The young are independent from birth, on their own as they make their way out of the birth membrane. Young consume great quantities of prey in order to fatten up before the winter hibernation. Consuming earthworms, invertebrates and fish, they are surprisingly aggressive and able to eat prey which are large for their size. It is during this period that they are most susceptible to predation. Predation Besides humans, there is a wide variety of natural, and introduced, predators.
Birds are also successful predators of garters.
Road runners excel in catching snakes, and garters are no exception, quickly dispatched through vigorous use of the road runners beak and feet. Hunting strategies vary, from airborne reconnaissance to perching in likely spots and watching for movement below. In the wild, few mammals specialize in feeding on snakes, and even mongoose diets contain only a small portion from snakes. Mink, too, are ferocious hunters, and can easily kill and eat garters. Skunks and opossums may eat garters if they uncover them while scavenging.