Creature Feature: Eastern Gartersnake

Stinky Self Defense

When captured, a gartersnake may try to bite. It may also squirt a thick, stinky liquid from its backside to make a predator reconsider its dining options.

Extra Bendy Backbone

Like all snakes, a gartersnake has a long backbone made up of over 200 vertebrae. This helps it slither around obstacles or twist into a pretzel.

Open Wide!

Imagine eating a burrito in a single bite. Snakes do it on the daily. To swallow prey whole, a gartersnake can open its jaws 160 degrees.

What Are You Staring At?

You’d never win a staring contest with a snake. They can’t blink because they don’t have eyelids! A tough, clear scale protects their peepers.

On the Tip of the Tongue

A gartersnake’s forked tongue collects odors from the air. The forks are so sensitive, they can tell if the smell is coming from the left or right.