# Lined Snake (*Tropidoclonion lineatum*) The Lined Snake is a small, friendly snake with beautiful stripes. It loves to hide in grass and under leaves, making it a sneaky little creature in nature. - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Lined Snake](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Tropidoclonion_lineatum_texanum.jpg&width=800) Photo: Dawson, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tropidoclonion_lineatum_texanum.jpg) ## Appearance The Lined Snake is a small, slender serpent, typically grey or brown with a distinctive light-colored stripe running down its back. It often has two rows of small dark spots on its sides, which can make it visually different from other plain-backed garter snakes. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Squamata - **Order:** Serpentes - **Family:** Colubridae - **Genus:** Tropidoclonion ## Interesting facts - Even as babies, Lined Snakes are born looking like tiny versions of adults! - Lined Snakes are mostly active at dusk and dawn, making them hard to spot! - These tiny snakes usually eat earthworms and slugs, acting as garden helpers! - Unlike many snakes, they prefer to be out during cooler parts of the day. ## Special abilities - **Live Birth Giver:** Lined Snakes give birth to live young (ovoviviparous) that helps their babies survive better without needing a nest. - **Underground Navigator:** Lined Snakes can burrow easily into soft soil because of their slender bodies that helps them find shelter and prey. - **Secret Stripe Camouflage:** Lined Snakes have a light stripe down their back that helps them blend into grass and leaf litter, hiding from predators. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 20-40 cm - **Weight:** 0.01-0.05 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-5 years - **Speed:** 0.5 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-12 ## Diet & Feeding They love to munch on soft-bodied invertebrates like worms and slugs. - **Primary Foods:** earthworms, slugs, small grubs - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Common Earthworm (*Lumbricus terrestris*) — A primary food source found in their damp habitats. - **Hunts:** Netted Slug (*Deroceras reticulatum*) — Actively seeks out these slow-moving invertebrates in gardens. - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — Large birds of prey hunt them from above. - **Eaten by:** [North American Racer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/north-american-racer) (*Coluber constrictor*) — Larger snakes sometimes prey on Lined Snakes. ## Traits - [Striped](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/striped): Marked with parallel bands or lines of color. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a snake, it's best to watch it from a distance and not touch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Lined Snake? Compare the full body pattern, build, head markings and tail. Color can shift with age and lighting. Rules of thumb about triangular heads or round pupils aren't a reliable way to tell whether a snake is venomous. Snake Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Lined Snake? 20-40 cm ### How much does Lined Snake weigh? 0.01-0.05 kg ### How long does Lined Snake live? 3-5 years ### How fast can Lined Snake move? 0.5 km/h ### What does Lined Snake eat? They love to munch on soft-bodied invertebrates like worms and slugs. ### Where is Lined Snake usually found? Grasslands ### How does Lined Snake hunt? Foraging ## More Reptiles - [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*) - [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*) - [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*) - [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*) --- Source: [Lined Snake: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lined-snake)