Gartersnake

Dead Gartersnake

Star (my Westie) found a dead gartersnake this morning. When she finds something she isn't sure about she takes a quick sniff and then jerks her head back.  If it had been a live rattlesnake, she wouldn't have been quick enough though. A rattlesnake scratched Sammy on the nose with its fang when he was using this technique. Both my dogs have had contact with rattlesnakes. Sammy got the scratch on his nose, and Star was bitten on the lip. The snake was too cold to inject any venom so she was lucky. I got them rattlesnake vaccines this year. The vaccine is supposed to keep the dogs from reacting to the venom as fast so you have time to get them to the vet for anti-venom.  I'm hoping I don't have to find out.

This gatersnake has a beautiful grey and lighter grey checker board pattern. I looked it up on the web and I think it is a Thamnophis marcianus marcianus.  It's about 8 1/2" long.  Steven Bol Garter Snakes website says this snake grows to about 80 cm. That is 31 inches long, almost a yard. It would freak me out if I saw one that big while walking in the desert especially since this area has lots of rattlesnakes. Steven states that this snake is found in the Southwest US and Mexico in or near a water source. This one was probably a 1/4 mile from any water source, and only water from irrigation.  It had a fatal wound about half-way down it's body on its belly.  It was really cool because it died with it's mouth open looking like it was ready to strike whatever killed it. I wonder if a rattlesnake tried to kill it?  This is the first snake other than rattlesnakes I have seen in this area.