Can You Buy a Garden Snake at a Pet Store?

Garter snakes, also called garden snakes, are common small non-venomous snakes indigenous to North America. Hardy, attractive and docile, they make appealing pets--especially for beginning snake fanciers--and are widely available in pet stores.

  1. Identification

    • The garter snake, scientifically known as thamnophis elegans, displays a yellow, tan or orange stripe, sometimes with a broad stripe on either side, running down the back. Background coloration can be plain or checkered and brown, black, reddish or green. The scales are keeled, or slightly rough.

    Housing Requirements

    • Housing for garter snakes must be escape-proof because they are agile. A glass tank with a locking screen is a good choice. The flooring should be a mix of sterile sand and potting soil, and the tank should contain pieces of bark for hiding under, a flat rock for basking, branches to climb on and an anchored ceramic dish, sunken in the soil, for bathing.

    Heating Requirements

    • Heating is provided for pet garter snakes by means of an undertank heating pad, used in combination with an incandescent light. Lights for providing night heat must be red or blue to avoid stressing the snake. Thermometers and thermostats are used for regulating and measuring tank temperature, which should range from 70 degrees in the coolest part of the tank to 84 in the warmest.

    Captive Garter Snake Diet

    • A captive garter snake should be fed earthworms, wax worms and grub worms, rinsed well and placed in a jar lid, and fresh fish, such as live guppies or platies. Frozen fish can also be offered, but it must be fortified with Vitamin B. Pet garter snakes sometimes require additional vitamin supplements to maintain good health.

    Fun Fact

    • The name "garter snake" derives from the snake's bright ribbons of color, reminiscent of boldly-striped garters used to hold up mens' socks in the 1920s and 1030s.

    Warnings and Precautions

    • Never leave your snake vivarium in direct sunlight. Don't use cedar shavings in the tank; the oils can cause respiratory problems in reptiles. Don't harvest worms for your garter snake in places where a pesticide may have been used. To prevent risk of salmonella, wash your hands thoroughly after handling your snake.