Am I feeding too much?

[tress29]

How much should a 2011 male be eating, approximately? Is a large pinky or one earthworm too much? The guys looked severely bloated after I fed them worms tonight! I feed every 5 days or so...

[tress29]

P.S. Both the coast and the eastern have shed in the last three weeks! Now if the baby would shed again...

[guidofatherof5]

When in 2011 and can you post a photo?

[twgrosmick]

I have early 2012's eating pinkies so no I would not worry. I feed a small to medium size meal every 3-4 days. The metabolism of garter snakes is much higher than your average ball python

[thamneil]

I personally believe that it's hard to overfeed a healthy garter snake. As long as you provide an adequate basking spot, they should be able to digest what they have eaten rather quickly. Your feeding schedule sounds fine to me!

[snake man]

Mine will simple stop taking food when its full.

[luciecaboosie]

Mine doesn't get full so I'm not sure when to stop.

[jaleely]

Mine doesn't get full so I'm not sure when to stop.

awesome, that's about right...*LOL*

I've seen my wanderings eat slug pecies and finally stop...but that's only because i think they just didn't want the organs.
My red sidedes will stop, but not until the female looks at least twice her size. The male will stop and eats very slowly. If I didn't separate them, he wouldn't' get a meal at all, lol

Snakes can handle a lot of food at once. And, everyone's right, their metabolism is high. I wouldn't worry until you see space between scales...that's usually a sign of a fat snake. I haven't seen a fat garter though.

[Selkielass]

Fat, overgrown male checkered garter.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/thumbs/DSC00008.jpg (http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/showphoto.php?photo=10550&title=mourning&cat=500)
He has been on a lower fat diet all summer and his scale spread is much reduced.
I've handled a number of wild snakes this summer and all had a tight scale set with no spaces/ skin visible between scales.
food bulge is easy to see on a slim snake.
On a chubby snake it is much harder to see, and eager eaters will beg hard looking for just one more model...
Don’t get taken in by begging like I was.

[Invisible Snake]

Fat, overgrown male checkered garter.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/thumbs/DSC00008.jpg (http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/showphoto.php?photo=10550&title=mourning&cat=500)
He has been on a lower fat diet all summer and his scale spread is much reduced.
I've handled a number of wild snakes this summer and all had a tight scale set with no spaces/ skin visible between scales.
food bulge is easy to see on a slim snake.
On a chubby snake it is much harder to see, and eager eaters will beg hard looking for just one more model...
Don’t get taken in by begging like I was.

How old is he?

[Selkielass]

Two years- let me check my gallery for baby pics to confirm

[Selkielass]

Two years- let me check my gallery for baby pics to confirm...
yep. I got him in sept 2010
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/general-talk/7612-cant-resist-cute-face.html