and coconut fiber. The most important condition for a good substrate is that it is dry. Substrate that is too wet and/or dirty can lead to skin problems.

Behavior
Hunting method: Constrictor.
Lifestyle: Prairie garter snakes are diurnal. Garter snakes are generally more active than most other pet snake species. During the cooler parts of the day, garter snakes roam their territory in search of food.

Character
This species has a calm temperament. If garter snakes feel threatened, they will generally flee. If fleeing is not possible, they will defend themselves by threatening, and if that does not help, by biting. A final defense technique that garter snakes may employ is emptying their anal glands, often accompanied by the release of feces. This releases a very unpleasant odor.

Points of attention
When purchasing, preferably choose young captive-bred animals. Wild-caught animals are often infected with (internal and/or external) parasites, frequently carry diseases, and are very sensitive to stress. Costs and Purchase
Legislation: No CITES legislation
One-off costs: These include costs for the enclosure, lighting, heating, water bowl, and decoration. Altogether, this can cost anywhere from a few hundred euros to a few thousand euros. The final amount depends on the quality and size of the products.

Fixed costs: Fixed costs include the cost of food, which is a few tens of euros per year.

Unexpected costs: Costs are incurred if your snake happens to get sick or your equipment breaks down.