FW: [NatureNS] Garter snake

Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2007 12:37:01 -0300
From: Jim Wolford <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
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I'm not sure that mother garter snakes care for their young at all after
birth -- perhaps John Gilhen can comment on this?

Cheers from Jim in Wolfville
----------
From: Jean Timpa <jtimpa@ns.sympatico.ca>
Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2007 10:03:47 -0300
To: natureNS@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: [NatureNS] Garter snake

 Garter snakes aren't the most user friendly types. None of them
really liked to be picked up by huge warm humans, but the only one which
ever bit me was a garter. It was fairly large, and I did not get a good
angle 
on clasping it carefully behind its head so it could not strike, as it was
curled up against a very steep woods embankment, so we were face to
face. So I was promptely bitten on the hand, which I deserved. There was a
bit of pain, but no ill effects.
 My Golden Guide to Snakes and Reptiles reminds me that Garter
Snakes bear their young live, up to twenty at a time, so the snake at the
entrance to its hole may well have been guarding young ones inside. There
are a number of different Garter Snakes across North America, and the GG
mentions that most are fairly docile and do well in captivity which is now
severely frowned upon. But..the Common Garter Snake... is more
aggressive than ohers and is marked by three yellowish stripes, while the
dark area in between is spotted. Our Ribbon Snake with yellow or red
stripes against brown scales is also a garter snake, and its tail is about a
third of its body length. I believe it is the one which is seldom seen any
more, and all sightings are of interest and should be reported to the
Museum of Natural History in Halifax.
 I envy your sightings, as I seldom see snakes any more. There
used to be a lot of them along the woods roads down home (Bear River),
with frogs and toads, where they used to like to sun themselves. Now, if I
find anything, it is just mashed ones. There may be other factors, but the
ATVs have done an awful number on them. ....and recently the legislation
has been softened on such vehicles. Jean

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