Eastern gartersnake (subspecies of common gartersnake)

Non-poisonous, a fairly aggressive snake, they readily strike and bite - feisty little things. Bites can get infected easily and may cause swelling even if they don't. Their saliva is thought to have a toxin that affects amphibians that can irritate the heck out of humans.

If handled they often release a foul smelling musk. REALLY FOUL SMELLING!

Eats small prey - mice, lizards, minnows, goldfish, slugs ... whatever it can catch.

Nice to have because of the pest control.

Here is a link that might be useful: Garter Snake

That's what I was thinking.. I try not to bother them and they don't bother me. I am all for natural rodent control :) thanks for your reply.

I have caught and owned probably thousands of Eastern Garters, as well as other species of Thamnophis, over the decades, and been bitten more times than I can even count, but I have NEVER, ever had a snake bite become infected, especially not one from one of the Natricine snakes, like Garters or Water Snakes. Snakes in this family actually are mildly venomous, and do possess a Duvernoy's gland, which is the evolutionary predecessor to a fully-developed venom gland, but their venom is very mild and has a poor delivery system, via grooved, enlarged "fangs" near the rear of the upper jaw. However, that venom does contain components which act as both a mild anticoagulant and an antibacterial. Bites bleed quite freely for a few minutes, in relation to the bite itself, which is barely felt, and these two seem to combine to inhibit infection. I get bitten out in the field most often, miles away from any soap and water or peroxide, and have never had a bite get infected. In fact, I don't know of any fellow snake keepers/field herpetologists who have, even with getting bitten while our arms are covered in mud and muck from a swamp!

Garter snakes primarily feed on earthworms, salamanders, frogs, and toads. They are not constrictors, so any rodents they might eat are baby mice they find in a nest. They will also eat baby birds found in ground nests.