Garter Snakes CAN bite, and individual snakes have different personalities, just like people do. Some Garter Snakes are VERY "bitey", and don't like being handled at all. They will bite and spray stinky musk(like a skunk's)if picked up. Others will never bite at all. Even the "bitey" ones usually become tame and stop biting with gentle and frequent handling, though. Garter Snakes DO have a very mild venom, and fangs located at the back, not the front, of their mouths, but their venom is not normally dangerous to humans and generally has no effect on us. I've been bitten many times by Garters, and they often cannot even break the skin. I've never had a reaction to their weak venom.
