A Wandering Garter Snake slid across the rock by my feet. Now I can identify with the wandering part. But I’ve never been much for snakes. And I don’t get the garter part, maybe because I don’t wear nylons.
This slender snake measured about 18 inches (16 cm) with a head barely wider than the neck. Garter snakes are the single most widely distributed genus of reptile in North America. They come in a variety of colors like gray, brown or green with stripes of yellow, brown or orange and checkered with black dots. So confusing.
I read that the toxins in their saliva can be deadly to their prey of amphibians, fish, birds, mice, lizards, snakes, worms, leeches, slugs and snails. And their bite might produce an unpleasant reaction in humans, but they are not considered dangerous to humans. Oh sure, like I would pick up Any snake.
What color are your garter snakes?
The most common garter snake here is the Western or the Northern with an orange stripe from head to end of body. I like Garter Snakes but don't see too many out here. the last house I lived in awhile back seemed to have lots hanging around. I tried to talk to them (as an experment) and when they started talking back ……LOL!!! I did post one a few days ago though. MB
Sorry, blogger screwed up my comment.
So, ours have a yellow belly, black back and a white stripe down their back. They're very pretty they are.
I have no problem picking them up. Actually last summer one was sunning itself on the woodpile, I got up close to it and it lifted its head and I swear I was able to pet it, it just stayed there. When I stopped, it looked at me again and left. I'm a snake charmer. It was quite bizarre.
Here's a pic. For some reason Blogger won't let me make the hyperlink…
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Garter_snake_close_up_northern_ontario_canada.jpg
We have at least one but I suspect more. They do their share in keeping small animals and insects and worms in their place.
So far as I know we do not have a garter snake, but if you wore nylons we have a ladder snake:) I am a snake fan, always had a soft spot for them but also a LOT of respect. Diane
Garter snakes were all around in our Pennsylvania surroundings. I think they were blacker than yours. My grandmother always said they were harmless, but of course, I wasn't about to pick one up either.
Sometimes I see garder snakes with yellow and even green on them. We touched a variety of snakes this summer. I used to handle a few types, but have not had the urge to pick any up lately. The most interesting type seen for us was the black rat snake and they even climbed trees. They were huge.
They like a dryer climate… snakes are important residents. I like to look at them.
Nice snake pics. The garter snakes around here are dark green with yellow stripes. I've seen people handling them, but I let them be.
Snakes… And you said pocket gophers were the ones that made the casts… This one's just a baby, it'll get a hundred times the size I just know it…
This seems so BIG for a garter – I wouldn't pick up ANY snake either! Photos are OK, though…
Ours look very similar to yours, and we see them pretty often on the trails around here. We even saw a tiny one slithering around in the box with the sprinkler valves in our yard! I avoided sticking my hand down there until he was gone.
I found a garter snake right outside my front door last year. I put a photo of it on my blog at http://alsphotographyblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/snake.html – I also didn't want to pick it up, although I'm not very worried about snakes. It looks very similar to yours.
What surprises me is that they can be found in the middle of city gardens sometimes. Probably a good thing as they then eat whatever mice there might be around.
Gotta agree with you there my friend. Even though I know these things are not harmful, I would not pick one up. LOL!!
Gaelyn: Ours are a little darker than yours but the same color.
Ours are kind of multi-colored..I didn't know about the saliva..Interesting…
Not sure if we have garter snakes. But I get shivers down the spine when I see any snake.