The Sundevall's Garter Snake should be treated with respect, even although it has a quiet disposition and can generally be handled freely, as it may suddenly inflict a sharp and painful bite. What follows is a generalised allergic reaction, with stuffiness in the nose and itching over the body. The bite area swells and discolours within a few hours, the result of bleeding. Without anti venom the effects take 3 to 5 days to subside.
Other names: Afrikaans -- Sundavall se kousbandslang :
Sundevall's Garter Snakes are front-fanged and belong to the same family - Elapidae - as cobras and mambas. Although they do not rear and spread hoods, an agitated snake will flatten it neck and make sideways lunges in attempting to bite.
Sundevall's Garter Snake has 5 recognised subspecies in southern Africa, distinguished by their differing scale counts, They are not commonly seen, being nocturnal and sheltering underground, often in disused termite mounds. Furthermore they appear to be active only during the summer rains. Flushed out of their burrows by rain, they may take refuge under a pile of logs.
Diet: The diet of the snake consists of lizards' eggs, snakes, rain frogs, rodents and moles.
Reproduction (Breeding): The female lays up to 10 eggs at a time, each measuring about 20 x 8 mm.
Distribution (Range): This rarely seen snake occurs on the grasslands of the Transvaal and Orange Free State highveld; the savannah of southern Mozambique; eastern Natal; Swaziland and the Kalahari.
Size: It grows up to 75 cm.
Colour: The colour is slate-grey to black, with a reddish or purplish iridescence and with pairs of dirty white rings along the length of the body. Every pair of rings marks the limits of buff band that was very distinct in the young snake, but later darken; young garter snakes have 21 -38 of these bands. The underside is yellowish or pinkish buff.
Most like: They mostly resemble other garters snake species, particularly Boulenger's garter snake which, however, has a grey-to-black belly and has only 12 to 17 light bands or pairs of bands.
Habitat: Their favourite habitat is grassland, coastal forest and sandy savannah.
Best places to see the Sundevall's Garter Snake in Southern Africa:
• Kruger National Park
 Snakes of Southern Africa >> Printable Snake List <<
South African Snakes >> Printable Snake List <<
Wildlife - Fauna & Flora of Southern Africa
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