Beginner Snakes

[osubeaver22]

As some of you have or may know, last year I had a snake for 6 months, and I really feel in love with garters. I let it go since it was wild caught in early spring. So I am thinking of getting a garter snake, as this is the reason I joined this site. lol.
I think I might get a Red-Sided from Scott Felzer [is he a reliable source?]
So..also, what are some good beginning garters, or what are your personal favs?

[Stefan-A]

Scott Felzer definitely has a good reputation, although I don't have any personal experiences to share. But he definitely seems to be one of the more well-known reliable sources.

Beginning garters.. Well, my personal recommendation would be wandering garters (Thamnophis elegans vagrans). The ones I have are very easy to handle and feed and they don't seem to respond to perceived threats the same way as my two T. sirtalis. When they get scared, they flee, but wandering garters seem to just curl up flat against the ground and try to stay unnoticed. Makes them much easier to deal with, when you don't have to worry about them going ballistic the second you look at them funny.

Having said that, I did myself start with a very calm red-sided garter, which is still my all-time favourite. :D

[Zephyr]

Easterns! :D
I've never had a more tame snake than my eastern Fatty. :P
She eats anywhere I take her, I even pack her a lunch when we go places. XD
Also, they grow decently large and are very calm. :P

[osubeaver22]

stefan, what size terrarium do you keep your red-sided. I want to get one [as of now] as a baby, but for when it evolves to an adult, would a 25-30 gallon terrarium be enough?

[Stefan-A]

stefan, what size terrarium do you keep your red-sided. I want to get one [as of now] as a baby, but for when it evolves to an adult, would a 25-30 gallon terrarium be enough?
Can't picture the gallon sizes yet, but I have my 37" female in a 300 litre terrarium. It should be big enough for another one or two females.

It's not the same red-sided garter snake I started with, by the way.

[count dewclaw]

300 litres is a little over 79 gal. 30 gal. is about 113 litres. If that helps any.

[adamanteus]

I know I'm like a broken record but I would recommend radix. They're good feeders, quite robust, even tempered and readily available.

I'm no good with the whole gallons/litres thing.... I just go off dimensions. My Garters are in vivs 48 inches long, 24 inches high, 18 inches deep.

[Stefan-A]

I just go off dimensions. My Garters are in vivs 48 inches long, 24 inches high, 18 inches deep.
What's that in decimeters? :D

[adamanteus]

About this big......

[Stefan-A]

About this big......
~340 litres.

[enigma200316]

my similis and red-sided are from scott, I would recamend him to any this would be a good person to go with......I also have an eastern that is wild caught............James your sizes there would be like a 55 gallon.....:)

[adamanteus]

Actually Justin, 340 litres is 74 gallons (UK).

[enigma200316]

Actually Justin, 340 litres is 74 gallons (UK).

well you are right of course, but the tanks are same length just a little diff. in highth and width..........hahahaha:D

[Stefan-A]

Can't you all just convert to SI and SI-compatible units? :D Gallons and inches are a thing of the past. ;) :D

[enigma200316]

hahahahaha......your to damn funny stefan.........:);)

[Stefan-A]

Come on, it's just the US, Liberia and Burma that haven't adopted the International System of Units. :D

[drache]

there's a difference between gallons and US gallons, you know
a US gallon is 3.785 liters
elsewhere gallons are 4.546 liters
a sizable difference
I've come to think in dimensions
and I know that there are roughly four inches in a decimeter
it's a conversion that I can do in my head

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

ur all wrong!! :DPugets are the way to go, never had one musk me, have any1 eat anything, most hand feed right away from babies, they stay a bit smaller males average 16-18" and females 22-24" so you dont have to get such a large cage, oh and there BLUE