In one of my books (The garter snake at Willow Creek Lane) is says that garter snakes will play dead. The book's aimed at kids and isn't what I'd consider a scientific tome, but it is published by the Smithsonian, which I understand is a respected scientific establishment, so I'd consider the provenance of the book along the same lines as if it was published by our Natural History Museum.

I know playing dead is a behaviour well documented (I've seen film and photos) in grass snakes (Natrix natrix) but isn't something I've heard mentioned by anyone I know with garters. A Google indicates that it might happen, but nothing that persuades me that people who've seen snakes playing dead had interpreted the behaviour correctly or identified the snake correctly. So has anyone actually seen a garter playing dead?