Garters "playing dead"

[chris-uk]

In one of my books (The garter snake at Willow Creek Lane) is says that garter snakes will play dead. The book's aimed at kids and isn't what I'd consider a scientific tome, but it is published by the Smithsonian, which I understand is a respected scientific establishment, so I'd consider the provenance of the book along the same lines as if it was published by our Natural History Museum.

I know playing dead is a behaviour well documented (I've seen film and photos) in grass snakes (Natrix natrix) but isn't something I've heard mentioned by anyone I know with garters. A Google indicates that it might happen, but nothing that persuades me that people who've seen snakes playing dead had interpreted the behaviour correctly or identified the snake correctly. So has anyone actually seen a garter playing dead?

[guidofatherof5]

The term "playing dead" is so interpretive. Not sure if what I saw was playing dead or just a defensive position. The snake was coiled, tail area flipped over and the cloaca was open and out. Let's not forget the musk. The snake wasn't moving and did have it's head covered by a coil.
Not sure what to call it as I see both(playing dead and defensive)

[chris-uk]

But it wasn't playing dead to the degree that a grass snake does Steve? They go all floppy when you pick them up, open their mouth and loll their tongue out. I've seen film of it, it's quite impressive, but I'm not sure of the evolutionary driver as many predators would eat the dead snake as readily as a slow moving live snake.

[snake man]

Personally when I think of playing dead I imagine them flipped over on its back and not moving. Before this I had never heard of garters playing dead let alone seeing an do this. Also Chris I agree with you in I do not see how this would stop a predator from eating them, unless the predator does not see any movement, but then why not just lie still and not move as supposed to playing dead.

[jwolfe152]

i know when opossums play dead they emit something similar to musk but much worse. but like said in a snake i cant really see it making much difference

[chris-uk]

Natrix natrix playing dead - YouTube

Video of natrix natrix playing dead. I saw better film of this on a BBC documentary recently, but can't find the footage online anywhere. The YouTube video above is the best I can find at the moment.

[kerensa]

I think Titiana (my largest garter, a normal red sided female) will do something close. Can't say its defensive or such because she only will do it when I am holding her- which is something she seeks out. First off I let almost all of my garters crawl up into my hand, I don't for the most part chase them abut. Almost all of them eat from my fingers so its not any sort of difficulty to get them to crawl over and get in my hand. Titiana will crawl into my hand, tangle herself in my fingers and go limp and stay still not moving, until either I start trying to put her back in her enclosure, or some sort of disturbance bugs her. I haven't ever thought of this behavior as playing dead. She doesn't do it all the time, and I've recognized no pattern to the behavior. he is otherwise as friendly as a puppy. That is the closest I've ever seen. I've heard of Garters playing dead before and took it with a grain of salt, because I've been told whip snakes will bite their tail and roll around like a wagon wheel from the same source. <rolls eyes>

Kerensa


Kerensa.

[snake man]

Anyway you could get a video of this in action?

[d_virginiana]

I think my oldest snake plays dead just to mess with me. Really, he's just a deep sleeper and jolts awake only after you've completely picked him up. Then he's normal.
Not the kind of playing dead you're talking about though! I'm pretty sure mine want to be awake and alert to see the look on my face when they musk.

i know when opossums play dead they emit something similar to musk but much worse.

I've raised orphaned possums before. They do, and it is called ****.

[kerensa]

we can try. as long as no one moves when she is doing she keeps it up for a while. It freaked me the first time she did it so it only lasted about 1 second. and I should correct, I've only noticed it when I'm holding her. for all I know this could be her version of 'sleep' <shrug> and she could be under her paper all limp and weird like 90% of the day. But I will try to catch it on film next time she does it. (which isn't very often.)

Anyway you could get a video of this in action?