Western Ribbon Snake
Thamnophis proximus (Say, 1823)
Species Data
| Spanish Name(s) | Culebra Acuática Culebra Palustre (T. p. alpinus) Pichocuate (T. p. diabolicus) Culebra Cinta Golfo Litoral (T. p. orarius) Culebra Cinta Rayas-rojo (T. p. rubrilineatus) Chocoyita de Agua (T. p. rutiloris) |
|---|---|
| U.S. Range | Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin |
| Mexican Range | Campeche, Chiapas, Coahuila, Guerrero, Hildalgo, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Veracruz and Yucatan |
| Central American Range | Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua |
| Legal Status | None known. Consult provincial or state pages for legal restrictions on keeping this species in captivity. |
| Diet | Mostly amphibians, but also fish. |
| Max. Recorded Length | 90 cm (SVL) |
| Pet Trade Availability | 4 – Readily available. |
| Captivity Rating | 3 – Good captive. |
Subspecies
- Chiapas Highland Ribbon Snake
Thamnophis proximus alpinus Rossman, 1963 - Found in Chiapas at high elevations.
- Arid Land Ribbon Snake
Thamnophis proximus diabolicus Rossman, 1963 - Found in western and northwest Texas, eastern New Mexico, and northern Mexico.
- Gulf Coast Ribbon Snake
Thamnophis proximus orarius Rossman, 1963 - Found along the Gulf Coast from the Mississippi Delta to Tamaulipas.
- Western Ribbon Snake
Thamnophis proximus proximus (Say, 1823) - Found in the United States away from the Gulf Coast, Texas (though found in eastern Texas) and New Mexico.
- Red-striped Ribbon Snake
Thamnophis proximus rubrilineatus Rossman, 1963 - An attractive red-striped subspecies limited to central Texas.
- Gulf Coast Ribbon Snake
Thamnophis proximus rutiloris (Cope, 1885) - A Central American subspecies found from the Yucatan to Costa Rica.
Garter and Ribbon Snakes
A Gathering of Garter Snakes