How to Care for a Checkered Garter Snake

The scientific name for a checkered garter snake is Thamnophis marcianus. These harmless snakes are green with a black checkerboard sequence that runs down the length of their backs. Individuals living in any of the southern United States can catch a checkered garter snake in the wild. Everyone else that wants to keep this species of snake as a pet must adopt one from a pet store.

Things You'll Need

  • Glass aquarium
  • Newspaper
  • Snake cave
  • Ceramic bowl
  • Water
  • Incandescent basking bulb
  • Worms, insects, small fish, eels and small mice
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place your checkered garter snake in a glass aquarium. Until your garter snake reaches a length of 2 feet, you can keep it in a 18-by-12-by-12-inch aquarium. After that, it will need an aquarium that is at least 30-by-12-by-12 inches.

    • 2

      Cover the bottom of the aquarium with a few sheets of newspaper. Whenever the newspaper becomes soiled, exchange it with fresh.

    • 3

      Place a snake cave somewhere in the aquarium. Snake caves are available for purchase through local or online pet stores. They give the checkered garter snakes a place to hide.

    • 4

      Fill a ceramic bowl with water and set it to one side of the aquarium. A ceramic cat water dish will work if you don't have a plain one. Checkered garter snakes, like many other snakes, enjoy bathing in a pool of water. Water should be replaced daily.

    • 5

      Provide heat for the checkered garter snake in the form of an incandescent basking bulb. Although these snakes like an average temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit, they enjoy basking periodically in a temperature of 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

    • 6

      Feed your checkered garter snake twice per week until it reaches 2 feet in length. After that, you can switch to once-per-week feedings. Checkered garter snakes enjoy eating any of the following: worms, insects, small fish, eels and small mice.