Another question? If a Garter bites...

[RZL36]

yeah, icky stuff. It explains why people go numb though. Right?

[Stefan-A]

Well, neurotoxins work in two different ways. They either block or flood your nervous system.

[Stefan-A]

Excellent point, but I'd still consider tetanus a bigger risk.

[RZL36]

I was afraid of mentioning the allergic reaction bit. I don't want people getting rid of their snakes.

I reluctantly posted that article in a previous thread.

In actuality garters can hurt you, but not fatally.

Just not trying to alert the masses.

[Bay_area]

Excellent point, but I'd still consider tetanus a bigger risk.

Yep! Good point, I was bitten in the third grade by a fellow classmate. I believe that was worse than any colubrid bite

[RZL36]

I'm pretty sure it is the combination of prolonged bite and allergic reaction for anything to happen (in a very small number of cases). I tested this myself, and let me say that it took a lot to get the garter to bite me (scenting my finger), and I had no reaction at all.

Worst bite I ever took was from a German Sheppard. That really hurt.

Garter bites are 999 time out of a 1,000 are inconsequential

[anji1971]

I didn't even know garters had teeth until shortly after I first got mine!! I found out by surprise that yes, they do and they know how to use them too!!!
But I'd take a bite from one of these guys any day compared to all the cats and dog bites from my childhood!

[Stefan-A]

I think it improves their image a bit and it's definitely better to stick to the facts. Enough facts and the masses don't know what to think.

It's not very difficult to inform the masses without alerting them, but it could always backfire if somebody gets the bright idea to ban them too as venomous.

[Charlet_2007]

ive gotten bit by my garter snake and haven't have any systems with them having venom.. if that was true id be really really sick right now or dead and im nether...

[RZL36]

ive gotten bit by my garter snake and haven't have any systems with them having venom.. if that was true id be really really sick right now or dead and im nether...

Not everything venomous is a taipan. You said yourself that your finger went numb. Isn't that evidence enough?