Garters snakes eat almost everything: earthworms, pseudo-cannon leeches, small river crayfish, river and sea fish, tadpoles, newts, salamanders, frogs, toads, small rodents and birds, meat.
Already in 8 – 12 months garters can bring offspring, giving birth (and not laying eggs) from 8 to 62 live cubs. Beautiful coloring and high color variability in the offspring allow you to select and remove snakes with a color that is different from the natural.
Reproduction of garters is stimulated by lowering the temperature to 4-12 ° C. In spring or autumn, snakes can be carried out in small pendants from plexiglass to a balcony. Three weeks before the wintering period, they stop feeding animals, turn off heating and keep snakes at room temperature (18-20 ° C), then cool them for 10-14 days . You can use the compartments for vegetables and fruits of household refrigerators.
The first of the wintering is taken out by the males and gives them time to settle in the heated terrarium. Then they put the female in. Usually mating occurs after 5 to 10 minutes.
It should be noted that mating in garter snakes is often observed without stimulation, but the overwintering parents give stronger and larger offspring.
Pregnancy lasts 67-78 days, while the female actively eats and quickly grows fat.
