We've recently cleaned up our back yard and spread some pea gravel where no grass will grow. It was always muddy when it would rain, so we gave up and just weeded the sparse grass down that did come up along with any weeds. The pea gravel looks nice in the path, but today we found a good size garter snake right in the middle of the gravel sunning itself. I've read they like to do that sort of thing, but now I'm not so sure if it's such a good thing, although we let it go in the back part of the yard.
I'm wondering if the warm pea gravel attracted the slithering creature. I've read conflicting information on whether or not they're venomous. Has anyone had problems with such snakes causing problems, or are they ok and mind their own business.