Found some snakes / making a home?

[Kookie]

Hi! I hope this is the correct category for my question. (The internet is a great place where I can find a place to ask about garter snakes. :D )
I have been working cleaning out an overgrown lot for a local business. While lifting a piece of metal, there were two (that I saw) garter snakes. I caught both and put it in my lunch bag. I’m glad I had all ready ate my lunch.
I brought them home and released them in my rock garden. I figured they might like that. Now I know there is no guarantee they will stay around my property, but I would like them to. I think that would be very cool. I’ve never had snakes around here and I’m hoping they might like it here. I do know there must be plenty of mice around for them to eat. I always seem to have a mouse in the house when fall rolls around.
Is there anything I could do around my property to make these snakes happy? Unfortunately the rock garden I mentioned is in a shaded area and I know snakes like to sun themselves. Is there any outdoor habitat guides that I could use to help these guys along?
Thankssssss.

[lokai99]

I think it's great that you want to make a snake friendly environment. These people know their garters. Hopefully they stuck around :)... I'm sure some of the experts on here would be able to tell you if they thought they were still there and what sort of environment would be pretty attractive for them.

[guidofatherof5]

They need something or a number of things to hide under to feel secure. Water and a available food source. As you already mentioned, they do like to sun or warm up.
How sure are you that they were garter snakes? Can you give us a description?
No matter what snake it was thanks for taking the time to keep them safe. I applaud you efforts and hope they stay around your area.

[Kookie]

Well, I could take a picture next time I catch some. I assume they are garters since that is the common snake here in Michigan. There seems to be are alot of snakes there, but the lot will not be a pleasent place for them after I clean it up. The field is strewn with junk and gargage. There is a storm drain that empties into that lot that people have throw things like car bumpers of all things. So that may be their water source.

So on my property I need a water source, huh? I always wanted a pond, but that is not in the budget this year. I will have to figure something out for water for them. Its raining here all weekend so I suppose they don't need anything soon.

[infernalis]

In nature mice are not part of the "normal" garter snake diet.

They prefer worms, fish and amphibians.

If you really want to make your rock garden attractive to garter snakes, put in a small water pond, you can stock it with guppies as well, the snakes would like that.

But your going to be faced with winter eventually, and if there is no suitable place for them to go underground for the winter, they will move on and look for a denning site.

[ConcinusMan]

You can always use an old metal garbage can lid and keep it filled with water. I used to do that in California and every morning I had quail, western racers, rattlesnakes, kingsnakes, etc.... come to get a drink.

The thing with relocating the snakes is this:

Suitable places to spend the winter is key to supporting a garter snake population. No matter how suitable the habitat, they will need to survive the winter. Cracked foundations, rock walls, rodent burrows which stay dry in winter, anything like that will do. They need to get below ground so they don't freeze, and they need to be safe from getting "flooded out". If you have plenty of worms and slugs in your garden they will probably find enough to eat.

You might want to consider creating an artificial den.