Eastern ribbon snake, Common ribbon snake
The Ribbon snake (Thamnophis saurita) is a common species of garter snake native to Eastern North America. It is a non-venomous species of snake. It prefers to live in wet habitats and hibernates during the winter months.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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SemiaquaticSemiaquatic animals are those that are primarily or partly terrestrial but that spend a large amount of time swimming or otherwise occupied in wate...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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OvoviviparousOvoviviparity, ovovivipary, ovivipary, or aplacental viviparity is a term used as a "bridging" form of reproduction between egg-laying oviparous an...
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NatatorialNatatorial animals are those adapted for swimming. Some fish use their pectoral fins as the primary means of locomotion, sometimes termed labriform...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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PolygynandryPolygynandry is a mating system in which both males and females have multiple mating partners during a breeding season.
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Non-venomousGe
Generally solitaryGenerally solitary animals are those animals that spend their time separately but will gather at foraging areas or sleep in the same location or sh...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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HibernatingHibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy charac...
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starts withRibbon snakes are dark brown in color with three bright yellow stripes. Their chin is white and the belly is whitish-yellow in color.
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. 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. Although most of them live in aquatic areas, they also tend to reside in forests or higher rocky areas.
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. Hibernation occurs during the winter, usually in abandoned burrows, ant mounds, underground or even underwater. 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. 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.
Ribbon snakes are carnivorous reptiles. They prey on frogs, toads, tadpoles, small fish, spiders, earthworms, and newts.
Ribbon snakes have a polygynandrous (promiscuous) mating system, in which both males and females mate with multiple partners. Their breeding season begins in the spring, after hibernation. During this time Ribbon snakes begin to look for mates. 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. 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.
There are no major threats facing Ribbon snakes at present. However, locally they do suffer from the loss of wetland habitat, pollution, road mortality, and illegal collection.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Ribbon snake total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.