Hello :) and help!

[Snake_Freak]

Hello i am new here and i have a problem
i just got gartnersnake babies (thamnophis sauritus sauritus) totally unexpected i didnt knew my snake was pregnant.
But my problem is that they wont eat i have tried to feed them sliced fish and wurms but they wont eat it and two of the 5 have already died :(
i really dont know what to do:confused:
can somebody pelase give me some advice on how i need to keep them and what to feed them

grtz Snake Freak


btw my english is verry bad because i am from holland

[adamanteus]

Hi Seppe, welcome to the forum. Your English is fine, I understand everything you're saying. We have several Dutch members here, so you're in good company.

I'm sorry to hear that your baby snakes are dying. Please refer firstly to our general care sheet for advice on Thamnophis care.
http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets/index.php?title=Garter_Snake_Care_Sheet
Some of our members are keeping Ribbon Snakes (T. sauritus) and they will be better qualified than I to give you specific advice. However, it seems to me that the time has come to force-feed the babies before any more die. You've come to the right place for help and friendly advice, please be patient and wait for replies to come in, I'm sure our members will be able to help you. Welcome again, and good luck.

[adamanteus]

Seppe, here is a link to our article on force-feeding.
http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets/index.php?title=Force_Feeding

[Snaky]

Hi Seppe, welcome to the forum.

Some tricks to get them started is:
- offer earthworms, cut in the correct size. The smell and movement is a great trigger often. Offer the ordinary earthworms you find in your ( unferilized) garden, not the one's from a compost heap.
- offer live fish. For example bait fish, or some guppies or other from the aquarium store. Give them in a shallow plate, so the fish will 'splash'. Most of the time this does the trick.

Once you have them eating, try something else together with them or scent something else with the earthworms.

BTW:
Als je een vertaling nodig hebt vraag je het maar! ;)
If you need a translation of something, just ask ;)

[adamanteus]

Als je een vertaling nodig hebt vraag je het maar! ;)
If you need a translation of something, just ask ;)

Thankyou, Hans. I'm sure Seppe will appreciate this.:)

[Sid]

Hans advise is right on the money for getting new babies started eating. Wish you luck on the remainder of the babies. For the fish try small Rosey minnows or baby Guppies.

Sid

[Elliot]

I've found the easiest thing to get ribbons to eat is minnows, so try very small live rosies, that should do the trick! (this may be irreleveant, but neither of my ribbons will touch a worm, of course they are adults and not babies)

[Snake_Freak]

Hello
thank you all verry much for your reply's i am going to try alle the things immediately and snakey thank you for asking but i don't really need a translation;)
i will reply immediatley after i have done the things you adviced me
and again thenak you all verry much for your advice

Seppe

[Snake_Freak]

Hello
i have anonther question about my adult ribbons snakes
what size must a terrarium(i dont know the word in english sorry ) at least be for 3 adult ribbon snakes and does anyone have snakes in a high terrarium if so can you show me pictures of it
i hope somebody will reply

Seppe

[Stefan-A]

Welcome aboard, Seppe. :)

I believe around 100x50x50 cm is considered enough for a couple. I think that might be big enough for 3 snakes as well but bigger is usually better.

[adamanteus]

I agree, 100x50x50 should be enough. I know of people who successfully keep them in smaller enclosures than this. But as Stefan says, "the bigger, the better".

[Sid]

Your rule of thumb is a minimun length to be at least equal to the snakes length.

Sid

[Snake_Freak]

Hello
i have tryed alle the things you have adviced me but they still wont eat and this morning again one of them died:( and a few hours later another one died:(
so i have only one left and that one isnt doing to good either:(

does anybody have an idea what i can do:confused:

Seppe

[adamanteus]

As I said last Wednesday...the time has come to force-feed. Try reading through this thread, Seppe.

http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets/index.php?title=Force_Feeding

[Snake_Freak]

i already did
but i dont know how to get the mouth of the snake open
and i am scared that i will damage the snake because it is so tiny

[adamanteus]

You can gently pry the mouth open with a finger nail or similar. I think the risk is now worth it, or surely the last one will be dead very soon indeed.

[Snake_Freak]

i tryed it and it wasnt easy
but know snake has verry little fish but i think it is at the point of dying because the mouth is still open but he still breaths what do you think ?

[adamanteus]

Did you get some food into him? All you can do now is disturb him as little as possible (to minimize stress) and hope he pulls through. Keep us informed, Seppe. Good luck.

[Lulu Bennett]

i hope he pulls through sweety. good luck!

[Snake_Freak]

thanks but i have put him back in his enclosure he is there now for about 2 hours and he has moved a little bit and he still has his mouth a little open so i dont know if he is going to make it he has had a little bit of food and he is lying in his cage as if he is dead but he is alive because i can see him breething so i hope he will make it

Seppe

[Snake_Freak]

Hello everybody

i am sad to inform you that the last one just died today
i think i was to late with the force feeding

i would like to thank you all for your good advice
tommorw i will be on a holiday for 2 weeks just that you know

grtz Seppe

[Lulu Bennett]

im soo sorry to hear the bad news. life goes on tho. you cant blame yourself you did all you could. hope you have a good holiday and i hope to speak to you once you get back xxx

[adamanteus]

Bad luck Seppe.:(

[GarterGirl]

Welcome to the forum!
I am sorry about the snakes. You must have felt really bad. I know I would!

[Snake_Freak]

hello everybody
i just wanted you to know that i am back from a great holiday in tjechie :D
and i really did feel bad gartergirl but my holiday made me forget about that :P
thanks for all the post

[garterking7]

try very small minnows and that should work that's what I got mine started on.

[Odie]

Hi, from Oregon, Seppe :)