I recently got a juvenile female garter snake from a friend. She's very delicate, and quite tiny- no more than eight inches long.

First of all, I need to know what to feed her, how often, and if I need to prepare the food a specific way. The literature I've read says adult garter snakes eat things like fish, earthworms, and small rodents, but I'm concerned that she may have difficulty eating such things due to her size.

Second, I'm scared to death of injuring her because of how delicate she is. Just holding her, I can feel how fragile her little bones are. I would like advice on how to handle her safely, if I should handle her at all.

Any extra information that may be useful is welcome.