---
title: "Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "A North American snake, some of whose populations have evolved resistance to the toxin of the newts they eat."
image: "https://animaltracks.wiki/images/animals/common-garter-snake-1.webp"
published: "2026-10-12"
updated: "2026-10-12"
---
# Common Garter Snake (*Thamnophis sirtalis*)
> **Status**: Checked against 6 sources, listed under Sources below.
> **Tagline**: A North American snake, some of whose populations have evolved resistance to the toxin of the newts they eat.
> **Soundtrack Vibe**: 2000s Pop & R&B Anthem // Britney Spears, "Toxic"
> **Soundtrack Links**: [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/track/6I9VzXrHxO9rA9A5euc8Ak)
> **Vibe Match**: Some common garter snake populations have evolved resistance to tetrodotoxin in an arms race with their toxic prey, newts of the genus Taricha. Britney Spears's Toxic is a pop song about going back for something poisonous, again and again, over a racing string riff.
## Biological Superpowers & Stats
- **Taxonomy**: *Thamnophis sirtalis*
- **Danger Level**: Low
- **Conservation Status**: Least Concern ([IUCN Red List](https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2015-2.rlts.t62240a68308267.en))
- **Superpower**: Some populations resist tetrodotoxin, the toxin of the newts they eat
- **Habitat**: Meadows, marshes, woodlands and hillsides, often near water, across much of North America
- **Diet**: Typically earthworms, amphibians, leeches, slugs, snails, insects, crayfish, small fish and other snakes
- **Tags**: reptile, meadow, wetlands, carnivore, immune-tank
## Natural History & Behavior
## An arms race with newts
Some populations of the common garter snake, *Thamnophis sirtalis*, prey on newts of the genus *Taricha*. Those newts carry tetrodotoxin (TTX), a toxin. Garter snake populations have evolved resistance to it, to different degrees in different places, in an arms race with their toxic prey. Researchers traced the resistance to TTX-resistant sodium channels in skeletal muscle, the muscle that moves the body.
> **Resistance hotspots**
> Researchers tested over 2,900 garter snakes from 40 populations in western North America. Resistance varied by over three orders of magnitude among populations, even over short distances.
> The study found two hotspots of resistance, and its phylogenetic data indicate the two evolved independently.
## Striped and widespread
Common garter snakes grow to 46 to 137 cm in total length, and the average is 88 cm. Newborns measure 12.5 to 23 cm. An adult weighs about 150 g. AnAge lists a maximum longevity of 14 years, recorded in captivity.
Common garter snakes live throughout eastern North America from Florida to coastal Quebec, and west to British Columbia. They use meadows, marshes, woodlands and hillsides, and they tend to prefer moist, grassy places, often near the edges of ponds, lakes, ditches and streams.
They typically eat earthworms, amphibians, leeches, slugs, snails, insects, crayfish, small fish and other snakes. They find prey with their sense of smell and their vision, and hunt by peering, craning and ambushing. Like other snakes, they swallow food whole.
## Hide, bolt, stink
Stripes make a garter snake hard to see in grassy areas. It relies on stealth and camouflage, and it flees into water to escape predators on land. Hawks, raccoons and great blue herons are among the animals that eat it.
If unable to flee, it coils to look larger and may strike and bite. If grabbed, it writhes and releases a foul-smelling secretion. It also urinates on its attacker.
## Winter piles and spring crowds
Common garter snakes hibernate from late October through March or early April, in natural cavities or burrows such as rodent burrows, crayfish burrows, rock piles or stumps. They gather in large numbers at good hibernation sites. Lying together in tight coils, they can prevent heat loss and keep their bodies warmer.
Mating starts in spring as soon as they emerge. Males leave the den first and wait for the females. Once the females leave, the males surround them. In the Canadian red-sided garter snake (the subspecies *T. s. parietalis*), the female's attractiveness pheromone is a series of long-chain methyl ketones, while the male's recognition pheromone contains squalene.
## Frequently Asked Questions
### How many babies does a garter snake have?
Females give birth to live young instead of laying eggs. Most litters hold 10 to 40 babies, and larger females have larger litters. *(Source: [Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan]())*
### Is a common garter snake dangerous to people?
Animal Diversity Web says the snake's reputation as harmless is well deserved. It describes allergic reactions to the saliva of a biting garter snake as extremely rare. *(Source: [Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan]())*
### How long does a garter snake live?
Not long in the wild. Animal Diversity Web puts the average wild lifespan at about two years and says most probably die in their first year. Captive snakes live longer, between 6 and 10 years. *(Source: [Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan]())*
### Can garter snakes eat toads?
Yes. Animal Diversity Web says they appear to be immune to the toxic skin secretions of toads and can eat them without harm. *(Source: [Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan]())*
## Sources
1. [Thamnophis sirtalis. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.]()
2. [AnAge entry for Thamnophis sirtalis. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Build 15, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.]()
3. [Brodie, Ridenhour & Brodie (2002). THE EVOLUTIONARY RESPONSE OF PREDATORS TO DANGEROUS PREY: HOTSPOTS AND COLDSPOTS IN THE GEOGRAPHIC MOSAIC OF COEVOLUTION BETWEEN GARTER SNAKES AND NEWTS.]()
4. [Geffeney et al. (2002). Mechanisms of Adaptation in a Predator-Prey Arms Race: TTX-Resistant Sodium Channels. Science.]()
5. [Mason et al. (1989). Sex Pheromones in Snakes. Science.]()
6. [Frost, Hammerson & Santos-Barrera (2015). Thamnophis sirtalis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T62240A68308267.]()
*Published October 12, 2026. Last updated October 12, 2026.*
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