husbandry and species questions

[Eight]

Hi guys, I'm new to garters and want to learn about them before I get any, so if you can add any relevant info at all please feel free to post :)

I've kept snakes before, so I'm no stranger, but I've only just started looking into garters. Are the husbandry requirements much different (other than temps and the like)? How much space do they need? And will they utilise arboreal setups?

Also I came across ribbon snakes in a magazine. Are they a sub species or totally different? I read that ribbons can be kept communaly and wondered if garters are the same.

Also could someone post a list of good food items for their diet. I'm consulting care sheets too but its always good to get opinions from a group of keepers.

Many thanks to anyone that can help

Sam

[infernalis]

Hi Sam, This care sheet is a group effort by the members here, and really the best one for you to study:

Garter Snake Forum - Garter Caresheet (http://www.thamnophis.com/index.php?page=caresheet)

And yes, many of us keep more than one garter snake in a cage at a time, Just make sure they are either the same sex, or the same sub-species.

As for food, acceptable items are in our care sheet, I feed pinkie mice and trout, others feed fish and night crawlers, opinions vary, I'm sure everyone will be happy to give their viewpoints along the way.

Enjoy your time on the forum.

[Didymus20X6]

Ribbons and garters are the same genus (Thamnophis). However, there are numerous species within the genus.

[EasternGirl]

The husbandry requirements can be specific...I'm not sure what you are asking...different as compared to what type of snake? Garters do not generally prefer arboreal set-ups....they do like to climb to a certain degree, but you would not want to set up a terrarium in the way that you would set up one for an arboreal snake. They like a lot of ground space to explore and burrow. Most of us have long aquarium tanks or wooden enclosures that give the snake ample room to move around at ground level, while still providing plants, vines and sometimes platforms in which the snake can climb...and bask at a high level if he or she chooses. Garters do like climbing but they are not arboreal snakes. I hope that answers that question for you. And if I am incorrect about anything that I said...other members please jump in and correct me.

[Eight]

The husbandry requirements can be specific...I'm not sure what you are asking...different as compared to what type of snake? Garters do not generally prefer arboreal set-ups....they do like to climb to a certain degree, but you would not want to set up a terrarium in the way that you would set up one for an arboreal snake. They like a lot of ground space to explore and burrow. Most of us have long aquarium tanks or wooden enclosures that give the snake ample room to move around at ground level, while still providing plants, vines and sometimes platforms in which the snake can climb...and bask at a high level if he or she chooses. Garters do like climbing but they are not arboreal snakes. I hope that answers that question for you. And if I am incorrect about anything that I said...other members please jump in and correct me.

Sorry that I wasn't too clear. I only meant is there anything very different/important about the care of garters, whether it was to do with heating/lighting or uv light or even diet. I have since read the caresheet you posted on my welcome post (thanks for that, it was a good read and really helped).

Could I ask you a question about lighting and heating though? If they are mostly terrestrial and prefer to be on the ground would it be acceptable to heat the warm end of the enclosure with a heat mat and provide a light bulb just for lighting purposes? I was thinking an energy saver (with a cage around it still)? Sorry if these seem like stupid questions.

[guidofatherof5]

Sorry that I wasn't too clear. I only meant is there anything very different/important about the care of garters, whether it was to do with heating/lighting or uv light or even diet. I have since read the caresheet you posted on my welcome post (thanks for that, it was a good read and really helped).

Could I ask you a question about lighting and heating though? If they are mostly terrestrial and prefer to be on the ground would it be acceptable to heat the warm end of the enclosure with a heat mat and provide a light bulb just for lighting purposes? I was thinking an energy saver (with a cage around it still)? Sorry if these seem like stupid questions.


That is how all my enclosures are set up. Cold and hot hides with lighting simply for that purpose.
I use florescent lighting with bulb covers. They run cool so there is no fear/worries about the snakes getting burned.

[EasternGirl]

Not stupid questions at all....there are no stupid questions. :). This is what we are here for. Many people choose to use heat mats and then use a light bulb like a florescent light for light only...you may want to consider just using a regular low watt light bulb...many members, including myself, use regular household bulbs because you can get them cheap and they do provide a little heat for the garter to bask under...garters do like to bask. I buy packs of 40 watt bulbs at dollar stores. I don't necessarily always use the heat mat and the light for heat at the same time. I do use a thermostat to control my temperatures though.

[Eight]

Not stupid questions at all....there are no stupid questions. :). This is what we are here for. Many people choose to use heat mats and then use a light bulb like a florescent light for light only...you may want to consider just using a regular low watt light bulb...many members, including myself, use regular household bulbs because you can get them cheap and they do provide a little heat for the garter to bask under...garters do like to bask. I buy packs of 40 watt bulbs at dollar stores. I don't necessarily always use the heat mat and the light for heat at the same time. I do use a thermostat to control my temperatures though.

I use thermostats for all my heating equipment, to not use them is just irresponsible and could possibly harm an animal when something goes wrong. I take it you still put a guard around the light bulb? I may even use a lower wattage, I'll see whats available in my local pound store :)

[Char361979]

All sensible questions. Gartersnakes are a learning process we have nine split between four different subspecies and all of them like different things! Sybil is always climbing, Laccy is always basking, You will rarely see Binky because she's normally building a tunnel, Vlad scarpers the minute he sees us yet Adorabelle and Lipwig want to be held and so on. You should have the basics you need, then you can fine tune to the little charater you have. Btw, nice to see another Southamptonite. I was born and raised in Sholing, Southampton.

[Didymus20X6]

I prefer ambient heat from above for my snakes. A 100w incandescent above the water enclosure and a 60w incandescent above one end of the land enclosure. I have a heating pad beneath the land enclosure, but I only use it late fall and early spring, when the snakes are still active but the ambient temps still low. During the summer, I dispense with heat altogether and just let ambient heat and sunlight through the windows be their heat sources.

But I do have to say, my snakes seem to be more active when the temp is higher, in the 90F range. They seem lethargic when it's lower. It might be because my snakes are Mississippi wild caughts, and are just used to higher temps than Yankee snakes.

[EasternGirl]

I use thermostats for all my heating equipment, to not use them is just irresponsible and could possibly harm an animal when something goes wrong. I take it you still put a guard around the light bulb? I may even use a lower wattage, I'll see whats available in my local pound store :) My lamps are on the outside of my tanks so I don't need the guard that you are speaking of. I have aquariums...20 gallon longs and 30 gallon high...with screen tops...so the lamps sit on top of the screens on the outside of the tank. But yes, if you are going to put the lamp in the viv, you would use a guard regardless of the wattage...the 40 watt bulbs do still get hot. Good thinking with the thermostats. :)

[Selkielass]

My checkered and Eastern prefer heat from below.
My Butlers garters seem to prefer basking under overhead heat. (Household light bulb) and choose a cool (Room temperature) damp hide over a warm dry one in all but the coldest weather.
Give your snakes some choices in microhabitat if at all possible- you will soon se which are their favorites.

[katach]

We use heat mats and above heat. The lamps are both 40wt bulbs. The big tank had a heat bulb and a non heat. My honey, Bill, dissected an old floor lamp we had to make this.
45284529
The first tank has a red heat bulb, Adira is an albino and she prefers the red light to a normal full spectrum. The heat mats are for the colder days, we turn everything off at night. Temps and humidity are monitored in both tanks constantly.

[Eight]

All sensible questions. Gartersnakes are a learning process we have nine split between four different subspecies and all of them like different things! Sybil is always climbing, Laccy is always basking, You will rarely see Binky because she's normally building a tunnel, Vlad scarpers the minute he sees us yet Adorabelle and Lipwig want to be held and so on. You should have the basics you need, then you can fine tune to the little charater you have. Btw, nice to see another Southamptonite. I was born and raised in Sholing, Southampton.

Ha I lived in sholing until I was 5. Moved away and came back when I was 16. Its a small small world :)