Garter snakes are strict carnivores that hunt and eat animals. They use their tongue to flick at the ground and air, picking up scent chemicals that help them identify prey and other predators nearby.
They will eat a variety of animals, including frogs, fish, mice and earthworms. They can also eat leeches and slugs.
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Frogs
Many snakes will eat whatever is available to them. Occasionally, though, there are species that develop a taste for one particular animal and will not eat anything else, unless they are starving.
Frogs are an excellent food source for garter snakes, and they are also an important part of the ecosystem in which these snakes live. They can be found in a variety of habitats and they are known as environmental bellwethers, as their behavior can help scientists predict how healthy an area is.
They can be found in a wide range of colors, shapes and sizes. Some frogs can even change their colors to help them hide from predators and control their body temperature.
Some frogs are actually poisonous, which is why they have to defend themselves in certain ways. For example, some frogs will turn white, called blanching, which can be caused by heat (thermal blanching) or by touch or noise (tactile blanching). This helps to keep other lizards and snakes from attacking them as they are less likely to see the frog as poisonous and therefore not attack it.
Fish
Garter snakes are omnivores and eat a wide variety of creatures. They will eat fish and frogs that live near their habitat, as well as insects, worms, and small mammals like mice and voles.
They are also immune to the toxic skin secretions from toads, so they can eat them without harm. They will also eat earthworms, leeches, snails, crayfish, and other reptiles.
Many pet garter snakes are finicky eaters, and this can be difficult to manage. The only way to make sure your snake gets its nutritional needs met is to feed it a combination of different foods, including live and frozen fish.
It’s important to remember that snakes need vitamin D for their metabolism, and they need a lot of calcium in their diets. Fortunately, most pet stores carry a variety of snake foods that provide both these things. A snake that is not getting enough calcium will suffer from deformities or other health problems.
Earthworms
Earthworms are a key component in a garter snake’s diet. The worms eat soil, manure, roots, and leaves. They also eat fruits and vegetables when available.
To eat, earthworms pull food into their mouths with a nose-like portion of the first body segment called the prostomium and a muscular pharynx. The food then passes through a crop and an esophagus before it enters the gizzard.
The gizzard uses stones that earthworms eat to grind food into small, digestible pieces before it enters the intestines. The intestines then release fluids to aid in digestion.
Because they are not sensitive to odors like humans and mammals, the worms can locate food sources by searching the soil. If they are not able to find the desired food in their immediate area, they will start exploring a larger region.
Mice
Garter snakes are carnivorous and can eat a wide variety of animals. They mainly feed on amphibians (frogs, toads) and small mammals, such as mice, but they can also eat leeches, worms, slugs, snails, insects and crayfish.
They are ovoviviparous, meaning they give birth to live young. Females mate in the fall and store sperm until spring, when they can fertilize their eggs.
In the wild, they primarily hunt during daylight hours. They can be found in a variety of habitats, including grassy fields, forest, and meadows.
They are a very common snake in the United States and Canada, especially in northeastern New England and Quebec. Their body is dark brown to black with yellow, orange or blue stripes down their sides and backs.
