Head to head
Garter Snake vs Grass Snake
The garter snake in North America and the grass snake in Europe fill the same role: the common, non-venomous snake people find in gardens, hedges, and compost heaps. They are not close relatives, and the way each reacts to being caught is a good way to tell the stories apart.
| Garter Snake | Grass Snake | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it lives | North America | Europe and western Asia |
| Family | Colubridae (genus Thamnophis) | Natricidae |
| Look | Pale length-wise stripes | Olive-green with a yellow-and-black collar |
| Size | Usually 45 to 90 cm | Up to about 1.5 m |
| Reproduction | Live birth | Lays eggs, often in compost heaps |
| Main defence | Releases foul musk | Plays dead, belly up, tongue out |
| Diet | Worms, slugs, frogs, fish, salamanders | Mainly amphibians; also fish |
| Danger to people | None (very mild venom, harmless) | None (no venom) |
Garter Snake vs Grass Snake: common questions
Are garter snakes and grass snakes the same thing?
No, though they are ecological equivalents. They are the common, small, harmless snake of gardens and grassy places on their respective continents, garter snakes across North America and grass snakes across Europe and into western Asia, and both are often loosely called garden snakes. But they are in different families, look different, one bears live young while the other lays eggs, and they have completely different responses to being caught. The name confusion is made worse by the fact that garter is sometimes pronounced gardener, and grass snake is occasionally misheard as garter snake, but the two are distinct species from opposite sides of the Atlantic.
Do grass snakes really play dead?
Yes, and it is one of the more theatrical defences in the snake world. A cornered grass snake will first try to bluff, flattening its head, hissing loudly, and striking with its mouth closed. If that fails and it is seized, it may go limp, roll onto its back with its mouth hanging open and its tongue lolling out, sometimes smearing itself with foul-smelling musk and even releasing a little blood from the mouth, doing a convincing impression of a days-dead snake. A predator that prefers live prey, or that is put off by the stench, may lose interest, at which point the snake rights itself and escapes. Garter snakes rely on musk and quick flight rather than this death-feigning act.
Which is bigger, a garter snake or a grass snake?
The grass snake, on average and at maximum. Most garter snakes are 45 to 90 cm long, with the largest common garter snakes occasionally reaching about 1.3 m. The grass snake is larger, commonly around 1 m and reaching up to roughly 1.5 m, with females noticeably bigger than males, and it is the largest snake native to Britain. Both are slender, lightly built snakes rather than heavy-bodied ones, so even a large individual of either is a modest animal, and both are completely harmless to handle beyond the smell of the musk they may release.