Nebie

[Taylor]

Hi everyone, I'm kind of new here, and new to garter's in general. I don't have an garter quite yet, as I want to learn all I can about them before getting one, I have an empty 10 gallon that I am willing to transform into an garter habitat. So I guess that's all there is to it, all help is appreciated.

[Cazador]

Hey Taylor,

Welcome to thamnophis.com. You'll love keeping garters because of their high acitivity levels and curious personalities. Also, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better resourse for learning about garters than this website... particularly our caresheets section (http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets/index.php?title=Garter_Snake_Care_Sheet). The best part is that it's free and continually improving. Let us know how the search for a garter goes, okay?

Rick

[Sid]

Hi Taylor, welcome to the forum. The link pointed out by Rick will give you great details for starting on the right foot. If you have a particular question, feel free to ask.

[Stefan-A]

Welcome aboard, Taylor. :)

Feel free to ask if you have any questions. We'd be more than happy to help.

[enigma200316]

welcome to the forum...........:)

[Taylor]

Thank you for the link, Cazador. It was very helpful. I have a couple of questions though, can I keep two juvenile garter's in an 10 gallon? Is it recommended to have both an heating pad and an lamp on one side of the tank, and have no heat source on the other? I am planning on breeding my own fish for the snakes, and pinky mice will be used when they get older, is this a good plan? That's all of the questions for now, thanks for any help.

[anji1971]

Hello, and welcome! You've definitely found the right place to get started!:)

[Cazador]

A ten gallon tank would be fine for two juveniles, but you might want to consider something at least slightly larger for when they mature. One of the biggest problems with garters, in my opinion, is that after you buy one or two, you always want more ;). We'd all like to have as many large enclosures as possible, but my point is that if you're able, you might want to start out with something larger so that your collection has room to grow.

The type and location of your heaters will depend on the temperature in your tank. You want it to be between the mid-70s to mid-80s F. Unless your tank is in a cold room, you probably won't need a heating mat AND a heating lamp. One will normally suffice, but everything depends on the temperature in the enclosure.

I'm sure others with more experience breeding pinkies/fish than I do will offer more/better advise. I've only bred fish, but I've never produced enough to keep the snakes satisfied. Cheers,

Rick

[Taylor]

Ah, thank you Cazador! The 10 gallon I am using I already have, but I will upgrade to an 20 long once they get too large for the tank, and I will upgrade even further if need be. I am thinking I should just use an heating lamp, it seems to be the best option. I will also get an large water dish and make sure it's deep, and put it on the cooler side.

Temp. wise, the room the tank will be in is going to be about 72 degrees F, so the cooler side should be fine.:D

[adamanteus]

Hi Taylor, and welcome to the forum.:)

[drache]

Hi Taylor
welcome to the forum

[Snaky]

Welcome to the forum, enjoy it here :)

[Odie]

Hi, from Oregon, Taylor :)

[Tori]

Glad to have you Taylor and I admire the fact that you are taking the time to find out what you will need and how to care of one before getting your first garter. I can't say that about my first garter. It was an impulse thing at the time, though mine is still alive and kicking now 5 years later. Everyone is so helpful and nonjudgemental here, unlike some forums I've been to, I know you will love it as much as I do.

Tori