I desperately need help with a question!!!

[alicia]

I know absolutely nothing about garter snakes but I have a question and I couldn't find any answers online. I found this site and you guys obviously know a lot so here is my question... I live on a farm in Nebraska. I was outside playing with my daughter yesterday and came across a huge pile of garter snakes all in a huge group. There are about three holes that go underground that I could see. From what information I could find online i'm guessing they are coming out of hibernation or whatever. What should I do with them?? I'm not scared of them because I know they are harmless but I don't want that many of them in my yard if I can help it. Someone please help me out. I don't want to hurt or kill them.. I really appreciate any help!! Thanks sooo much!!!

[Stefan-A]

Just leave them alone and they'll disperse soon enough.

[kibakiba]

They'll go away. Right now it's just breeding mode time, once that calms down, they'll all likely go their separate ways.

[chris-uk]

As Stefan suggested, leave them and they will disperse on their own.

If there was a pile of them it sounds like the boys had been hanging around outside the den and a female came out, sounds like a mating ball to me. I've never seen garters emerging from a den, so I'm incredibly jealous.

You may find that they're around for a little while yet, until the weather warms enough for them to leave the den permanently they will come out on the warm days and return to the den at night.

I'd love to see some photos if you can post some. :)

[guidofatherof5]

Welcome. Thanks for not wanting to hurt them.
You've gotten good advice.
Sit back and enjoy this awesome spectacle.
Any chance you can take some photos? I'd love to see what species you have there. Where in NE. do you live
If it's close to the east end I'd love to come and shoot some video and take some photos. I live in Council Bluffs, IA.

[ssssnakeluvr]

also, in some states it's illegal to disturb snake dens. They are harmless and will move on after breeding.

[EasternGirl]

Yes...thank you so much for not wanting to hurt them. You have a lot of jealous people on here! I would love to see that! If you have a chance to take some photos and post them for us please do. Like the other members said, leave them be and they will not bother you...garters are usually skiddish of people...they will not likely come near you or your daughter...if approached, they will hide. As soon as mating season is over, they will be on their way.

[ConcinusMan]

Everybody pretty much already said it. They're just emerging from their winter den. The gathering won't last long. They'll leave the den area very soon. All you need to do is nothing. They'll soon disperse and won't return in large numbers until fall.

[Light of Dae]

All you need to do is nothing.

WRONG!!! There is one dire important thing that NEEDS doing!!!!!!


Take pictures! n Post Pictures!

lol

[infernalis]

Just leave them alone and they'll disperse soon enough.

Exactly, they will begin their summer travels in just a few days.

pretty soon you won't hardly see any.

Please don't disturb the site, they will return in the autumn and go back down for the winter, and den sites are getting destroyed too much as it is. You would be doing a huge injustice to the environment if you try and keep them from coming back in the fall, as they may not have anywhere else to go.

[katach]

Please do not disturb them. Consider yourself extremely lucky to have witnessed a mating ball. We all would love photos if you can get them.

[Mrs N1ntndo]

I agree with everyone here on everything. They will leave eventually and like everyone else said...."Im so so so jealous. I would love to see that. Ive only seen pics online and videos online and tv. Please please please post pics.

[alicia]

Thank you all so much. I would never to do anything to hurt them!! I will be sure to leave their den undisturbed so they can come back. I only have the one picture. They havent been back out. If I see them again I will take more pics. And for the one who asked where in NE I live its about 30 mins west of Omaha. Wahoo.

[alicia]

okay guys... I know you all want to see the pic. It's taken on my phone so i'm trying to figure out how to post it from there. Should I just post it right to this thread or how do I do it?

[guidofatherof5]

The photos can be uploaded to the forum gallery in an album you create. You may also upload them to an off forum site like Photobucket and link it into the thread.

[alicia]

44414441

[alicia]

OKay there you go!! Enjoy!! Let me know what you think!! :)

[EasternGirl]

So awesome! Thank you so much for sharing that photo! And thanks again for coming on here and asking for our help and not wanting to hurt the garters! :)

[EasternGirl]

Oh...and yes, that definitely looks like a mating ball!

[kibakiba]

Very cool! I would love to have all of those snakies in my yard!

[EasternGirl]

Me too! I am soooo jealous right now. I think I'm drooling. :eek:

[chris-uk]

OKay there you go!! Enjoy!! Let me know what you think!! :)

I think you're really lucky.

Can you tell me a bit more about this den site? Is it literally just a few holes in the ground like an old rabbit hole? Or is there a hollow bank or something? I've always pictured garter dens as being holes in steep banks, but I've not seen one in person.

[alicia]

You guys are very welcome. I will get more pictures if they come out again!! It's actually just a flat piece of ground there is a large circle of deag grass and their holes are in the center. There is one 3 inch by 3 inch hole and then a couple more 1 inch holes. I will try and get a better picture of the den for you!!

[Selkielass]

Very cool! You are most fortunate to have seen this phenomenon in person.
If you garden, count yourself lucky to have garters around (Tho not many will hang about after mating season.) most varieties love slugs.

[mikem]

thank you for sharing, alicia! such a wonderful sight! as stated already, you are indeed very lucky!

[kueluck]

Lucky you are, and I'm green with envy also. *sigh* I think I'm just gonna stay away from the forum until I can locate one for myself, this is to depressing.

[mikem]

patience, kueluck. as the old saying goes, good things come to those who wait. ;)

[guidofatherof5]

44414441


Looks like T.s.parietalis (Red Sided Garter Snake)

[EasternGirl]

There are many holes in my yard. Hoping and praying that a big mating ball will spring up on top of one of them! If so, I will be so excited that I will pass out on the ground and probably miss getting any pics for you guys. :D

[alicia]

Do you think they will come out and mate again or is it just a one time thing? I wonder when they will leave the den for the summer. Here in Nebraska the weather is so unreliable. April and May can still have a frost. I will definitely keep you guys posted with anymore activity or pictures!!

[guidofatherof5]

It all depends on whether there are any females in the den that haven't bred.
I'm looking forward to visiting the den in the near future.
Checking the weather forecast Sunday looks like a good day.
I'll give you a call to confirm my plans.

[katach]

Amazing pics! Thanks for sharing!

[EasternGirl]

Steve! You get to see all the dens! I'm so jealous!

[guidofatherof5]

Steve! You get to see all the dens! I'm so jealous!

Not all of them but I'm working on it. :D

[Selkielass]

You may see them for a few days, or a couple weeks, off and on, depending on the weather.
As the weather warms up they will emerge, males first, then females. After the females have mated, they will head out for there summer territories. Some males may hand around until they are *sure* that no more females are emerging, then they too will leave for the summer.

They will come back in the fall, but this is a much quieter event, and you may not even notice them unless you are on the lookout for them.
They are quiet, unobtrusive neighbors aside from the occasional spring celebration.

[ConcinusMan]

44414441

Yup. Red sided (thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) mating ball. Cool.