How often?

[NikiGB]

Hi

We've just brought a checkered garter, and so far he's on 1 pinky a week. How do we know when he wants more? (if he will) Are pinky's the best thing to feed them or do they need a varied diet? If anyone could help that would be fab!! Also we dont know how old he is! Is there a guidline to measure age??

Thanks in advance!!

Niki (& Arnie!)

xxx

[Sid]

Niki, I feed my adult garters once a week, babies twice a week. You'll can often tell if you aren't feeding often enough, they will be all over the enclosure searching for food. Hope this helps.

[infernalis]

Personally I feed mine a few times a week.

The babies seem to be happiest fed every other day.

[jitami]

I kind of watch for cues from the snakes... like Sid said they'll be out cruising around the tank, head up, searching for food. I don't let them go more than twice a week for babies and once a week for adults, tho. How big is your snake? There's not really a way to determine age, but size can put us in the right ballpark :)

[NikiGB]

Hi

Thanks for the replies. I'd say Arnie is about 25cm? but its hard to tell for sure! :)

xxx

[jitami]

Arnie's probably just a baby then :) You could do Pinkies twice a week for him or you could offer him a pinky once a week with fish or worms one or two other times during the week. Most believe a varied diet is best, but many, many garters have been raised on mouse only diets. My two babies are just a little bigger than yours and have just started tanking whole pinkies. I've cut them back to twice a week feedings and that seems to be working out. I'm offering them their pinky first and then letting them eat as much as they like of either worms or fish fillet after they take the pinky. I'll be doing away with the worms as soon as this container is gone.... I just don't like them... but I'll continue offering them mice & fish throughout their lives. I also offer live fish every so often... mostly for the fun of watching them fish for them :)

[NikiGB]

Arnie's probably just a baby then :) You could do Pinkies twice a week for him or you could offer him a pinky once a week with fish or worms one or two other times during the week. Most believe a varied diet is best, but many, many garters have been raised on mouse only diets. My two babies are just a little bigger than yours and have just started tanking whole pinkies. I've cut them back to twice a week feedings and that seems to be working out. I'm offering them their pinky first and then letting them eat as much as they like of either worms or fish fillet after they take the pinky. I'll be doing away with the worms as soon as this container is gone.... I just don't like them... but I'll continue offering them mice & fish throughout their lives. I also offer live fish every so often... mostly for the fun of watching them fish for them :)

Thanks so much for the info, think we will start feeding him twice a week from now on :)