The ribbon snake ( Thamnophis saurita) is a slender, non-venomous snake native to Eastern North America. Often mistaken for the common garter snake, the ribbon snake occupies a specific niche in wetland ecosystems. Understanding its characteristics, habitat preferences, and diet is crucial for its conservation, especially considering the declining populations in certain regions.
Identification and Physical Characteristics
The ribbon snake is easily identifiable by its unique physical features. Most adult Eastern Ribbonsnakes are about 18-26 inches (46-66 cm) in total length. These are extremely slender snakes with three thin light-colored stripes running the length of the body. Adults have a background color of brown, olive-black or bluish-black with one thin stripe running down the middle of the back and one stripe running along each side. The stripes vary in color and are typically yellow, tannish-brown, blue, or whitish-green. However, stripes are absent in some individuals. The tail is long and thin. The head is only slightly distinct from the neck. The eyes are large and prominent. There is a distinct white spot in front of each eye.
Key characteristics that distinguish ribbon snakes include:
- Stripes: Three bright yellow, length-wise stripes run down a dark brown or black background. A checkerboard pattern is rarely visible between the stripes.
- Coloration: Their chin is white and the belly is whitish-yellow in color.
- Slender Build: The Ribbonsnake is more slender than the Gartersnake.
- Tail Length: About ¼ to ⅓ of its total length is the tail.
- Head Markings: The head is dark reddish-brown over a white upper lip and there is a vertical white bar just in front of the eye.
- Scales: Eastern ribbonsnakes have keeled scales and three bold, yellow or yellowish-green stripes of about equal width on a reddish brown back-ground.
- Lip Scales: Scales of upper lip are unmarked.
Distinguishing Ribbon Snakes from Garter Snakes
Ribbon snakes are often confused with garter snakes due to their similar appearance. Both snakes have a dark brown or olive-green body featuring three stripes of yellow or white. They both live in North America. Plus, garter snakes and ribbon snakes give live birth. Furthermore, both of these snakes can be a pet. However, several key differences can help distinguish between the two:
- Body Size: Though they’re both small snakes, a garter snake has a thicker body than a ribbon snake. Garter snakes are thicker than ribbon snakes and longer as well.
- Lateral Stripe Position: On the ribbon snake, the lateral stripes that extend down the sides are located on the third and fourth scale row. Garter snakes side stripes are located on the second and third scale rows.
- Head Markings: Look closely and you’ll see a ribbon snake has a white marking in front of each eye.
- Habitat: In terms of habitat, a garter snake usually lives near ponds, streams, lakes, and marshes. However, they can also make a home away from the water.
- Venom: Some garter snakes have a mild form of venom and use it to kill their prey. But, though some garter snakes are venomous, this venom isn’t strong enough to affect humans. On the other hand, ribbon snakes are not venomous.
Habitat and Distribution
Ribbon snakes are typically found in aquatic and areas of high vegetation such as marshes, ponds, streams, and lakes. They tend to live in areas that are mainly water, making it easier for them to swim and catch their prey. All types of ribbon snakes live in wetlands or near a stream, ponds, or lakes. They can move with speed on land and in the water.
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Geographic Distribution
Ribbon snakes are found in the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. Their range extends from southern Maine and Nova Scotia throughout southern Ohio and Indiana and to southeastern Louisiana, the Gulf Coast, and southern Florida.
Specific subspecies and their ranges include:
- Eastern Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis saurita): This is found on the east coast of the United States ranging from New York to Florida. Their territory also extends west to the Mississippi River. and throughout the eastern seaboard. and northern Alabama and Georgia.
- Northern Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis saurita septentrionalis): Its territory goes through Maine, the northern part of Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. The Northern ribbon snake also lives in the southern part of Ontario and Nova Scotia in Canada.
- Western Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis Proximus): This snake’s range includes Wisconsin and extends south through the United States and into Costa Rica.
- Southern Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis saurita sackenii): This snake lives in the southern section of South Carolina as well as in Georgia and Florida. These snakes are often found in thickets.
- Bluestripe Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis sauritus nitae): This snake occupies Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Habitat Preferences
Eastern ribbon snakes prefer moist environments such as wetlands, ponds, stream edges, rivers, and other sources of flowing and standing water. They primarily look for areas that are well vegetated with cattails, grasses, shrubs, and other plant life that will provide them with adequate cover for feeding and escaping from any nearby predators. They bask in low shrubs and vegetation around the edges of shallow wetlands, ponds, and marshes. They also occasionally live in wet meadow and vernal pool habitats and in wetland environments that feature less competition from northern water snakes. They bask on logs and rocks but also climb into bushes to bask.
Diet and Feeding Habits
Ribbon snakes are carnivorous reptiles. Ribbon snakes live around water, so they are known to eat small fish, frogs, and tadpoles. Eastern ribbon snakes eat mainly frogs,salamanders, and their larvae. They will also eat small fish, but rarely eat earthworms. Ribbon snakes rarely venture away from their wetland habitats, so they eat a variety of aquatic animals, mostly amphibians including frog, toads, salamanders and tadpoles. They are most active in the spring when rain fall is abundant. Throughout most of the year they are mainly diurnal in their feeding pattern, meaning they are most active in the early morning and late evening. However, during the spring when frogs begin to breed, they will become very active during night hours.
Behavior and Ecology
Ribbon snakes are diurnal and spend most of their time in or near water, where they hunt their prey. The rest of the time is spent basking along shorelines, on logs and rocks, or sometimes may climb in low bushes. They are generally solitary but may hibernate in groups. They are active during the day, Ribbon snakes are active and fast-moving snakes.
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Mating and Reproduction
Ribbon snakes have a polygynandrous (promiscuous) mating system, in which both males and females mate with multiple partners. Mating typically occurs when snakes emerge from hibernation. Mating takes place soon after these snakes have emerged from hibernation in the spring, they also sometimes mate in the fall. Their breeding season begins in the spring, after hibernation. During this time Ribbon snakes begin to look for mates. Females are viviparous, which means they will give birth to live young. They are ovoviviparous and give birth to live young once or twice each year. The young tend to be born in the summer, in litters of 4-27 snakelets. size ranges from 4 to 27 young, with 12 being average. The young are nurtured inside of their mother's body until they are born. They are born precocial (well-developed) and don't receive parental care. They grow rapidly and tend to mature after 2-3 years of age, which is when they will be able to start breeding. After reproduction the male inserts a copulatory plug into the female to prevent other males from mating with her.
Defense Mechanisms
Ribbon snakes are very sensitive to vibrations and have a very sharp vision but despite that, they often fall prey to birds and larger amphibians and reptiles. They rarely use any aggressive forms of defense. Instead, they will use their brown bodies and camouflage themselves into the forest ground. makes them difficult to see in the grassy habitats they prefer. Along with this, Ribbon snakes will also flee and hide in dense patches of grass in which they will coil up and get as low to the ground as possible. They also often escape into the water, where they are safe from many predators. water, where they may dive to hide below the surface, or into dense vegetation.
Conservation Status and Threats
There are no major threats facing Ribbon snakes at present. However, the wetlands they prefer are continually threatened by development and contamination. All sightings of the Eastern Ribbonsnake should be reported, as these are a species of greatest concern due to low population numbers. The Eastern Ribbonsnake is rare in Vermont and is a species of special concern. The IUCN Red List reports the population of the Eastern ribbon snake at over 100,000 adults.
Ribbon Snakes and Humans
Safety
Eastern Ribbonsnakes are not dangerous to people or pets, and they rarely bite to defend themselves. Ribbon snakes are not dangerous to people. They are fast-moving and stay hidden in thickets, marshlands, and around ponds. If a person approached this shy snake, it would immediately try to slither away to safety. Of course, like most snakes, a ribbon snake can bite. Though this snake’s bite does hurt a little, it’s not harmful to a person. If it bites, it’s best to wash the area with soap and water, then apply first-aid ointment.
Ribbon Snakes as Pets
Some people consider a ribbon snake a great pet. They are small and easy to handle.
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