Hello From The San Francisco East Bay

[Kasturi]

Hi All,
I am new to the garter snake world. As usual, it's one of my kids that is causing me to expand my knowledge base and grow ;). About a month ago my boys and I were at a retreat site in Petaluma California. My 9 year old spent the whole weekend looking for and catching snakes. He caught 11 total. He was beside himself!!! His friend had a Audubon book, so they were doing their best at identifying. We have two corn snakes that we are all in love with. However, finding and catching snakes in the wild was SO huge for him. He really wanted to keep the first snake he ever caught, a garter of some sort. He was so proud, I couldn't say no. We brought it home and took it straight to The East Bay Vivarium, our closest reptile store. They identified her as a common garter, which looks right after looking at countless photos online. They also said she is a yearling. She is such a pretty girl, such a different look than the corns. She has a scar on her lower body near her vent. You can clearly see an arc shaped indentation. Small mammal? Yuck, I bet she gave them a mouth full of musk! It saved her life I'd imagine. She has been eating well and likes to examine her new home from top to bottom. However, she doesn't seem interested in us. After being musked a few times, I found a thread that recommended not picking her up. Instead I put my hand in and keep it still. She has sniffed me intently and ran over my fingers a few times to get where she wants to go. I am guessing it's just going to take time? Am I silly to assume she will ever want anything to do with us? I'm trying to be patient :(.

[infernalis]

Some calm down in time, some will never be very tolerant of human interaction.

http://www.thamfriends.com/mat.jpg

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Welcome to the forum:D Could you post some pictures? What are you feeding your new arrival?

[chris-uk]

Welcome aboard. Glad to find out it is common garter and not one of the protected Californian species - I'm not 100% on the laws but I'm pretty certain that there's more than just the San Francisco Garter that is protected in California? Something to check before your son goes out collecting local snakes.

[gregmonsta]

Greetings :D

[Stefan-A]

Welcome aboard.

[Light of Dae]

Welcome, pictures would be awesome!

[guidofatherof5]

Nice to have you with us.
Garters need some time to settle as it's been said.
Here is a link to the forum care sheet which is always a good read. Feel free to ask any questions not answered in the care sheet.
I second the request for a few photos.
Common as in "common" doesn't really identify your snake.
Garter Snake Forum - Garter Caresheet (http://www.thamnophis.com/index.php?page=caresheet)
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//744/medium/welcome.jpg

[Invisible Snake]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

It's great to have someone join from the promise land of the San Frans Bay, plenty of beautiful garters are local to your area.

[Kasturi]

7529
here she is. she has been eating pinkies so far.

thanks for all the hospitality everyone!

[guidofatherof5]

I'm not real good with some of those CA. garter I.D's but I think it might be a
Thamnophis elegans terrestris - Coast Gartersnake

[Invisible Snake]

I agree with Steve, that's a Coast garter snake (Thamnophis elegans terrestris)

[ProXimuS]

Me too, Honestly that's what popped into my head when I read it was identifed as a "Common Garter." Very pretty girl:)


Hello and welcome!

[Kasturi]

I read somewhere in this forum about hand feeding stand offish garters. Being a corn snake owner I was shocked by the idea! However, I guess it could work because garters find food differently? Just trying to piece it all together AND make friends with our new coast garter (thanks guys). Thoughts?

[guidofatherof5]

If the snake is being standoffish I'm not sure why hand feeding would work. Some garters like to have their privacy when eating. Cutting up their food and leaving it under their hide works well or covering the enclosure while they eat. For some snakes it takes time for them to settle in and trust you.
Be patient with your new friend. ;)

[Light of Dae]

Aww the picture is gone :(

As far as making friends, it'll take time. Try leaving her alone for a week(or two), no food offered, no contact, no staring into her cage at close range. Watch her from a distance. Only top up her water or change it if needed, other then that, leave her alone.

Then offer cut up food on a plate with a little water in the bottom so it don't dry out and she has all the time to decide if she wants it. Garters like cold, wet food. None of my snakes will take food that is dry.

The next day you could sit by her tank n put your hand in there n (maybe turn on a radio, I find noise helps bring them out) and don't go after her or anything just sit there n see, she might come close n smell you or she might crawl all over you. Don't try n grab her. Do this for the first while, helps them get used to you.

As well when picking her up try not to go at her from above, as you appear to be a predator then. I try n go from underneath them, use two hands n corner if you have to that she runs from one hand right into the other. I do this with my babies that are tiny as well. Works really good.

[mustang]

HI! welcome to the forum... (sorry bout being a little late i'm working for another two weeks+prepping to go to college for my first semester in the spring, then im gonna take extra courses so i dont fall behind my class, which is class of 2016...yeah i started a semester late...it's a long story involving mom and dad :( ) hope you like it here :D this place is full of great people with great advice :)

[Kasturi]

She is actually least standoffish while I'm feeding her. The last pinky I fed her, I held onto the end of it with long tweezers until it was 90% gone. It seemed helpful to her. I was holding the little thing still. She is a pretty calm eater, unlike my corn who snatches and constricts (guess she doesn't notice it's already dead)! I am trying to be patient and appreciate the baby steps. Hand feeding is just intriguing to me. I thought it might be a way to get closer to her in a positive way. Thanks all!

[guidofatherof5]

Hand feeding is a great way to get more trust from your snake.

[Greg'sGarters]

Welcome to out thamily!!!

[Kasturi]

Thanks everyone for welcoming me! I hand fed an earthworm to Kasturi on Friday. Yummy! Or at least I think that is what her happy little face said as she inhaled it! Since then, she has been out and about a lot. Coincidence? maybe, but it's nice to see her either way! I do have a technical question about feeding. Would that worm be enough until her next pinky or are they more like a snack? I mean her belly was full looking, but worms seem like stretchy sacks of liquid. Are they 'meaty' enough to stay satisfied? (Ick;)). Thanks again!

[guidofatherof5]

There has always been a good discussion about the nutritional value of worm.
I've heard they are 85% water. That being said the leftover 15% must be some awful good stuff as the snake grow big on worms.
I don't think worm get the credit they deserve.
Just my opinion.