How to go herping?

[DangerNoodle]

My baby garter snake got loose recently, so I am deciding to ease the sorrow by catching another snake! I live in Toronto and there is a ravine near where I live. I was wondering if you guys had any tips for finding snakes. For something named "common garter snake", they don't seem to be very common at all. I know there's a pile of rocks where brown snakes like to bask, but I haven't had any luck finding a garter. Should I turn over rocks and logs? Is looking at the grass effective at all? Thanksss~~~

[guidofatherof5]

First, have you fixed the cause of the escape?

[DangerNoodle]

I left the lid of her enclosure open. The height of her enclosure is around 50 cm, and she's less than a foot long. It didn't seem physically possible for her to escape, but I will always keep the lid on from now on.

[Qwerty3159]

Sorry to hear that. Sometimes the really little ones can stick to the glass if they're wet.
Large, flat objects like sheet metal and plywood that you can flip are good places to look. Other than that there's not really much I can offer, most of the snakes I find in the wild that aren't in my yard I happen upon by chance.

[BUSHSNAKE]

Buy captive bred. Theyre the ones that need homes not the ones in the wild.

[Albert Clark]

Born free, live free. Too many captive bred animals with healthier backgrounds. Just my opinion.

[guidofatherof5]

Born free, live free. Too many captive bred animals with healthier backgrounds. Just my opinion.

I must concur with Dr. Clark.

[Peterra]

I have an extra common garter snake if you want it. I live near the brickworks.

[guidofatherof5]

I have an extra common garter snake if you want it. I live near the brickworks.


Extra common garter snake. How can a snake be extra common, wouldn't that make it unique, hence not being common?:D
Just messing with you.

[Zdravko092368]

I'm just south of Toronto, they are very common if you know where to look, I have seen 486 this year alone. However it is late now and you will have trouble finding any farther than a few metres from their hibernation sites which are relatively hard to find.

[Peterra]

I saw two around the Don river just in the past week, both chunky females. Maybe it has to do with the fairly warm weather we are still seeing.

[Stormin Norman]

I'm just south of Toronto, they are very common if you know where to look, I have seen 486 this year alone. However it is late now and you will have trouble finding any farther than a few metres from their hibernation sites which are relatively hard to find.
Of that 486 snakes how many would you say were close to 40" long? I have been looking for a couple years now and 34" is the largest plains garter that I have personally seen.

[guidofatherof5]

Of that 486 snakes how many would you say were close to 40" long? I have been looking for a couple years now and 34" is the largest plains garter that I have personally seen.

I have the shed of a female Plains, to see it you'd think it came from a Bull Snake. She was the one that produced the 100+ clutch.

[Stormin Norman]

I have the shed of a female Plains, to see it you'd think it came from a Bull Snake. She was the one that produced the 100+ clutch.
One day I hope to find a enormous one!