Another question? If a Garter bites...

[RZL36]

Yeah, this probably isn't the right place to be talking about this. Gonna freak people out.

Garter snakes can't hurt you.

[Bay_area]

Garter snakes can't hurt you.

"can't"? more than likely not to but I would not say can't

People shouldn't be freaked out, but they should be aware. I do not know how many times I have been biten over the years. However, the only bite that sent me to the hospital was from a copperhead. I have been bitten by rear fanged snakes like the False Water Cobra with minor effects. When I was in grade school I was bitten right on the nose by a garter snake while showing off for the girls @ the park. Had alot of bleeding, but was more embarrassed than anything. With that said, if someone does get bitten & there is any side affects such as redness or swelling, they should have it looked at, expecially if it is a child. People could react differently & have an allergic reaction.

this is from the link I posted eariler in this thread;
Duvernoy's Glands and "Warm" Herping

here are some quotes from the page:

"I learned that garters had Duvernoy’s gland secretions that were toxic, so that a person bitten could suffer swelling, bleeding, and bruising"

"Reports of the bite of a separate species, the wandering garter snake, also suggest toxicity. Symptoms from the bite of this species (Thamnophis elegans) have included swelling, pain, and localized bleeding but not systemic symptoms."