Are Garter Snakes Dangerous?
Snakes are feared by the majority of the world. They are seen as dangerous, harmful, poisonous and deadly, though this is not the case for all snakes. Many snakes are good for keeping pests away from your house, garden, and your property in general. A perfect example of this type of snake is the Garter snake.
The Garter snake is often found in shrubs, vines, and tall grass, which can all be found around your home. However, do not let their presence frighten you; they are quite the helpers around the house.
Garter snakes are perfectly fine to have around your household, so do not harm them. These snakes for sure do more help than harm, especially if you have a garden.
Garter snakes are actually known as a gardener’s best friend, they eat the pests that cause problems in gardens, like eating your crops before they are ready to be picked. Garter snakes mainly eat insects such as grasshoppers, slugs, frogs, toads, and caterpillars, which thrive off of eating things in the garden.
Adult Garter snakes will even eat mice, which keep mice from getting inside your home. Garter snakes are a natural pest control, they are not the pests themselves. Killing Garter snakes is an open invitation to letting pests in your home and garden.
Without them there to control the pest population, they will wreak havoc on your land. An extra helping hand around the house can also save your family a little bit of extra money when your pest control service comes every year or so.
Being a natural pest control is not the only good thing about Garter snakes, they also are one of the few snakes that you should not worry about. Garter snakes are very shy; they will not chase you unless provoked. They are typically very tame creatures, in fact they are usually very shy towards people.
However, if a Garter snake ever comes at you there is nothing to worry about. Most Garter snakes are non-venomous, but some produce a very weak venom that typically has no effect on humans. The venom can cause slight swelling to people who are allergic, but mainly the bite of a Garter snake is nothing to worry about. It is even said that the bite only feels like a small prick. However, this does not mean you should pick up a Garter snake, it will feel threatened. As long as you do not threaten Garter snakes you should be totally fine!
Overall, no Garter snakes are not dangerous in fact they are one of the only good snakes to keep around. They are non aggressive snakes and very harmless. Garter snakes can bite you, but only when provoked and the bite is not dangerous in any way. They keep the pests away from your house and gardens, and you do not have to pay them a dime. They definitely make sure to do their part around the house, and keep pests down to a minimum.
