Humidity level in Terrarium?

[Kurly1]

Hello everyone! I am new to the site and new to having a Garter snake as a pet. (Well, it is my 11 year old son's pet because he begged me to let him keep it after he caught it in my garden!) He named him "Kurly" because he like the way the snake curls around his fingers when he holds him or her - lol :)

Anyway, my question is how do you keep the humidity level in the terrarium in the normal range between 50 and 70? I have noticed that the reading on the Hygrometer tends to get past 70 sometimes and I don't know how to keep it down.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Josh]

welcome to the forum.

[adamanteus]

Hi, and welcome to the forum. What species of Garter do you have? You can lower the humidity by placing the water container in a cooler part of the tank or by reducing the size of the water container. Is the substrate you're using dry?

[Stefan-A]

You might need to improve the ventilation as well.

[ssssnakeluvr]

you want to keep the humidity levels low...garters can get skin infections easy in humid environments. a 10 gallon tank or 20 gallon long with a screen lid will work just fine to keep the humidity down.

[Kurly1]

Thanks for the welcome.

I have no idea what species the garter is. :confused: I need to look online for pictures or get a snake book to figure that one out I guess.We have a 10 gallon terrarium with a screen lid and repti cage carpet on the bottom of it. I have a basking light on one side and it's water container is on the opposite side in the cooler part. The snake is in my son's bedroom upstairs so it is a little warmer up there. Could that possibly be the problem? Would turning on the air conditioner in the house help?

Oh, and he poops in the water container sometimes (ewww). When we put that container in there, he was so happy and began slithering in and out of it immediately. We have only been feeding him earthworms so the poop is very runny too. We are going to add more to his diet like fish this week but I need to read a little more about that on the site.

And to think I always told my children no to getting a dog because it would be too much work taking care of it - lol.

[Sputnik]

Garters don't really take much work. It just takes a little time to familiarise yourself with them. But once you've got the hang of it, you'll find it a doddle. :) Just enjoy exploring this new field. I feel it's as much fun as keeping the snakes. And there are plenty of people on here who are amazing at helping you out with information and support. You'll find this is a lovely place to be part of!

[Sid]

Welcome to the forum. Can't add to the advise already given concerning your humidity problem, you've already received good ideas. What part of the US are you from? The location will help to narrow down the species you have.

You can find photos of a number of Thamnophis species on this site under the care Sheet section.

Sid

[Kurly1]

Sid,
I live in Ohio. Thanks for the info about pics on the site. I am off to look at them. Hopefully we'll see one that looks like Kurly.

[Lulu Bennett]

also if you post a pic of the snake from the top and the side and also a close up of the underside of the tail then i am sure that someone will beable to identify the species and also the sex of it.

welcome to the forum by the way. we will all do what we can to help and i can also say your in safe hands here. everyone looked after me when i joined :D

[GarterGirl]

Welcome to the forum
I am Mikhaila
I am 9 years old

[Kurly1]

Thanks everyone and hi Mikhaila. The humidity level is reading right in the middle of normal now. I rearranged some things around in Kurly's living area, such as the basking light, moved the water bowl all the way down to the cool end and put less water in it.

I would love to know if Kurly is male or female and what species it is. My son is hoping it's male of course. I am not sure how to get pics on the computer to post them but I'll work on it.

I'll have my son play around a little on this sight so he can read up on Garters and learn more about HIS pet. I'm sure you will hear from us quite a bit since this snake business is so new to my family. ;)

[Lulu Bennett]

im afraid i can't help you when it comes to putting pics onto your pc but he's some help for putting it onto the site http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/site-feedback-suggestions-questions/1008-guide-posting-pictures.html
hope it helps. also you could have a look through these and see if it helps
http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets/index.php?title=Main_Page
it gives a list of garter species and pics come with most if not all.
i'm glad you like the site and can't wait to see these pics :D

[drache]

Welcome to the forum
snakes have many advantages over dogs
foremost among them that they don't need to be walked in every kind of weather, don't bark, don't eat so often (smaller quantities too), don't leave hair all over your clothes and furniture, don't smell bad when wet and there's more
I think you've made a good decision to keep Kurly

[Lulu Bennett]

i agree Rhea. i was told that i should get a dog instead because it shows affection and snakes don't but i disagree because in their own lil way i know that sissle and kia show affection. like the min my hand goes in the tank kia, with her balls of steel, slithers straight on my arm and eventually makes it around my neck and sits there cuddling me :D

[Elliot]

i agree Rhea. i was told that i should get a dog instead because it shows affection and snakes don't but i disagree because in their own lil way i know that sissle and kia show affection. like the min my hand goes in the tank kia, with her balls of steel, slithers straight on my arm and eventually makes it around my neck and sits there cuddling me :D

I think Kia is disformed if she has balls of steel. :D

[Lulu Bennett]

she's NOT deformed she's just special!:rolleyes:

[drache]

I'm curious about those balls of steel
pics please

[Lulu Bennett]

I'm curious about those balls of steel
pics please

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//560/medium/balls_of_steel.JPG

you asked for it!! shes my special lil baby girl...
....With balls of steel?!

[Elliot]

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//560/medium/balls_of_steel.JPG

you asked for it!! shes my special lil baby girl...
....With balls of steel?!

LOL looks like something James would do :D

[ssssnakeluvr]

Get used to the pooping in the water dish....mine do it all the time. worms are ok for the snake, but, they are 80% water...pass thru fast and make a big mess!!! they are great for scenting pinkies tho, if you have one that eats worms, rub a pinkie in the worms slime and they will chow down!!! if they eat only worms, they will need calcium supplements on a regular basis. post some pics and we can id it for you!!!

[Elliot]

Get used to the pooping in the water dish....mine do it all the time. worms are ok for the snake, but, they are 80% water...pass thru fast and make a big mess!!! they are great for scenting pinkies tho, if you have one that eats worms, rub a pinkie in the worms slime and they will chow down!!! if they eat only worms, they will need calcium supplements on a regular basis. post some pics and we can id it for you!!!

I think the snakes think of their water dish as a toilet lol

[Kurly1]

I think the snakes think of their water dish as a toilet lol


Yes, I am finding that out. So far today I only see water in the dish but know that can change at any given moment.

I found out what species we have. I went to a half price bookstore to see if they had any books on snakes that I could buy and I found one. I opened the first page of the book and saw a snake that looked just like Kurly. It's a Thamnophis marcianus.... Checkered Garter Snake. I'm glad we know which one we have now!

[adamanteus]

I'm glad to hear you are now enlightened! I also have T. marcianus. I'm looking forward to seeing some pictures now.:)

[Lulu Bennett]

you have a marcianus?? beautiful snakes they are!
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//564/medium/sissle2_1_1.jpg
this is my marcianus. he is called sissle. i cant wait to see pics of yours. :D

[adamanteus]

And her'e one of mine.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//539/medium/Pic8.jpg

[Kurly1]

Nice pic! Still working on getting mine to the computer! Kurly is brown with the checkered pattern. What do you feed your T. marcianus ?

[enigma200316]

and heres mine...wait I don't have one!!!!!...oh well just felt a little left out...lol

[adamanteus]

Mine are all on pinkies and strips of trout. They eat like pigs!

[Lulu Bennett]

i have been feeding mine on pinkies for sissle and kia is on fuzzies eventhough she is smaller?! lol work that one out lol

[Kurly1]

This is all so new to me. I haven't the nerve to try the pinkies yet. Although from what I have read on this site it is the best balanced meal for the snake. Still giving it earthworms (well, my son is the one who actually feeds it) Would it be okay to begin giving Kurly fish also? Like minnows?

We will graduate to the pinkies in the near future but I just wanted to add something more to his diet until then.

To those who posted pics...You all have some very beautiful snakes!

[adamanteus]

It's a very good idea to move away from worms and onto more substantial prey as soon as you can. There is a write-up on Thiaminase and a list of safe fish species here;

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

Don't be scared of trying the pinkies!

[Kurly1]

Thanks for the link. My son is in Atlanta visiting my sister and will be back next week. Since it is his pet, I'll let him make the decision to try the pinkies when he gets back . He will be tickled pink to try it - lol.

He's going to be thrilled when he gets back and he sees the terrarium because I have added some things to it (Plants, climbing sticks, a hiding place and a few rocks) and I must say it looks pretty darn nice! Kurly likes it too because he has been exploring all day!