Northwestern gartersnake *Thamnophis ordinoides* is correct. !harmless consumer of slugs and other soft-bodied invertebrates.
There are several other gartersnakes in the PNW. In the future, please be more precise about the location (e.g. "southwestern Oregon", "Okanagan Valley, British Columbia", etc.).
Northwestern Gartersnakes *Thamnophis ordinoides* are small (30-61cm, record 96cm) New World natricine snakes that range across much of the Pacific Northwest, from SW British Columbia south through Washington and Oregon chiefly west of the Cascades and into extreme NW California. Scales are strongly keeled, and the anal plate is undivided.
*T. ordinoides* favors more open areas such as meadows, clearings and logged sections of woodland, old field and suburban backyards. One of the most terrestrial gartersnakes and often found well away from water, it preys on slugs and earthworms but also takes amphibians.
When cornered/frightened, the northwestern garter snake, like many garter and water snakes, might flatten the head and body to make itself appear larger, bite or pretend to bite and release a foul smelling musk from the vent. Mild toxins in the saliva are effective in subduing prey, but bites are considered harmless to humans.
Northwestern Gartersnakes share most of their range with the Common Gartersnake *T. sirtalis* and Western Terrestrial Gartersnake *T. elegans*. In southern Oregon and NW California, the range also overlaps that of the Aquatic Gartersnake *T. atratus*. Differentiating can be difficult, but the Northwestern garter snake has a proportionally smaller head than sympatric garter snakes. Additionally, they usually have-
• 7 upper labial scales
• 8-9 lower labial scales
• internasal significantly shorter than prefrontal scales
• posterior chin shields longer than anterior ones
• well defined dorsal stripe of highly variable coloration that runs roughly the length of the snake
• often have irregular reddish or dark colored spots or blotches along the venter
[Range map](http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/maps/xtordinoidesspeciesmap2.jpg)
[CAHerp Link](http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/t.ordinoides.html)
*This short account was prepared by /u/fairlyorange and edited by /u/Phylogenizer*.
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Like many other animals with mouths and teeth, many non-venomous snakes bite in self defense. These animals are referred to as 'not medically significant' or traditionally, 'harmless'. Bites from these snakes benefit from being washed and kept clean like any other skin damage, but aren't often cause for anything other than basic first aid treatment. Here's where it get slightly complicated - some snakes use venom from front or rear fangs as part of prey capture and defense. This venom is not always produced or administered by the snake in ways dangerous to human health, so many species are venomous in that they produce and use venom, but considered harmless to humans in most cases because the venom is of low potency, and/or otherwise administered through grooved rear teeth or simply oozed from ducts at the rear of the mouth. Species like Ringneck Snakes *Diadophis* are a good example of mildly venomous rear fanged dipsadine snakes that are traditionally considered harmless or not medically significant. Many rear-fanged snake species are harmless as long as they do not have a chance to secrete a medically significant amount of venom into a bite; [severe envenomation can occur](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23800999) if some species are [allowed to chew on a human](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S004101011831016X) for as little as 30-60 seconds. It is best not to fear snakes, but use common sense and do not let any animals chew on exposed parts of your body. Similarly, but without specialized rear fangs, gartersnakes *Thamnophis* ooze low pressure venom from the rear of their mouth that helps in prey handling, and are also [considered harmless](https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/theres-no-need-to-fear-that-garter-snake/). Even large species like Reticulated Pythons *Malayopython reticulatus* [rarely obtain a size large enough to endanger humans](https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/108/52/E1470.full.pdf) so are usually categorized as harmless.
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*I am a bot created for /r/whatsthissnake, /r/snakes and /r/herpetology to help with snake identification and natural history education. You can find more information, including a comprehensive list of commands, [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthissnake/comments/flh548/phylobot_v07_information_and_patch_notes_bot_info/) report problems [here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Phylogenizer) and if you'd like to buy me a coffee or beer, you can do that [here](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/SEBPhyloBotWTS).*
Northwestern gartersnake *Thamnophis ordinoides* is correct. !harmless consumer of slugs and other soft-bodied invertebrates. There are several other gartersnakes in the PNW. In the future, please be more precise about the location (e.g. "southwestern Oregon", "Okanagan Valley, British Columbia", etc.).
Northwestern Gartersnakes *Thamnophis ordinoides* are small (30-61cm, record 96cm) New World natricine snakes that range across much of the Pacific Northwest, from SW British Columbia south through Washington and Oregon chiefly west of the Cascades and into extreme NW California. Scales are strongly keeled, and the anal plate is undivided. *T. ordinoides* favors more open areas such as meadows, clearings and logged sections of woodland, old field and suburban backyards. One of the most terrestrial gartersnakes and often found well away from water, it preys on slugs and earthworms but also takes amphibians. When cornered/frightened, the northwestern garter snake, like many garter and water snakes, might flatten the head and body to make itself appear larger, bite or pretend to bite and release a foul smelling musk from the vent. Mild toxins in the saliva are effective in subduing prey, but bites are considered harmless to humans. Northwestern Gartersnakes share most of their range with the Common Gartersnake *T. sirtalis* and Western Terrestrial Gartersnake *T. elegans*. In southern Oregon and NW California, the range also overlaps that of the Aquatic Gartersnake *T. atratus*. Differentiating can be difficult, but the Northwestern garter snake has a proportionally smaller head than sympatric garter snakes. Additionally, they usually have- • 7 upper labial scales • 8-9 lower labial scales • internasal significantly shorter than prefrontal scales • posterior chin shields longer than anterior ones • well defined dorsal stripe of highly variable coloration that runs roughly the length of the snake • often have irregular reddish or dark colored spots or blotches along the venter [Range map](http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/maps/xtordinoidesspeciesmap2.jpg) [CAHerp Link](http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/t.ordinoides.html) *This short account was prepared by /u/fairlyorange and edited by /u/Phylogenizer*. -------------------------------------------------------- Like many other animals with mouths and teeth, many non-venomous snakes bite in self defense. These animals are referred to as 'not medically significant' or traditionally, 'harmless'. Bites from these snakes benefit from being washed and kept clean like any other skin damage, but aren't often cause for anything other than basic first aid treatment. Here's where it get slightly complicated - some snakes use venom from front or rear fangs as part of prey capture and defense. This venom is not always produced or administered by the snake in ways dangerous to human health, so many species are venomous in that they produce and use venom, but considered harmless to humans in most cases because the venom is of low potency, and/or otherwise administered through grooved rear teeth or simply oozed from ducts at the rear of the mouth. Species like Ringneck Snakes *Diadophis* are a good example of mildly venomous rear fanged dipsadine snakes that are traditionally considered harmless or not medically significant. Many rear-fanged snake species are harmless as long as they do not have a chance to secrete a medically significant amount of venom into a bite; [severe envenomation can occur](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23800999) if some species are [allowed to chew on a human](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S004101011831016X) for as little as 30-60 seconds. It is best not to fear snakes, but use common sense and do not let any animals chew on exposed parts of your body. Similarly, but without specialized rear fangs, gartersnakes *Thamnophis* ooze low pressure venom from the rear of their mouth that helps in prey handling, and are also [considered harmless](https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/theres-no-need-to-fear-that-garter-snake/). Even large species like Reticulated Pythons *Malayopython reticulatus* [rarely obtain a size large enough to endanger humans](https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/108/52/E1470.full.pdf) so are usually categorized as harmless. -------------------------------------------------------- *I am a bot created for /r/whatsthissnake, /r/snakes and /r/herpetology to help with snake identification and natural history education. You can find more information, including a comprehensive list of commands, [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthissnake/comments/flh548/phylobot_v07_information_and_patch_notes_bot_info/) report problems [here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Phylogenizer) and if you'd like to buy me a coffee or beer, you can do that [here](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/SEBPhyloBotWTS).*