Rick,
Ok. Still don't get the whole smelly feces thing. My snakes' feces don't smell regardless of what I feed them. It's not wishful thinking, either. I've asked others.
Emily (right?),
Just don't expect the garter to enjoy that snake-on-person interaction.
They are quick little creatures, easily spooked and prone to flee when they get scared. Well, it's not as much "fleeing", as "launching themselves in a random direction". Hope you get a calm one.
Had a bit of a fever myself these last two days. Won't go into any details, but stupid things were said and done during that time.