What kind of garter (if any)?

[Tori]

Afraid I'm the only one that holds mine. It isn't that I wouldn't allow it, no one wants to! Go figure... My lizards lay all over my boyfriend and he thinks they are the coolest thing on earth, but he has no real interest in getting friendlier with the snakes. I have a subadult Eastern garter that has been my "baby" since he was born and he reaches up to be picked up while most of the others either run or take a nip to see if I'm eatable. Which is why I always wear gloves (don't laugh, that does NOT feel good). I take them off after they figure out I'm NOT eatable, which is pretty quickly.

[GarterGuy]

Afraid I'm the only one that holds mine. It isn't that I wouldn't allow it, no one wants to! Go figure... My lizards lay all over my boyfriend and he thinks they are the coolest thing on earth, but he has no real interest in getting friendlier with the snakes. I have a subadult Eastern garter that has been my "baby" since he was born and he reaches up to be picked up while most of the others either run or take a nip to see if I'm eatable. Which is why I always wear gloves (don't laugh, that does NOT feel good). I take them off after they figure out I'm NOT eatable, which is pretty quickly.

I have the same problem with my big kingsnake (you think a garter hurts, you ought to try a "nip" from a 5ft.+ kingsnake!). Usually I take a "tank hook" and gently rub her first before going into the tank. This lets her know that it's NOT feeding time and then I can just go in and pick her up. If I were to just go in and try to touch or grab her, she'd light me up! It's so strange though, 'cause she's such a sweatheart to handle, even to the point that I use her in Snake talks that I do for schools and let all the kids handle her at the end of it. It's just when there's the possibility to be fed, she's like a loaded gun....ready to go off!!!