Mortality rates?

[Dracorex5]

So my eastern garter gave birth yesterday, and I have been working at random points of the day, watching her and her babies and making sure everyone is all right. Mom snake is calmer and friendlier than ever now that the babies are out of her system, and I will attempt the babies first feeding tomorrow with nightcrawler bits. And it got me thinking.... whats the chance that all 15 of my babies live to see adulthood? I currently have them all in one large bin, with plans to split the group in half next-shed, with three small water bowls and a nice HUGE moist moss pile big eneogh for all of them. The floor is nice paper towels I plan to clean out often. I'm going to build a better temp gradient when I get a second bin by using a combined side-pad for heating (similiar to a heating pad, but with control settings and able to latch with magnets! Made from brand new electric blankets with an auto shut off every few hours just to be safe).

What could kill my babies? Should I seperate obvious runts from the bigger babies (some babies are SMALL....)? How do I protect them? I've never had an animal give live birth before, and I feel so out of control! I barely have experience with garters, and I've only really dealt with baby geckos, which feel a little easier to deal with as you just pop them in an incubator and they come out ready to eat fruit goo and bounce around. I've heard stories of baby garters refusing to eat, drying out, and just flat out dying! What are my chances? Anyone?

[Didymus20X6]

First, calm down. Take a breath or two. Go to the window and look at some stars, or watch some waterfall scenes on TV.

Second, try to remember that these guys have to survive in nature. Otherwise, the species would have died out long ago.

If any of them just up and die for unidentifiable causes, just keep in mind, it's nature. It probably isn't from lack of care - that is, assuming you're not flinging them across the room or feeding them Nite-Quil.

I couldn't tell you much about garter snake infant mortality rates, as I haven't raised any babies (unless you count Tiny, but he was wild-caught as a very small juvenile - he wasn't born in captivity). From what I've gathered from the other members here, it's a hard thing to guage. The thing is, as long as you're doing your best to care for them, then you shouldn't blame yourself for their failure to thrive.

As far as that goes, just follow the advice of some of the breeders here, and you should be fine.

[kueluck]

Good morning and again, relax. Once the baby raisers had their coffee and are here you will get TONS of great advise. Wish I could help, but have not gone through this, and never want to.

[guidofatherof5]

In captivity they have a much better chance at survival. In the wild they all could be lost. They are pretty far down the food chain as babies and are a happy meal to just about every animal.
Even in captivity there is a chance some will not make it. "Failure to Thrive" seems to be the culprit in most of the deaths.
I feel failure to thrive is a developmental issue with some newborns. That survival drive switch just isn't turned on. They have little to no interest in eating and eventually dies of starvation. I've tried force feeding with these little one to no avail. For all I know it's wired in that a certain number of babies won't make it. Kind of a sacrifice for the benefit of the others.
I certainly don't know any of this as fact but think it might be this way.

Once that initial shed is completed keep them warm and dry but allow access to a nice water dish that is almost level with the substrate. Dehydration is a big concern with newborns.

[Dracorex5]

I'm honestly not horribly worried. Animals die, sometimes they are just too weak. I just have such little experience with garter snakes, this kind of took me by surprise on more ends than one, and I just dont want to do too much or too little. I dont do stress, I'm more of a haukuna matata kinda person, but I've learned in the past by bad experience that haukuna matata doesnt always cut it when it comes to animals. They dont much care if you are laid back and go with the flow, they need feeding and clean beverage! I'm actually quite excited about these little guys, and really so far I'm having a ball. Six of the fifteen ate some worm guts today, and they are all over the place like they should be :) I just want the best for the nubs. Or rather, scrubs XD (the whole family laughed at the fact they're called scrubs) When you're 17 and plotting for college, you dont need 15 baby snakes dying all over the place. I'd rather have 15 happy alive snakes than a stress-fest of dead babies!

[Invisible Snake]

If you have any non-eaters, separate them and leave a shallow water dish with guppies over night. Post pics of the babies =]

[Steveo]

I think of it kind of as a spectrum of strength and use human babies as an example. Some babies are born big and fat with strong lungs and a stronger appetite... others need some degree help, be it feeding, breathing, surgical corrections, medicine, etc... some look fully developed but are stillborn... and some never make it full-term. I think snakes are more or less the same way. The difficulty is that there isn't much we can do for the sickly babies other than give them a little extra attention.

As far as actual mortality rates, I'm not sure we have enough data to pin that down. Some litters are full of little champs, and some are all stillborn. Anecdotal evidence shows that most strong eaters live. Perhaps someone with some more experience with breeding can weigh in.

[HannahBewsher]

I was just surprised with a litter of fifteen as well on the 27th.. I thought a few weeks ago maybe she was gravid but I didn't feel any lumps.. I guess I was wrong. :P I fed and released all but three in the week since they were born, and I've got the three biggest most active bold babies now. They've each eaten a small earthworm and now I'm trying thawed scented pinky parts. One ate immediately, and I'm still trying the other two on them.. I read Invisible Snake's suggestion to leave guppies in overnight if I have trouble getting these other two to eat. Should they be separated overnight, each with a dish of guppies? Before I found them in her tank, I fed her a thawed fish, and the smell must have gotten the babies excited, and I had an accidental cannibalism incident with two babies before I realized she'd given birth.. I felt awful, and I'm afraid it will happen again. :( I'm feeding them each in a small glad container, but all but one seems to panic and won't eat in the containers. Any advice is much appreciated.

Hannah

[HannahBewsher]

Oh, and how long should I leave them in the containers with their food? I try to leave the room, or sit still so I don't startle them, but they never seem to stop. I'm not sure if maybe I'm not waiting long enough? I've left them for up to 45 minutes before I just let them out..

Thanks again
Hannah.

[Dracorex5]

I do feeding rounds, and it takes about an hour for all 15 snakes! I place them one by one in a bin with a piece of worm thats STILL MOVING, then after five minutes i move one out of the feeding bin and put another in, sorting them by who eats or not. Whoever ets goes back into the housing bin, an whoever doesnt eat gets a second chance at worm bits! Its a good system, ive gotten 10/15 to eat so far since they were born. Only one of which needs his worms scented with fish :) the cotainer panic is less when its a dark container and not see through ive noticed, then they focus on food.

[chris-uk]

Sounds like a good technique, I'll remember it if I ever find myself with more babies than I can monitor together. What happens if they don't feed on the second chance? Are you keeping feeders and non-feeders separate? Or do they all go back in the housing bin after the feeding session?
If you don't separate feeders from non-feeders have you considered doing it so that you can leave the non-feeders in a container with food pieces for longer (like overnight)?

[guidofatherof5]

Oh, and how long should I leave them in the containers with their food? I try to leave the room, or sit still so I don't startle them, but they never seem to stop. I'm not sure if maybe I'm not waiting long enough? I've left them for up to 45 minutes before I just let them out..

Thanks again
Hannah.

I sometimes cover the container with a towel or leave them in overnight.

[Dracorex5]

I keep the eaters and not eaters seperate, so I can try different tricks with the non-feeders! Some of them just might not be ready yet, I've heard it can take a bit :) I also marked my fish eater's tail with a non-toxic felt marker so I know he likes his noms coated in fish guts. I havent tried overnight feeding.... that's a great idea! May solve some problems, I'll give it a try next feed day!