Hello from Coventry, England

[luminol]

Hello All,

Im new here, my girlfriend and I have just got our first snake, Tickles, a Checkered Garter snake Baby.

Such an adorable snake.

Anywho just wanted to say hey, heres Tickles...

7434

[Stefan-A]

Welcome aboard.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

:)Welcome to the Thamily:).
Tickles looks a good size for a young marcianus,much chunkier than my scrawny little one:p

[luminol]

Thanks, this place is going to be a great source of info and general chit chat, thanks everyone.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

What is the little one feeding on?

[indigoman]

Welcome aboard!

[luminol]

Thanks. Lol ones on pinkies just, are one last week so hope it'll carry one in that vein. Grew massively quick after that first pinky.

[guidofatherof5]

Nice to you with us.
Here is a link to the forum care sheet which is always a good read.
T.marcianus (Checkered Garter Snake), sweet.
Garter Snake Forum - Garter Caresheet (http://www.thamnophis.com/index.php?page=caresheet)
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//744/medium/welcome.jpg

[Light of Dae]

Welcome, Very cute little one you got there.

[luminol]

Hi,
Ive read the care sheet thanks (and as many as possible beforehand). Very informative.
One question I do have is, when I can i introduce some better substrate, im currently using kitchen towel as he's (I say he, hasnt been sexed mind) so small still.
I was thinking of going for some aspen or similar, or something more natural looking. He keeps hiding between the sheets of towel at the mo.
anywho, any advice will be great, thanks.
Thank you for the warm welcomes.
Chris

[guidofatherof5]

No reason you can't change substrate at anytime.
They like to hide in many of the other substrates also.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Aspen works if the snake likes to burrow. When feeding put it in a separate container or put the feeding bowl on top of some kitchen roll.

[ScimitarX]

Welcome! Gotta love chequereds :D

[chris-uk]

Now there's a coincidence, another Chris from Coventry with a checkered garter (our first was an albino checkered, then normal checkereds, then.... Well, now there are 13 in a room of their own). Welcome to the forum!

Aspen has been good for me so far. Be cautious when feeding, or as others have said take him out into a clean container for feeding. How old is the little scrub? And how often are you feeding? I think it's safe to say that most of us feed our babies smaller meals more often, I don't think my checkereds ate a whole pinky for a long time.

Anyway, welcome aboard.

[thamneil]

Welcome from a freezing Winnipeg!

Checkereds were my first garter as well. A very solid and fun snake to start with.

[luminol]

Hi from chilly Coventry...doesn't really work haha

The lil ones about 2 months old. Apparently he's has a full pinky spread, albeit a small one and were advised to feed him once a week now and cut it in half, you think we should feed more?



Also heres a question, I have a thermometer in each zone, hot and cold, cold is reading at 20c and so is the hot side, im using a 7w mat with a thermostat and eco terra analogue thermometers. The mat seems nice warmth under the faunarium but worried the lil fellas too cold. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance. Also, very coincidental, two, chris' in Coventry with checkereds, the aliteration alone is nuts :)

[Invisible Snake]

Hello and welcome to the forum!


The lil ones about 2 months old. Apparently he's has a full pinky spread, albeit a small one and were advised to feed him once a week now and cut it in half, you think we should feed more?

I would feed him 2 pinkies a week and try giving him a chopped up lob worm here and there.

[luminol]

im going to feed him tomorrow and see how he takes to it. Pinky split into two! My first time feeding the lil one as pet shop had done it previously, tips?

[ScimitarX]

Did you get him from Medusa in Notts?

[luminol]

I did indeedy. Nice shop and helpful. Wait...would that be the breeder?

[ScimitarX]

I am yeah, :) he was the last one of mine, and i spoke to you on the phone the first time you phoned. But yeah, hes a couple months old, i started him on cut up bits of fish. every 2/3 days. Then switched him over to the pinkies, which again i was cutting up, but he had a whole one last week. Just leave it in for him and he should eat it within a few minutes. Hope this helps :)

[chris-uk]

I guess I've always used smaller pieces to feed because all of mine cohabit so I don't like any one of them taking a couple of minutes to swallow. If he's been on fish already then I'd keep him on a mixed diet of pinkies and fish, variety is the spice of life and you don't want him to loose the taste for fish. :-)

[Mommy2many]

Welcome to the forum!

[luminol]

hiiiii, wehave just given him a pinkie (we cut down the middle) andhe ate it up soooo quick it was amazing. it really is a gorgeous snake and we have fallen for his charm. keeps popping his head out of his hide for sneak peaks at us then just explores again.

Thanks for the tip, he ate so ferociously I think he'll be on two soon.

thanks again to everyone for the warm welcome

[ScimitarX]

Yep, his appetite sure was great. Glad hes doing ok for you :)

[Invisible Snake]

Did you get him from Medusa in Notts?


I did indeedy. Nice shop and helpful. Wait...would that be the breeder?


I am yeah, :) he was the last one of mine, and i spoke to you on the phone the first time you phoned. But yeah, hes a couple months old, i started him on cut up bits of fish. every 2/3 days. Then switched him over to the pinkies, which again i was cutting up, but he had a whole one last week. Just leave it in for him and he should eat it within a few minutes. Hope this helps :)

Small world :)

[luminol]

I know, very small world. Yeh hes being great thanks clare.

[gregmonsta]

Greetings :D

Personally, I 'm not a fan of aspen. I'm currently using a cardboard based substrate that works very well. ReptileBedding (http://www.reptilebedding.co.uk/)

[luminol]

Wow that's seems really good, what do you use? Pellets or the card. I may try this

[gregmonsta]

I use the card but am considering buying a combo pack so I can try the pellets too ;)

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Do you know what sex tickles is?

Ta for the link,Greg. I've been looking for the cardboard bedding for ages:D

[luminol]

not sure, havent sexed him yet (i say him, thats just a wild guess). Maybe ill post a tail pic on here when he stays still long enough

[ProXimuS]

Wow what a bunch of weird coincidences and a nice alliteration;)

Hello and welcome! Nice looking little one you've got:)

[luminol]

Haha it is indeed. Thanlk you very much. You all seem very nice and very knowledgable!

[johnc79@hotmail.com]

Welcome to the garter world from the west midlands. :-)




Greetings :D

Personally, I 'm not a fan of aspen. I'm currently using a cardboard based substrate that works very well. ReptileBedding (http://www.reptilebedding.co.uk/)

Good shout on this site Greg! First I knew it existed . Just ordered a sample pack. Happy days. :-)

[gregmonsta]

I'd been getting this for a while - ECOBALE CARDBOARD BEDDING (20 KG BALE) (http://www.gjwtitmuss.co.uk/horse-bedding/pid3562/cid358/ecobale-cardboard-bedding-20-kg-bale.asp) but feel the quality of the product has dropped. The last bale had lots of printed cardboard in it so just about to switch to the finacard myself ;)

[luminol]

I ordered some and apparently should be here tomorrow, will givemy opinion on it at some point

[chris-uk]

I ordered some and apparently should be here tomorrow, will givemy opinion on it at some point

That would be great. I'm thinking about moving from aspen, so opinions will be useful. It will probably deserve its own thread in the habitat section.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Is there any reason not to use cardboard substrate? - Reptile Forums (http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/snakes/912139-there-any-reason-not-use.html)

[chris-uk]

Thanks William. I haven't had time to read RFUK much recently.

[gregmonsta]

I first reviewed the cardboard bedding on this thread ;) - over a year ago now.

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/husbandry/7858-new-substrate.html

[chris-uk]

This is the same stuff from a different supplier then? I noted that you had moved from Finacard sometime.

[gregmonsta]

This is the same stuff from a different supplier then? I noted that you had moved from Finacard sometime.

I was looking into both from the start. Have only used ecopetbed so far but am about to switch to finacard (repticard). From feedback on RFUK both products seem identical and, happily, the finacard still uses unprinted cardboard.