Posted by Alex, forum owner on July 9, 2006, 9:49 pm, in reply to "Black snake w/ brown stripes" --Previous Message--
66.169.93.101
: I live just outside Charlotte NC. My
: wife saw a snake today that we are
: trying to indentify. It was black with
: brown stripes that run from its head to
: its tail. The snake moved very quickly
: and would charge you if provoked.
:
The snake was an Eastern Garter Snake, which is harmless. They can be dark gray with white or brownish stripes, and they can be checkerboard with no stripes, and there is endless variation in their coloration both within populations and across its range, but it is definitely a Garter.
Some individual Garters can be very quick to defend themselves if approached, and others simply flee. They are fairly fast, but not so fast that if away from suitable cover that they can get away, so many of them will bluff and strike and act vicious, even flattening and widening the head to look more dangerous. If caught they will bite, which is somewhat irritating (like getting scratched by a rose bush), but can do no harm, as they have no fangs and no venom, just a bunch of tiny teeth. They will then emit a foul smelling musk which smells like something dead, and will get all over you. Thankfully, it will wash off.
Their main foods are worms, caterpillars, slugs (excellent slug control) and if near water, small fish. They are good to have around in any case, especially if you have a garden, getting them incorrectly called "Garden" or "Gardener Snakes". Their name comes from the garter belts people used to wear to keep their clothes up, which had stripes.
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