If you’ve come across some mysterious droppings and are wondering if they could belong to a garter snake, you’ve come to the right place. Garter snakes are one of the most common types of snakes found near suburban areas, so it’s possible you may encounter their poop at some point.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: Garter snake poop is dark brown or black, short and segmented, often with a white substance coating it. It resembles mouse droppings, but a keen eye can discern some key differences.
The Basics of Garter Snake Poop
Color and Texture
The color and texture of garter snake poop can vary depending on what the snake has recently eaten. Typically, the poop is brown or greenish-brown in color and may contain undigested fur, scales, bones, or feathers from the snake’s prey.
The texture is generally soft and pliable when passed, with a moist or slimy appearance.
Here are some common characteristics of garter snake poop:
- Brown, greenish-brown, or blackish in color
- Soft, moist texture
- May contain fur, feathers, scales, or bones
- Odorless to mildly pungent scent
The color and texture can help determine what a garter snake has eaten recently. For example, bones or scales indicate the snake ate a small rodent or fish. Feathers likely mean the snake consumed a small bird. The poop tends to be darker and more moist when the snake’s prey had fur or feathers.
Size and Shape
The size and shape of garter snake poop relates to the age and size of the snake. Newborn snakes pass very small feces, sometimes just 3-5 mm long. An adult garter snake’s poop may reach 2 inches long, with a diameter of 3⁄4 inch.
Some key aspects of size and shape include:
- Poop length ranges from a few mm to 2 inches
- Diameter is typically 1⁄4 – 3⁄4 inch
- Newborn snakes pass very small feces
- Adult snakes have larger, bulkier poop
- Shape is generally elongated and cylindrical
Garter snakes poop infrequently, so each sample can be quite large. The poop is passed in discrete segments rather than a continuous stream. The size of each segment relates to the size of the prey consumed. After digesting a large meal, the snake will pass a proportionally large poop.
Distinguishing Features
There are a few key features that help identify garter snake poop:
- Relatively odorless compared to warm-blooded animal poop
- May have a slightly pungent or musky scent from uric acid
- Contains recognizable fur, feathers, bones, or scales when the snake ate small prey
- Individual segments are often connected by a thin thread of urine
- Usually found near rocks, logs, or in grassy areas where snakes frequent
The most unique feature is the lack of strong odor, unlike the poop of mammals and birds. The poop tends to quickly dry out and does not attract as many insects as warm-blooded animal feces.
Garter snake poop can be distinguished from other small snakes and lizards by the prey remains present and the connected segments. The size, shape, and texture is also fairly unique compared to most other reptiles and amphibians.
Where You Might Find Garter Snake Poop
Garter snakes are found across much of North America in a variety of habitats, so you may encounter their poop in many places if you spend time outdoors. Here are some of the top spots to look for garter snake feces:
Near water sources
Garter snakes love hanging out near water, like ponds, lakes, streams, and wetlands. Check along muddy shorelines or in vegetation at the water’s edge. This is a favorite hunting ground for garter snakes, so they often poop here too.
Under rocks, logs, and debris
Garter snakes spend a lot of time curled up under rocks, fallen logs, boards, and other debris when they are not actively hunting. Lift up rocks and wood in your yard or garden and you might find a small pile of garter snake scat underneath as they poop where they rest.
In rock walls or woodpiles
The crevices in rock walls or spaces within woodpiles offer garter snakes shelter and cover. They often hunker down in these areas, so you may stumble across their poop coiled up in the cracks and corners of rock walls or among stacks of firewood.
Near rodent burrows
Garter snakes love snacking on rodents like mice and voles. Check around the openings of rodent burrows or tunnels and you may find garter snake poop nearby, as the snakes hang out around these areas hoping to ambush their next meal.
In garden beds or compost piles
If you have noticed garter snakes slithering through your vegetable garden or compost pile, there’s a good chance you’ll find their droppings in these areas too. Their poop is often found amidst the dirt, leaves, and plant debris of garden beds.
Along stone walls or fences
Garter snakes frequently find their way into yards, slithering along walls, fences, and other boundaries. Check along rock walls or wooden fences at the edges of your yard, as garter snakes follow these linear features and may poop as they travel.
Near snake hibernacula
In cooler climates, garter snakes gather together in communal dens to hibernate for the winter. These so-called snake hibernacula often see large deposits of garter snake poop around their entrances after winter, when dozens of snakes leave behind their waste at the same spots.
What Garter Snakes Eat (And Therefore Poop Out)
Amphibians and Fish
Garter snakes are opportunistic predators that feed on a variety of small animals, with amphibians and fish making up a large part of their diet. Common frogs, toads, salamanders, tadpoles, and small fish are frequently consumed.
When digesting these prey items, garter snakes break down the proteins, fats, and bones into waste materials that form their feces.
Earthworms
Earthworms are another common food source found in the habitat of garter snakes. Their soft bodies are easy for garter snakes to swallow whole. As the earthworms pass through the digestive system, proteins and nutrients are absorbed, while the indigestible parts of the worm are compacted into worm-shaped segments in the snake’s poop.
Small Mammals and Birds
Though less common than amphibians and fish, garter snakes sometimes prey upon voles, mice, small squirrels, sparrows, and robin fledglings. They swallow these furry and feathery meals whole, digesting the soft tissues quickly.
The indigestible fur and feathers often compact together to form odd shapes and textures in the snake’s feces.
Insects
Comparing to Other Animal Droppings
Vs. Mouse and Vole Poop
Garter snake poop looks quite different from mouse and vole droppings. Mice and voles produce pellet-shaped poop that is very small, usually between 1/8 to 1/4 inches long. The pellets are hard and dry. Garter snake poop tends to be larger and more cylindrical in shape.
Another way to distinguish between garter snake scat and rodent poop is that garter snake feces often contains visible pieces of bones, fur, scales or feathers from their prey. The poop may be slightly wetter as well. Mouse and vole droppings are uniform in texture since they eat plant material.
Vs. Lizard Poop
Compared to lizard droppings, garter snake feces also looks quite different. Lizard poop is generally more granular while garter snake poop keeps its shape. Lizard poop is also normally found in concentrated piles since they repeatedly use the same areas as latrines.
One way to distinguish between the two is to look for signs of visible prey such as fur or bones in the poop. Garter snake feces frequently contains pieces of their meals whereas lizard droppings are more homogeneous since they tend to eat insects and vegetation.
Poop Characteristic | Garter Snake | Lizard |
---|---|---|
Shape | Cylindrical | Granular |
Visible prey remains | Common | Rare |
Typical size | 2-3 inches long | 1/4 inch long |
When to Be Concerned About Garter Snake Poop
Garter snakes generally have healthy and regular bowel movements. However, there are a few signs in their poop that can indicate potential health issues:
Diarrhea
If your garter snake has very loose, watery stool, this could be a sign of gastrointestinal issues, parasites, or infections. Diarrhea can lead to dehydration and weight loss if not treated.
Constipation
On the other hand, constipation or difficulty passing stool may indicate impaction, low temperatures, dehydration, or other health problems. Straining to defecate is not normal and should be addressed.
Discolored Poop
Regular garter snake poop is brown or black. If their feces is an abnormal color like yellow, green, red, or white, it could signify organ issues, parasites, or infections.
Blood in Poop
The presence of blood or mucus in a garter snake’s stool often signals injury, inflammation, or some kind of gastrointestinal disease. This is considered an emergency situation.
Undigested Prey Remains
It’s normal to see some bones or fur in poop after your snake has eaten. But if you notice entire undigested rodents or large pieces, it may be a sign of regurgitation or trouble digesting food properly.
Decreased Appetite
A healthy snake should be eager to eat regularly. If your pet stops eating or seems disinterested in food, abnormal poop could be one contributing factor to loss of appetite.
Conclusion
Hopefully this breakdown gives you a better idea of how to identify garter snake droppings. Distinguishing snake scat takes a keen eye, but with the right knowledge you’ll be able to discern it. Being able to identify garter snake waste can satisfy curiosity about wildlife activity around your home.