newbie, a few questions...

[dougabowski]

Hello all,
Lots of questions answered already by this excellent forum! Thank you!

We are waiting for a checkered garter snake to come in from the breeder (via the pet store). This is to be my 11 year old son's pet, although I think dad (me) will be helping out a lot.

What is the best substrate to use for the bottom of the vivarium? The pet store recommended a product that is 100% cypress mulch (Zoo Med's Forest Floor Bedding, $17.00 for a 9 litre bag). What is best for the checkered garter snake? What is not acceptable for a bedding?

The pet store also led me to believe that crickets were a main source of food for these snakes but according to this forum this appears to be false. I have to wonder if the staff know much at all about the caring of snakes.

A brief list of do's and don'ts for the first time pet snake owner would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Thamnophis]

Personally I use "woodchips".
I do not know how this is called in English.
See the picture...
http://www.geocities.com/xxxchinlovexxx/Zaagsel1.jpg

About the food.
Sometimes gartersnakes will eat a cricket, but I would advise you to feed them with fish (smalle smelt or so) and/or worms.

By the way... welcome on this forum!

[CrazyHedgehog]

If using wood chips just make sure its the dust free kind...
newspaper, bark, woodchips are all good substrate, some just look better than others..

I feed mainly on pinkies but when they are young start them off on chopped pinkies and chopped trout..worms are great for getting a problem snake to eat, also as a treat as they love them, but careful which ones...as brandlings (redder worms found in compost..) can be acidic and poisonous...

Ask the petshop to ask the breeder what he was feeding before..