Yes, this is a long snake, but you don’t need to be afraid of it…unless you are a mouse!

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Mary Sue Ittner was surprised to find this big Coast Gartersnake nestled into one of her flower pots. Here's her story:

Mary Sue wrote, “I saw a snake crawling up the side of one of my Haemanthus albiflos pots. By the time I got my camera out it had tucked itself in the leaves with just its head sticking out, and then not even that. You wouldn’t know it was even there unless you looked very carefully between the leaves. Later it came out so I could see how long it was. In spite of that it found a way to fit in the pot. I managed to capture one of the times it flicked its tongue.”

Mary Sue estimated the snake was about three feet long.

Among other things, Gartersnakes will eat mice, slugs and snails. Gardeners love to have one in their garden.

Thanks to Mary Sue for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

2 thoughts on “Yes, this is a long snake, but you don’t need to be afraid of it…unless you are a mouse!”

  1. Anne Mary Schaefer

    I have two of these little beauties in my garden. They're masters at blending into the ground cover... and I have almost no slugs or snails pestering my flowering plants. Such terrific little garden guardians!

  2. Jeanne Jackson

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    Lucky you, Anne Mary! I'll never forget walking down a trail with our late golden retriever, Huckleberry. We came across one of these snakes resting in the sun. Huck didn't realize it was alive and when he nosed the snake, and it moved, Huckleberry jumped three feet backwards! It was pretty darn funny...

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