Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a sweet juvenile albino checkered garter snake. It is a little sweetie, never attacking anybody and if i could say it, it could be considered tame. My brother placed my other juvenile bull snake in there by accident. In the morning when i took the bull snake out, and checked on the garter, i picked her up and put her back in, and she started flattening it's neck and striking at me. This has never happened with her before. Someone please help or at least have some opinion.
Thank you.

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-Emily: The snake gal

hey there ... I suspect you scared the heck out of your garter. the little guy probably spent most of his shared space time with the bull trying to make himself appear larger and aggresive to the bull to keep from being eaten ... garters are prey to about everything so it's natural instincts would be the behavior you mentioned ...

best of luck to you,
mt

Hey,
Thank you for your response. Could this have stressed my snake out? I am scared for it. I will tell my bro off for doing this. Thanks again.
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-Emily: The snake gal

hello Emily ... you're very welcome. yes, at the time your little garter was probably very stressed out. feeling like you are about to be eaten is probably pretty scary reptiles have very primitive brains so they don't have the ability to think very much like people. they live "in the moment" so to speak meaning that todays thoughts are just about today. I would be very careful in the future about putting the garter in a cage with any other animal. As I said, in the wild just about EVERYTHING will eat a garter snake especially a young one so your little guy would be and should be stressed out if he's put in that position. He'll be most happy by himself or with another garter his size and type.

happy holidays to you emily ...
mt