Mildly Venomous? The Truth About Garter Snakes and Their Surprising Secret!!
When you think of venomous snakes, your mind might jump to cobras, vipers, or rattlesnakes. But what if I told you that one of the most common backyard snakes in North America is also venomous? The Eastern gartersnake.
Don’t worry, though. These stripy little slitherers are far from deadly. In fact, their venom is so mild that it went unnoticed by scientists for decades.
Garter snakes belong to the genus Thamnophis and can be found in gardens, parks, forests, and wetlands across North and Central America. Known for their distinctive stripes and relatively small size, garter snakes are among the most familiar reptiles in the U.S.
They are harmless, but the full story is a little more interesting.
Yes, technically, garter snakes are mildly venomous. Unlike vipers and cobras, garter snakes don’t have hollow fangs that inject venom. Instead, they have what’s called a Duvernoy’s gland, which produces a mild venom that flows into their saliva. When they chew on prey, that venom seeps in and helps subdue it.
This was only discovered in the last few decades. For years, garter snakes were labeled “non-venomous” because their bites weren’t dangerous to humans. But, researchers studying their biology found they actually produce venom-like proteins.
Garter snake venom isn’t meant for defense against humans it's designed to handle small prey like:
-Frogs and toads
-Salamanders
-Earthworms
-Small fish
-Slugs and leeches
The venom helps immobilize slippery or squirmy creatures, making them easier to swallow.
Interestingly, some garter snakes that eat highly toxic newts (Taricha) can actually absorb and store the toxins from their prey, making the snakes themselves mildly toxic to predators. Talk about chemical warfare!
Are Garter Snake Bites Dangerous? For humans, the answer is no.
If a garter snake does bite (which is rare and only happens if it feels threatened), you might experience:
- Slight swelling or redness
- Mild burning or itching
That’s it. Most people don’t even realize they’ve been bitten, and allergic reactions are extremely rare.
Learning that garter snakes are venomous challenges the way we think about “safe” vs. “dangerous” wildlife. It also reminds us that evolution is full of shades of gray, not just black and white. Venom isn’t just a killer's tool; it can be a subtle and efficient hunting aid, even in creatures we thought were completely benign.
So the next time you see a garter snake sunning itself on a rock, give it some respect. It’s a stealthy little predator with a secret edge, and it’s been hiding in plain sight.