Bluestripe ribbon snake
The bluestripe ribbon snake (Thamnophis sauritus nitae) ,which belongs in the same family as the garter snakes, is a subspecies of the ribbon snake that occurs along the Gulf Coast in Florida. Adults are thin and are black with a mid-dorsal stripe that is a lighter shade of black and two blue stripes, hence the name "bluestripe ribbon snake". They are semi-aquatic and are active during the day. They can be found by lakes, rivers, and slow-moving streams.
| Bluestripe ribbon snake | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Thamnophis |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | T. s. nitae |
| Trinomial name | |
| Thamnophis sauritus nitae Rossman, 1963 | |
Diet
They eat frogs, salamanders, small fishes, earthworms, minnows, lizards, and insects.
Captivity
In captivity, they can live in a 20-gallon tank and they will eat feeder mice, pinkie mice, feeder lizards and feeder insects.
Size
In adulthood they grow to be 45 to 63 cm (18 to 25 in). They start out at 17 to 18 cm (6.5 to 7 in) after hatching.