Garter snakes do occasionally bite, but they usually are not aggressive towards humans. All snakes, including garter snakes, are capable of biting their prey or biting predators in self-defense. However, the garter snake’s bite is not particularly painful, and it lacks enough venom to present a threat to humans.[1]
What Is The Difference Between A Garden Snake And A Garter Snake?
There is no difference between a garter snake and a garden snake. Both names refer to the same species, the Thamnophis sirtalis, which is the most common non-venomous reptile in North America. While they vary in color, garter snakes are easily recognizable for 3 lines that run through their bodies.[2]
How To Get Rid Of A Garter Snake
There are seven, humane ways to get rid of garter snakes:Trim your bushes and mow your lawn.Remove objects and debris from your yard.Remove any sources of food for the snakes.Get chickens.Use snake repellent.Trap and relocate the snakes.Build a snake fence.[3]
Why Do I Have Garter Snakes In My Yard?
When not resting, these snakes prefer moist, grassy areas and are often found near water, such as streams and lakes. They also like areas that provide cover, so if your yard has piles of debris, such as rocks, logs, boards or dense vegetation, you are more likely to have a garter snake infestation.[4]
Should You Remove Garter Snakes From Your Yard?
Garter snakes are relatively harmless, beneficial predators of rodents and insect pests. However, do not pick it up. Alarmed, it may give you a little nip (harmless but still a bite).[5]
What Is A Home Remedy To Get Rid Of Garden Snakes?
Pour white vinegar around the perimeter of any body of water for a natural snake repellent. Lime: Create a mixture of snake repellent lime and hot pepper or peppermint and pour it around the perimeter of your home or property. Snakes don’t like the smell of the mixture and the fumes are also itchy on their skin.[6]
Will A Garter Snake Bite You?
Though garter snakes will use their sharp teeth to catch prey, it’s very unlikely these pests will choose to bite a human. They typically only lash out at humans when they are provoked or feel threatened.[7]
What Is A Garter Snake
Garter snake[8]
Can A Garter Snake Hurt You?
Garter snakes won’t bite you unless provoked. They won’t chase you. They are really very shy and are not looking for a fight! Garter snakes do produce a very weak venom, but the venom is so mild that it rarely has any effect on humans (it can cause light swelling in those who are allergic, however).[9]
Why Is It Called A Garter Snake?
Their common name, “garter,” was inspired by the stripes that run parallel down their bodies, from head to tail, which somewhat resemble garter belts. In addition, there are a few other species of snakes, commonly found in gardens and yards, that people refer to as “garden snakes,” Holbrook said.[10]
Is A Garter Snake Aggressive?
Garter snakes are non-venomous, but can be fairly aggressive and will readily strike and bite, sometimes causing an allergic reaction in humans. If handled or attacked, they will release a foul-smelling musk.[11]
What Is The Difference Between A Garden Snake And A Garter Snake?
There is no difference between a garter snake and a garden snake. Both names refer to the same species, the Thamnophis sirtalis, which is the most common non-venomous reptile in North America. While they vary in color, garter snakes are easily recognizable for 3 lines that run through their bodies.[12]
What Happens If A Garter Snake Bites You
While most species are classified as harmless (non-venomous), their bite can cause minor swelling or itching in humans, and anyone bitten by a garter snake should clean the bite thoroughly. It is not ultimately a cause for concern.Dec 10, 2014[13]
Can A Garter Snake Hurt You?
Garter snakes won’t bite you unless provoked. They won’t chase you. They are really very shy and are not looking for a fight! Garter snakes do produce a very weak venom, but the venom is so mild that it rarely has any effect on humans (it can cause light swelling in those who are allergic, however).[14]
Do Garter Snakes Carry Disease?
The spectrum of bacteria with potential for causing oral and pulmonary infections in garter snakes is greater than has been previously appreciated. Garter snakes should also be considered reservoirs of human pathogens, and appropriate precautions should be taken by laboratory personnel and pet owners.[15]
What Are The Symptoms Of A Garter Snake Bite?
Following a prolonged bite by a large specimen of the wandering garter snake (Thamnophis elegans vagrans), symptoms of envenomation rapidly developed. Swelling, edema, pain, and localized hemorrhaging occurred but without the subsequent onset of systemic manifestations.[16]
Is It Safe To Pick Up A Garter Snake?
Garter snakes don’t harm any humans, are mostly docile and can be fun to watch. I still love picking them up and wrapping them around my hands in amazement. So keep your shovel in the shed and make some space in your garden for the garter snake.[17]
What Eats A Garter Snake
Hawks, crows, egrets, herons, cranes, raccoons, otters and other snake species (such as coral snakes and kingsnakes) will eat garter snakes, with even shrews and frogs eating the juveniles.[18]
What Animal Eats Garter Snakes?
Hawks, birds, skunks, raccoons, foxes, badgers, minks, bullfrogs, and other snakes all prey on garter snakes. Even house cats kill them. Snakes also die from starvation, cold, habitat loss, and pollution.[19]
Do Birds Eat Garter Snakes?
Many predators eat garter snakes, including larger relatives such as the black rat snake and northern water snake. Raccoons, opossums, skunks, snapping turtles, large bullfrogs and various birds of prey are other common hunters of garter snakes.[20]
What Are Garter Snakes Good For?
Many people report significant benefits to having garter snakes in their yards; they are seemingly a natural pest control. Garter snakes feed on earthworms, snails, grasshoppers, ants, crickets, and occasionally, rodents. Many of the insects garter snakes feed on are the ones feasting in our gardens.[21]
Where Do Garter Snakes Live In The Winter?
Common garter snakes hibernate in natural cavities or burrows, such as rodent burrows, crayfish burrows, under rock piles, or in stumps. Some populations may have to travel fairly long distances to get to their hibernation sites from their summer feeding and breeding areas.[22]
How To Sex A Garter Snake
In a nutshell, males have longer and thicker tails than females, whose tails are narrower, shorter and taper more sharply. It’s much easier to tell the difference when you have one of each sex, and it’s much more obvious with adult snakes; with baby snakes it’s very hard to tell.Sep 12, 2005[23]
Can Garter Snakes Change Gender?
Red-sided garter snake
Red-sided garter snakes cannot change their sex nor their appearance, instead, they can give off the illusion that they are female. The male snakes are able to attract other males by emitting female pheromones. They do this to lure their male competitors away from the real female snakes.[24]
Do Garter Snakes Have Sex?
Garter snakes, copperheads and anacondas all form the occasional ‘mating ball’ or ‘breeding ball.’ We’d love to tell you this is some kind of elegant dance. But it’s not; mating balls are writhing heaps created when several males all swarm over the same female in an attempt to get her pregnant.[25]
Is It Ok To Keep A Garter Snake As A Pet?
While garter snakes are abundant in the wild, especially around bodies of water, such as lakes and streams, in Canada, the U.S., Mexico, and Central America, these wild animals should not be kept as pets, as they are illegal to take from their natural habitats in most locales.[26]
How Long Does A Garter Snake Live
Females give birth to a litter of 10 to 40 live young in summer. Young are five to nine inches long at birth. Garter snakes typically live 3 to 4 years.[27]
How Long Do Garter Snakes Live As Pets?
Thus, these relatively small snakes are perfect for children to hold as long as they are supervised by adults and don’t squeeze the animals too tightly. When fed and cared for properly and handled often, these snakes are docile and friendly and can live up to 10 years in captivity.[28]
Where Do Garter Snakes Sleep At Night?
To survive the winter, garter snakes will find a safe and snug place underground. They may look for a natural cavity or use a rodent burrow. They also find hibernation areas under rock piles or stumps. Sometimes, they may even look for warm places inside structures and have been found in basements.[29]
Can I Keep A Garter Snake As A Pet?
Garter Snakes make ideal pets, especially for beginners. They are generally docile, easy-to-care-for animals with easy housing and feeding requirements. If possible, it’s always better to purchase captive-bred specimens because they are easier to tame and handle.[30]
Resources
[1]https://a-z-animals.com/blog/are-garter-snakes-poisonous-or-dangerous/
[2]https://survivalfreedom.com/what-is-the-difference-between-a-garter-snake-and-a-garden-snake/
[3]https://dengarden.com/gardening/How-to-Get-Rid-of-Garter-Snakes-Without-Killing-Them-7-Tried-and-True-Ways
[4]https://www.havahart.com/articles/how-to-get-rid-of-garter-snakes
[5]https://www.almanac.com/garter-snakes-gardeners-friend
[6]https://www.callnorthwest.com/2019/04/home-remedies-to-keep-snakes-away/
[7]https://www.terminix.com/blog/education/are-garter-snakes-poisonous/
[8]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garter_snake
[9]https://www.almanac.com/garter-snakes-gardeners-friend
[10]https://hellohomestead.com/why-garter-snakes-and-other-garden-snakes-are-a-good-sign/
[11]https://www.chesapeakebay.net/S%3D0/fieldguide/critter/eastern_garter_snake
[12]https://survivalfreedom.com/what-is-the-difference-between-a-garter-snake-and-a-garden-snake/
[13]https://www.livescience.com/44072-garter-snake.html
[14]https://www.almanac.com/garter-snakes-gardeners-friend
[15]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC273922/
[16]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7273669/
[17]https://nptelegraph.com/townnews/zoology/i-think-garter-snakes-are-still-fun-to-pick-up/article_b3d1ba8c-3cbb-5cc4-9aa9-e4261be078c4.html
[18]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garter_snake
[19]https://assets.bouldercounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/nature-detectives-2002b.pdf
[20]https://sciencing.com/difference-between-garter-garden-snake-8534124.html
[21]https://www.floofinsandco.com/pet-safety/garter-snakes-friend-or-foe/
[22]http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Thamnophis_sirtalis/
[23]http://www.gartersnake.info/articles/2005/differences-between-male-and-female-garter-snakes.php
[24]https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/04/12/trans-gender-bending-animals-change-sex/
[25]https://animals.howstuffworks.com/snakes/how-do-snakes-mate.htm
[26]https://www.petmd.com/reptile/species/garter-snake
[27]https://www.chesapeakebay.net/S%3D0/fieldguide/critter/eastern_garter_snake
[28]https://www.petmd.com/reptile/species/garter-snake
[29]https://dickinsoncountyconservationboard.com/2019/12/09/how-garter-snakes-spend-the-winter/
[30]https://petkeen.com/are-garter-snakes-good-pets/