Feeding question :)

[kbear]

Hi!
I have a WC garter that is about 11.5 or 12 inches long. I have been feeding him live feeder fish, but I realize that is non-optimal, and would like to switch to pinkies. Not having ever had a garter before, I was wondering if 12 inches is considered too small to take pinkies? It seems to me as though it wouldn't be too small, but I wasn't sure. He's been eating the fish well, and just shed his skin.
Thanks :)

[Stefan-A]

Welcome aboard. :)

It's not too small to take pinkies. If it looks like the pinkies are too big, you can split them lengthwise.

[infernalis]

Welcome.

Garter snakes can stretch open in ways that may astound you.

If the pinky is the extra small kind (usually labeled "day old") there should be little problem, compare the pinky to the garter, is the pink just a bit bigger than the garters head?

As long as it is not twice or bigger the size of your snakes head, no harm should come to your snake from eating a pink.

rinse it off with water, and rub it against a fish. the garter should take it no sweat.

This little fella was only about 8 inches when I took this photo. Like Stefan said, I cut this pink in half.

Good luck.

http://www.danceswithreptiles.com/garter/masubipink.jpg

[jitami]

Welcome Kbear... I have two about that size and they can take smaller whole pinks and I split the larger ones like said above. Good luck :)

[Sid]

Welcome to the forum. Seems your question on pinkies has already been answered in full, so nothing to add there.

[drache]

welcome to the forum

[adamanteus]

Hi Kristen, and welcome to the forum.:)
It seems you've already received some good advise regarding switching your Garter to pinkies. Good luck, keep us informed.

[kbear]

Sweet. Thanks guys. I bought some pinkies today and will try all your advice when I get to the house.

[kbear]

oh, and by the way dekay, that snake's gorgeous. :)

[Garter_Gertie]

Glad you found us, kbear! We're a great group and I think you'll enjoy being here.

[infernalis]

oh, and by the way dekay, that snake's gorgeous. :)


Thank you.

[Aundrea]

Hi!! and Welcome!!! :D

How did the pinky feeding go? :D

[kbear]

One pinkie successfully down the hatch! (the snake's hatch, not mine)
Aside from my family having a bit of a problem with the whole you-just-bought-dead-mice-and-put-them-in-our-freezer idea, everything went as smooth as could be. :D

[infernalis]

Glad it worked out!

Now you can have some real fun.

When the family asks what is for dinner, tell them.....

pinks and cheese, pinky chili, poached pinky, etc....

I have worn those lines out, and I still get foul looks whenever I say "How many pinks with that"

[jitami]

Nice job :) The family will get over it :)

[Snake lover 3-25]

lol congrats on getting it to est lol my uncle came over once and pulled the mice out of the freezer thinking they were shrimp...... lol he figured that one out quick:D:p

[Garter_Gertie]

I'm still working on getting pinkies down. Or, I'm still getting down getting pinkies down.

Go figure: Peepers, my scaredy cat - that had almost two entire night crawlers middle of last week - ate his FIRST EVER PINKIE living here! Yup! Got the smallest I had, sliced length-wise down the back, and mashed up 1/2 a 'crawler and covered the pinkie with it.

I was SHOCKED when he took the first half - the BIGGEST half, almost passed out when I caught him eating the second half, and fell to my knees in astonishment when we went back for the wee, wee, wee 'crawler pieces for desert!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[infernalis]

Way to go Gertie!!!:D:D

[Garter_Gertie]

Way to go Gertie!!!:D:D


Thanks, Sweetie! Go figure! I've given up trying to figure those two out and just go with the flow. And it's so interesting! Right when I think I've got them aced 'personality-wise' they throw me for a loop! LOL!!!

My Boys! Yup! They like to tease their Muzzer!

[jitami]

Yay Peepers!!! Nice job Gertie :)

[kbear]

Hey, how fast do these guys usually grow? I read it takes about two years for them to fully mature.

[Snake lover 3-25]

1 yr for the males..... if you don't brumate them......

[Stefan-A]

1 yr for the males..... if you don't brumate them......
According to literature, 1 year in the wild, which presumably includes brumation. I've also heard people say that it depends more on their size than their age and that males (certain species, certain areas) are capable of mating immediately in their first spring.

Which seems kind of odd, since their first spring comes less than a year after they are born and since they are born about three or four months after mating season.

[Snake lover 3-25]

wow that is wierd...... never thought of it that way....... interesting...............:rolleyes::)