Handling
Most garter snakes, particularly if they are captive bred, are gentle and do not mind being handled. Simply give the snake lots of support — don’t allow it to fall — and avoid restraining it too much. Let it glide through your fingers, and remember that garters are not constrictors and do not grip your hands as securely as a corn snake or kingsnake might.
But some garter snakes may bite or musk when frightened. A garter’s musk glands are in its vent; when it musks it may also defecate. It’s smelly and unpleasant, but not serious. Simply wash it off. Garters are more likely to musk than to bite. Biting is usually not serious and the snake is unlikely to hang on, but if it does, push the snake’s head forward to disengage its backward-pointing teeth. Some people have had reactions to garter snake saliva, but again, it shouldn’t be serious.
Snakes of the United States and Canada: Natural History and Care in Captivity
A Gathering of Garter Snakes
