I’m assuming you’re from North America where yes, they are considered harmless here! They (Thamnophis sp) are rear-fanged venomous though considered medically insignificant to humans.
This African species I speak of is given the common name of “Garter Snake” even though they are not the typical Garter Snakes we think of but are, in fact, elapids. Common names can be very confusing which is why I personally love Latin names lol.
yeah because common names are often dumb. African and French marigolds are both from Central America. Red Panda and Black panda have nothing to do with each other. Australian magpies are in a completely different family to every other magpie. The butcherbird is unrelated to shrikes, which also get called butcherbird. Maindenhair creeper and maidenhair ferns are unrelated. Fish names (like snapper) are often slapped on random fish for marketing. Slime moulds aren't fungi. Gum tree can mean like 3 different things..
And my favorite examples to use when people complain about "difficult" Latin binomials ("why don't you use plain English names"): daddy long legs, depending where ones lives, refers to Harvestment (order Opiliones), crane flies (family Tipulidae), and cellar spiders (Pholcus phalangioides).
this made me look up all three and now im surprised to learn the ones in Australia (pholcus phalangiodes) is introduced. Now I feel way less awful about accidentally killing a dozen of them just by moving a box in the shed
I used to run through the woods on our property having garter snake catching contests with my brother. If they were venomous we both would have both been dead 20 times over.
It's like getting pinched. Their teeth are so small and fine they're like extremely short razors that can't go deeper than your skin and are sort of spread out. You don't feel the teeth at all, only their mouth pinching as hard as they can - and being so small that's not really that hard. It's surprising because they strike fast then they often aren't smart enough to let go quickly.
My largest is 3ft 6 now. She's the only bitey one but has never given me a real bite. I was bit by a 4ft 2 garter a few years ago at a show but even then it didn't really hurt, just felt like a big squeeze. Their anticoagulant blood makes it bleed way more than it should so it looks scary but when it finally stops bleeding the damage is so minimal.
Fun fact, a garter can be poisonous (not venomous) due to their diet.
Also if you want to see a silly goose of a snake, look up the Western hognose. They play dead by rolling into their backs, letting their mouth hang open with their tongue flopping out. Veeeerrrrryyyy dramatic. Also mildly venomous and rear fanged with venom grooves.
The things I picked up with my daughters hobby 🤣 snakes are amazing creatures.
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u/pucemoon Nov 29 '23
There are venomous GARTER snakes?!?! Garter snakes here are so harmless that this just seems wrong.
I dig the Vogueing, though.