Patty Kaczmarek, age 11, of Omaha, Neb., for her question:

WHAT DO GARTER SNAKES EAT?

Garter snakes catch and eat other cold blooded animals, such as frogs, salamanders and fish. The young of some species eat earthworms.

Garter snakes are harmless. There are seven species with one or more kinds being found in most of the states, in southern Canada, Mexico and Central America.

Instead of laying eggs, the garter snakes bear their young alive. The size of a litter varies, but the average is 18. In some cases, as many as 80 babies can be born at one time.

A female garter snake usually grows to be 20 to 30 inches in 'length, while the males are a bit shorter and much thinner.

Lots of people select the harmless garter snake to be a household pet.