Trying Earthworms

[Mandi0284]

So my new snake.....still unnamed lol....turned his nose up at the small fish i offered him. I went and bought some worms to see if he will eat them. i am thinking that he might have been a wild snake at one time.

how old do you guys think that he is?
what do wild young snakes eat?

i showed the little snake the worms and he looked at them, and then started flicking his tongue rapidly.
i put the worms in a little dish and put it in the cage with my pet.

i hope that he eats them. any tips on how i can get him to start accepting food?

[guidofatherof5]

Sometimes new snakes can take weeks to get adjusted.

[Invisible Snake]

how old do you guys think that he is?

Unless you know when the snake was born it is very hard to know the snakes age, we can only guess.

I have yet to try worms, but I have always gotten my garters to eat live fish swimming in their water bowls.
Make sure that the worms you feed your garter are safe worms from the forums caresheet, some worms are toxic to garters.

[Mandi0284]

if i try fish again should i get ones that are bigger?
the little feeders were about -------------- this long including tail and skinny.

ok i will check the caresheet.

yeah i took the worms out of the cage. the worms are a reddish color and i am not sure if they are safe for my snake.
what about night crawlers????

[thamneil]

Night crawlers are great! Assuming he is brand new, I would give him a while to settle in before sticking food in his face. He'll eat when hes ready :)

[Selkielass]

Small night crawlers are excellent food. Cut them in3-4 pieces to make them less mobile and serve in a shallow dish last thing at night so all is quiiet while he decides if he wants to eat them. Recount. Bits in the morning. My Abby took several weeks and lots of privacy before she would eat.

[EasternGirl]

Yes...don't feed him the red worms...sounds like maybe red wigglers which are toxic. Nightcrawlers are what you want. I chop mine up into little pieces for my young snakes. Put them on a dish and put a paper towel over the bedding that you have in his tank so that he doesn't get any bedding in his food. Supervise him while he eats if he will let you. He may be shy and not want to eat while you are watching. Also...depending on how young he is...the fish may need to be small. Do check the caresheet for safe fish as was recommended. Garter Snake Care Sheet - Caresheets (http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets/index.php?title=Garter_Snake_Care_Sheet)

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Don't be to concerned that you'r little one isn't eating straight away.Just give the snake a little time to settle in.

[Mandi0284]

i didn;t know that goldfish were bad for snakes too. where would be a good place to get feeder guppies and platies? i know if i go to a local petstore they probably wont sell them to me.

i will give my little guy some more time to get used to things and then i will start offering him food. at least i can use the worms to go fishing lol.

[guidofatherof5]

Were at you located and why won't they sell to you?

[Selkielass]

Call and ask for prices on 'feeder guppies '. They are sometimes not out on display with the fancy fish. You should find them several for a dollar. Call around to aquatics stores for best price.

[guidofatherof5]

Were at you located and why won't they sell to you?

Let's try this again.:D Duh Time to up my meds. again.

Where are you located and why won't the sell to you?

[ProXimuS]

Hmmm...I know some of the places around here won't sell rats to my friend for her Ball. Maybe some places do the same with fish?...I don't really understand why. I mean, I feel bad knowing animals are going to be eaten, but other animals need to eat...(I know fish would be different than rats, but jsut a thought:confused:)

[Mandi0284]

i am in colorado.

i used to work in a petco and the only fish that are sold to use as feeders are the comet goldfish.
i guess i dont have to mention that they will be eaten, lol, but if the fish are the only thing that he will eat i would like to buy platies without being denied a sale just cause they are going to be food.

[Mandi0284]

his eyes are a cloudy blue......is he getting ready to shed?

[guidofatherof5]

I'm not aware of any Petco policy that would prevent you from buying any fish for whatever purpose you may have for them.

Check with any one owner shops in your area for guppies or maybe Gambusia.
Smaller shops would probably have a bigger need for feeder guppies and such.
Mosquitofish - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquitofish)

[Mandi0284]

i caught some of those little fish yesterday.

[thamneil]

Parasites are a big problem when using any kind of wild fish.

[Mandi0284]

i caught them for my empty fish tank lol. my step kids and i were out trying to catch tadpols, but i think we were a little late in the season for them lol.

i am gonna wait and see if he sheds. his eyes are cloudy....i guess that is a sign he is getting ready, maybe that is why my snake is not keen on eating at the moment.

[guidofatherof5]

i caught them for my empty fish tank lol. my step kids and i were out trying to catch tadpols, but i think we were a little late in the season for them lol.

i am gonna wait and see if he sheds. his eyes are cloudy....i guess that is a sign he is getting ready, maybe that is why my snake is not keen on eating at the moment.

Some snakes don't eat when in opaque phase (shedding phase). Make sure your snake has access to a large water bowl that will allow him to swim. Many snake take a dip just before to aid in he shedding process. Once he has shed be sure to look for a complete shed. You'll need to see two eye caps and a complete tail shed.

[EasternGirl]

Yep...he made need time to adjust and the fact that he is getting ready to shed might keep him from eating too. Most of my new snakes wouldn't eat when I first got them...and some will not eat during shed time. You might also consider fish fillet. I do feed fish..but not live fish. I go to the seafood counter at my supermarket or to a seafood store and buy fresh, never frozen, fish. Tilapia is good, farm-raised rainbow or steel-head trout is good too. Just make sure you are feeding other things besides fish...a varied diet is best. I cut the fish into small pieces and freeze what is left...then thaw the rest when feeding. Always feed it raw...never cooked.

[Mandi0284]

i checked on my little guy today after i got home from work. his eyes are clear again...so not sure what was going on.

thanks for all the great suggestions about foods to try with him. i will pick up some fish and earthworms next week and try offering them.

[guidofatherof5]

If the eyes are back to normal this means the shed should take place within the next week. Could be as early as today.
You just need to keep an eye out for it.

[EasternGirl]

Yep...with the shed process usually the eyes go blue/cloudy for a couple of days, then they clear up, then the shed takes place within a day to a week after...depending on the snake.

[Mandi0284]

i am so excited.
should i leave him alone till he sheds? is it still ok to handle him?

[guidofatherof5]

I try not to handle my snake that are in shed. They are much more jumpy and seem to not like it.
I'm guessing it's not just their vision that is affected by the shed but maybe the sensitivity to touch also(just my opinion, no proof)
I do have a couple of radixes that still come out during shed and act as if nothing is going on. They are the exception to the rule though.

[kimbosaur]

Parasites are a big problem when using any kind of wild fish.

They are a bigger risk with captive fish IMO! Especially with pet store feeders that are kept in abysmal conditions.

[EasternGirl]

Yes...I agree with Steve. Snakes in shed mode are at their most vunerable in the wild...so it is their natural instinct to be protective and defensive during this time. They like to hide and don't like to be handled much. I usually try to leave mine alone as much as possible before a shed.

[kibakiba]

Most of mine don't mind being handled while in shed, but they've been with me for a long time. I'm pretty sure they know me by smell if they cant see with all the foggy eyes and such. But, I don't recommend it, since it can stress them out if they are more jumpy.