Baby Snake Feeding Concerns

[canterburywine]

Hello! I'm the new owner of a baby Lined Snake (Tropidoclonium lineatum), which seems to have similar care to garter snakes. Based on my research, this is one of the best sites to get information, so here I am.

So, according to my research, which I'm still working on, Lined Snakes are worm eaters. I have a tiny, hasn't-seen-many-days baby. I think a pinhead cricket may be bigger than the space between this little guy's eyes. He's far bigger in my mind than in reality as I keep thinking he's the same size as a newborn corn snake. But then I realize that he's not as thick as a pencil yet.

My concern is, knowing that he's a wild caught snake, how do I go about feeding him worms? Is cutting up nightcrawlers the only way? Or is there a source out there somewhere that sells really tiny nightcrawlers? He seems fairly active and is pretty tolerant for such a little thing. I'm terrified of holding him any time soon as he's hardly more than a toothpick!

[liveunderoath]

Many walmart stores sell small night crawlers. They are usually labeled "baby crawlers".

[guidofatherof5]

Be sure NOT to buy "Panfish worms" They are Eisenia fetida and put out a toxic fluid as a defense. They are called red wriggler, red worm, compost worms also.

[canterburywine]

Thanks. Too bad about the red wrigglers though. I have a small composting bin in-home and it'd be so much easier if I could feed off from there. I've discovered some other major downsides to such a small snake. I'm worried he'll be able to escape the air holes I've made. He hasn't discovered them yet because they are so far above him but I'm sure one day he will. I'm also still trying to figure out a water dish for him. I don't have proper bedding as I'd like to see what his first poo is like so I can't bury a water dish to ground level. And all my bottle caps are too tall! I should really take a photo but I've all ready bothered him twice today and now he's checking out his new egg crate hide. I'm always surprised at how small he is when I go to bother him!

[Albert Clark]

Hello, and welcome to the forum. Small nightcrawlers cut up tiny sounds like a plan. As he grows you can scent other small prey with the nightcrawler. :D

[d_virginiana]

What is the enclosure made out of? Sounds like maybe some sort of plastic since you were talking about making air holes. I've raised both millipedes and wolf spiders from eggs, so I have some experience with keeping extremely tiny animals contained lol. There are really two good options for that; the first is a paper that is air-permeable (I don't think it's easy to come by though). The second is getting squares of mesh large enough to cover the air holes and using superglue to secure it on the outside of the enclosure. Still allows for air exchange, but prevents an escape.
If you're worried about bottle caps being too high for a water dish, the lids from cake icing containers and also the lids for condiment cups like what you get at a lot of takeout places might work.

[canterburywine]

Thanks. I wish I'd seen this before I got a wild hair and bit the bullet at Petco. I picked up a round critter keeper. It's smaller than I'd like but almost four times the length of the little guy so it will do for now. I also got some Eco earth (love that stuff!) and a very shallow dish that I've buried to ground level. I haven't seen the little guy since I put him in there. He found a loose pile of earth and dug right on down. My room's decor must not be to his liking for him to hide from it that fast!

I'm still having a terrible time finding earthworms on the smaller side. I went to eight different stores including reptile shops, Walmart and bait shops. All of their worms were bigger than my snake! I briefly thought about trying hornworms as they are soft-bodied once you clip the horn, but I just can't see him going after something like that. I do know that this species is supposed to eat sow bugs. I'd go get some from the yard today, but alas! We're covered in several inches of snow. And yet it was in the seventies all week. Got to love Colorado!

[guidofatherof5]

Find a safe place(pesticide free) and dig some up. Flip some rock and collect some.

[canterburywine]

I'd love to, but we now have 3 feet of snow. Lol

[guidofatherof5]

I'd love to, but we now have 3 feet of snow. Lol That is a bit problematic.:D

[joeysgreen]

Considering the snake's size, availability of appropriate food, and origin, it might be best for it if you let it go where you found it (after the snow melts). In the mean time, allow it to remain buried in the substrate, and keep it cool, like it's hiding under all that snow.

[canterburywine]

I have picked up several soft bodied foods like small waxworms but the silly snake is afraid of them. I have to dig my truck out today anyway so I'm going to go try a few more stores. I think that the Walmart by my old apartment used to sell smaller nightcrawlers. It's almost a 45 minute drive but the highway looks clear from the house. The semis don't seems to be slower than usual anyway. Sometimes, living within a stone's throw from the highway is awesome! But, if I can't get the little guy to eat by the time the snow melts, I'll have to let him go. Pesticide sprays or no. That's one of the many reasons I wanted to keep him. The trailer park where I live is planning on spraying to help limit the flies and other bugs. Plus, I'm still removing chunks of rock out of the yard, which is how I almost killed the little thing.

[d_virginiana]

If you end up releasing him, you can take him away from the trailer park to let him go. Not too far or anything, just enough that you wouldn't have to worry about pesticides or lawnmowers and such.

[Albert Clark]

It's a rare bird that will eat in a captive enviornment right away after living free. Or snake. The snake will need time to orientate and acclimate to a very new set of smells and and sounds as well as now being captive. I know that you are trying very hard to make him comfortable but you have to realize this snake is severely stressed at this point and it's perfectly normal for him to refuse foods in a newly captive realm that he would otherwise regularly eat in the wild.

[guidofatherof5]

My wild radixes will hand feed out in the yard. They also come up to me and beg for worms during the really dry times in the Summer. They are the same way when brought into the house. I have a great relationship, me and my radixes. Good thing I don't spoil them.

[Albert Clark]

That's still not the same as putting them into a critter keeper directly from the wild. Also, i bet the ones that do come up to you and beg for worms are not babies, right? Those adults are still free roaming and i presume rare birds. Lol. Baby snakes usually want to hide from everything. I know the radix ranch has its perks though. :)

[guidofatherof5]

How about an update, please.

[canterburywine]

Sure. The little guy shed at some point. I didn't even see him getting all milky because he hides under the substrate so much. The cage now has a piece of bark, some slugs, and lots of pill bugs. There were some small worms in there but I couldn't find them yesterday. I haven't found any worm jerky on my floor so I can only assume he's eating them. I did find one last week with a big bite taken out of it. I assume the slugs and pill bugs aren't to blame. I'll try to get pictures of him when I add more worms to his cage on Sunday. Hopefully I'll get my gram scale in the mail tomorrow so that I can keep track that way.

[Albert Clark]

Good luck with your efforts! I truly hope the little guy eats for you and is able to thrive.

[guidofatherof5]

Lined Snake (Tropidoclonion lineatum) | Amphibians and Reptiles of Iowa (http://www.herpnet.net/Iowa-Herpetology/reptiles/snakes/lined-snake-tropidoclonion-lineatum/)

[canterburywine]

Thank you, but I've read that link. There aren't many on this particular species.