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FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
A deceptively beautiful reptile, the San Francisco garter snake is a vividly multicolored subspecies of the garter snake. It is often called the most beautiful snake in all of America. An elusive creature, this snake prefers living in marshy areas and is very difficult to trace and capture.
The San Francisco garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia) lives in an ecosystem that also hosts other garter snakes, including the garden garter snake, western terrestrial garter snake, and the Santa Cruz garter snake. These subspecies are known to have the same diet though their preferences differ. The garden garter snake likes to eat slugs, while the Santa Cruz garter snake likes to eat amphibian larvae and small fish.
We've gathered some fascinating San Francisco garter snake facts below. If you like these, do also check out our puff adder facts and speckled kingsnake facts.
The adult San Francisco garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia) is a slim and multicolored subspecies of the common garter snake that was categorized as Endangered species ever since 1967 in the San Mateo County and San Francisco Peninsula.
San Francisco garter snakes of San Mateo County and Santa Cruz, which are Endangered species, belong to the Reptilia class of animals.
Researchers estimate that there are 1000-2000 adult snakes of this species left. However, it is quite difficult to get information and population statistics on these Endangered species because of their elusive nature and the fact that their habitat is located on private properties that have not been surveyed.
They are found in scattered wetland regions at the San Francisco Peninsula from the northern boundary of San Mateo County, south alongside the eastern and western bases of the Santa Cruz Mountains, to the Upper Crystal Springs Reservoir and alongside the Pacific coast south to Año Nuevo Point, and on to Waddell Creek in Santa Cruz.
The desired habitat of the San garter snake is a densely vegetated pond close to an open hillside wherein it could feel the sun, feed, and locate cover in rodent burrows. However, a much less appropriate habitat may also be used. Temporary ponds and different seasonal freshwater bodies also are appropriate. This subspecies avoids brackish marsh regions due to the fact its desired prey, the California red-legged frog, can't continue to exist in saline water. The zone among movement and pond habitats and grasslands or bank sides is ordinarily used for basking, at the same time as close by dense plants or water frequently offer escape cover.
Adult San Francisco garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia) usually live alone, but during hibernation, they accumulate together to prevent a lot of heat loss and to keep their bodies warmer than they would be alone.
These Endangered species of snakes usually live for only two years in the wild but can live for up to 10 years in captivity like in San Mateo County, San Francisco Peninsula, or the San Francisco zoo. They don't have a long lifespan in their natural habitat but can live longer in the artificial habitat created for conserving them in the San Francisco zoo. They usually die as soon as they reach maturity.
San Francisco garter snakes initially mate during springtime and then again during fall. As they had already gathered for hibernation, they do not have to waste energy seeking mates. Female garter snakes give off pheromones to draw in adult males. Dozens of adult males will come to at least one female. This mass of mating snakes is referred to as a mating ball. Some adult males use trickery to confuse their competition. They will secrete female pheromones to entice different adult males closer to them as opposed to the girl. After the alternative adult males are away from the mating ball, the adult males posing as women will dart back to the female to try to mate.
Garter snakes are oviparous, which means that they usually bear live young ones. After mating, the females generally store sperm in their bodies till they need to fertilize their eggs. Garter snakes give birth to 20-40 babies at a time, and litter sizes can range substantially according to the size of the female.
This species of electric blue San Francisco garter snake conservation status is categorized as Endangered by the IUCN Red List in their natural habitat. Many wildlife sanctuaries are actively in the process of trying to save this species of garter snake.
San Francisco garter snakes have keeled dorsal scales on their body of a blue color, which has a border of red, black, orange, and green. Their head is not bigger than their neck and is red in color. They have the largest eyes in the garter snake species, which gives them good eyesight to be active during the day. They are only mildly poisonous, which doesn't really harm humans.
These snakes are extremely beautiful to behold and look very cute because of their different bright colors. They are not as friendly as they look and, if threatened, may hide or attack only to defend themselves.
San Francisco garter snakes communicate with each other by using a complex communication system with the help of pheromones. These pheromones are communicated with the use of a tongue flicking behavior which helps them find other snakes by pheromone scented trails that they leave behind, and it is also essential for breeding.
A San Francisco garter snake is small-sized at 18-55 in (46-140 cm), but it is still 10 times bigger than the smallest species of garter snakes.
The exact speed limit of a San Francisco garter snake has not been observed yet, but they are known to be fast and quick in hiding themselves from predators.
This snake weighs approximately 3.88-5.29 oz (110-150 g).
There are no separate male and female names for this species, as with any snake.
Baby snakes are known as juveniles or are simply referred to as young.
These snakes forage a lot in aquatic habitats. Adult snakes like to feed on California red-legged frogs, Pacific tree frogs, fishes, and other insects. These snakes depend a lot on the California red-legged frogs for their food, and their habitat is therefore always located close to these frogs.
These snakes are only mildly poisonous and cannot inflict much harm to humans.
A lot of people keep these snakes as their pets as they are quite beautiful to look at. These snakes elicit strong feelings for their owners, which makes them excellent pets for some and troublesome for others.
There was confusion in differentiating of San Francisco garter snake between two subspecies, the California red-sided garter snake and the red-spotted garter snake.
A garter snake's cost ranges from $20-$300. You can own them, but you will have to fulfill many legal formalities and take a lot of permissions from many authorities.
The San Francisco garter snakes are endangered because of the loss of their habitat due to agriculture, commercial development, and predators.
These snakes are not friendly with humans and make an attack if they feel threatened. Though they are not poisonous and cannot kill you, they can still cause mild irritation to the human if bitten.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other reptiles from our blue spiny lizard facts and green and black poison dart frog facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable San francisco garter snake coloring pages.
<p>With a diverse range of experience in finance, administration, and operations, Divya is a diligent worker known for her attention to detail. Born and raised in Bangalore, she completed her Bachelor's in Commerce from Christ University and is now pursuing an MBA at Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Bangalore. Along with her professional pursuits, Divya has a passion for baking, dancing, and writing content. She is also an avid animal lover who dedicates her time to volunteering for animal welfare causes.</p>
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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