{"id":14203,"date":"2020-06-08T12:50:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-08T16:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=14203"},"modified":"2020-06-09T10:48:03","modified_gmt":"2020-06-09T14:48:03","slug":"take-5-gutsy-garter-snakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-gutsy-garter-snakes\/","title":{"rendered":"Take 5: Gutsy Garter Snakes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The most widespread of all snake species in Massachusetts, the Eastern Garter Snake can frequently be spotted out sunning itself on rocks and logs in sunny forest clearings, grassy meadows, backyards, and in freshwater habitats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While garter snakes are basically harmless, they may release an unpleasant-smelling secretion when they are handled so, as with all wildlife, it’s best to leave them to their business and admire them from afar. Snakes that are sunning may have just eaten, so handling them may cause them digestive problems. Conversely, snakes that are hiding may be getting ready to shed, which can affect their vision, so they may be more defensive if they cannot see well. It suffices to say that it’s better for both snakes and <\/em>people if we can avoid harassing them by attempting to handle them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Garters lack fangs or, strictly speaking, venom glands, although they do have a small amount of toxin in their saliva that is only dangerous for amphibians and other small prey animals. Far more interesting than its offensive capabilities is the snake’s chemical defense strategy: Not only are garter snakes resistant to naturally occurring poisons from their toxic prey (including newts and toads), but they can also retain the toxins in their bodies, thereby becoming toxic themselves and deterring potential predators. Amazing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are five photos of our amazing official state reptile from our annual Picture This: Your Great Outdoors photo contest<\/a>. The 2020 photo contest is now open, so submit your beautiful nature photography today!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Garter
Garter Snake \u00a9 Larry Manning<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Garter
Garter Snake \u00a9 John Gounarides<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Garter
Garter Snake \u00a9 Brendan Lynch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Garter
Garter Snake \u00a9 Pamela Kelly<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Garter
Garter Snake \u00a9 Amy Severino<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The most widespread of all snake species in Massachusetts, the Eastern Garter Snake can frequently be spotted out sunning itself on rocks and logs in sunny forest clearings, grassy meadows, backyards, and in freshwater habitats. While garter snakes are basically harmless, they may release an unpleasant-smelling secretion when they are handled so, as with all […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":14215,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[6,158],"tags":[256,257,83,84,187,156],"class_list":["post-14203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","category-take-5","tag-garter-snakes","tag-herps","tag-photo-contest","tag-photography","tag-reptiles","tag-snakes"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/06\/1956Larry_Manning14097.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-3H5","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":11263,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-garter-snakes\/","url_meta":{"origin":14203,"position":0},"title":"Take 5: Garter Snakes","author":"Ryan D.","date":"June 25, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis), one of the most commonly seen snakes in Massachusetts,\u00a0is also the official state reptile. They sport long, yellow stripes down the length of their\u00a0bodies, which are typically green, brown, or even black, and average about 20-22\" in length, but can grow up to 54\"\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Common Garter Snake \u00a9 Catherine Luce","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/06\/344CatherineLuce1099_1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/06\/344CatherineLuce1099_1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/06\/344CatherineLuce1099_1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":17078,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/how-to-tell-a-garter-from-a-ribbon-snake\/","url_meta":{"origin":14203,"position":1},"title":"How to Tell a Garter from a Ribbon Snake","author":"Kaylin D.","date":"September 1, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Sitting on a rock in the hot sun is a yellow-striped snake soaking in the sun. With only a glance before it slithers away, it\u2019s hard to determine what type of snake it was. The yellow lining is a feature on both Eastern Garter Snakes and Eastern Ribbon Snakes. So\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/08\/ribbon-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/08\/ribbon-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/08\/ribbon-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/08\/ribbon-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9858,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-sublime-snakes\/","url_meta":{"origin":14203,"position":2},"title":"Take 5: Sublime Snakes","author":"Ryan D.","date":"October 2, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Snakes tend to get a bad rap, but they\u2019re actually fascinating creatures that can help control pests like rodents and slugs thanks to their carnivorous diet. Plus, the vast majority of snakes that you\u2019ll find in the Northeast are not dangerous. In fact, of the 14 snake species found in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Common Garter Snakes \u00a9 Michael Onyon","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/09\/1678MichaelOnyon5814_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/09\/1678MichaelOnyon5814_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/09\/1678MichaelOnyon5814_fi.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13050,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-snake-my-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":14203,"position":3},"title":"Take 5: Snake My Day","author":"Ryan D.","date":"September 2, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"We've given snakes some love on this blog before, but they're just so cool it seemed like time for a redux. This time of year, as young people everywhere are heading back to school or leaving home for college, the young of many species of snakes are also setting out\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Eastern Milk Snake (juvenile) \u00a9 Ashley Gibbs","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/09\/3483Ashley_Gibbs25071.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/09\/3483Ashley_Gibbs25071.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/09\/3483Ashley_Gibbs25071.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/09\/3483Ashley_Gibbs25071.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3743,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/four-reasons-to-appreciate-snakes\/","url_meta":{"origin":14203,"position":4},"title":"Four Reasons to Appreciate Snakes","author":"Rosemary","date":"July 16, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The 14 species of snakes in Massachusetts don't get enough love and appreciation. So, in honor of World Snake Day on July 16, we thought we'd share just a few\u00a0reasons that we should celebrate their presence. 1. Snakes eat garden pests Consider yourself lucky if you have DeKay\u2019s brownsnakes in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/07\/hognose-500w.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5678,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/where-did-that-animals-name-come-from\/","url_meta":{"origin":14203,"position":5},"title":"Where Did That Animal’s Name Come From?","author":"Rosemary","date":"June 30, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Some animals have names with obvious meanings. For example, the white-tailed deer is named for its bright, flashing tail, and the northern red bellied snake has a ruby-red belly. But other names have more mysterious origins, and their meanings have become lost with the passage of time. Here are a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/06\/saw-whet-Jennifer-Johnston.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/06\/saw-whet-Jennifer-Johnston.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/06\/saw-whet-Jennifer-Johnston.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14203","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/68"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14203"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14203\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14232,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14203\/revisions\/14232"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14215"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14203"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14203"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14203"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}