eating habit question

[k2l3d4]

I am wondering what is normal for a checkered that is at his and her first spring......My albino male will take a fuzzy mouse no problem and then my green lady spits them out like they are too big for her.... Both of my snakes are about 20 inches long and should have no problems with eating something that big. He has always been a great eater and if I am just doin pinkies will eat about two to three every day. (if I let him) Until very recently she was eating only two every four days, and since He bred with her hs increased her eating to three to four every day........ Is eating habits like this normal? Will they eat if they are not hungry? I do not want to ever feed them but every night she is out looking for food like she is really really hungry.

[Zephyr]

It's the season for eating. :)
All of my snakes are kicked into eating mode as well. It'll pass by early June.
As for getting the female to accept fuzzies... I've found that after they find out how to grip the fuzzy in their mouth, they will take them openly. You will have to help the first few times though. (They seem to have trouble with the fur. :P )

[k2l3d4]

Eating season?.......
and suggestions for helping her take a fuzzy? She is a very shy eater.... She would rather prefer that I warm up the pinkies, place them on a plate, and turn off the lights, and then of course leave the area so she can eat.... She has always been a very secretive eater.

[guidofatherof5]

Eating season?.......
and suggestions for helping her take a fuzzy? She is a very shy eater.... She would rather prefer that I warm up the pinkies, place them on a plate, and turn off the lights, and then of course leave the area so she can eat.... She has always been a very secretive eater.

Long cold winters and they're ready to catch-up on missed food time.

Sounds like your snake has you very well trained. If I were you I do as she says!:D

How's she do with live fish? Does the movement of worms get her going. Do you think she would feed better if you rub the fuzzy with worm slime then offer it?

[k2l3d4]

Long cold winters and they're ready to catch-up on missed food time.

Sounds like your snake has you very well trained. If I were you I do as she says!:D

How's she do with live fish? Does the movement of worms get her going. Do you think she would feed better if you rub the fuzzy with worm slime then offer it?


this is her first spring, and so I did not put her into hybernation this year (just found out about that) so her increase in appetite would not be from that I would assume... and yes she does have me well trained:D

As far as worms are concerned... I tried those "wax worms" that they sell at Petco, and she looked at me with total disgust and would not touch them.... She does like live little goldfish and will hunt them (in the middle of the night). I have tried scenting the fuzzy with a live fish and she still has shied from it like the fuzzy is too big, but that does not make sense because her male tank mate is the same size and will eat a fuzzy.

[guidofatherof5]

this is her first spring, and so I did not put her into hybernation this year (just found out about that) so her increase in appetite would not be from that I would assume... and yes she does have me well trained:D

As far as worms are concerned... I tried those "wax worms" that they sell at Petco, and she looked at me with total disgust and would not touch them.... She does like live little goldfish and will hunt them (in the middle of the night). I have tried scenting the fuzzy with a live fish and she still has shied from it like the fuzzy is too big, but that does not make sense because her male tank mate is the same size and will eat a fuzzy.

They don't have to be in brumation to understand what time of the year it is. I've had mid-winter newborns do the same thing in the Spring. They can feel the weather changes. During the Winter my great eaters, eat 1/2 to 2/3 less food than normal.

Those wax worms are not a good/natural food for your snake and goldfish can cause problems.(Checkout the link to the care sheets at the bottom of this post) Night Crawlers or earthworms are the only worms you should be feeding. You must make sure you don't feed them Redworms. Redworm are toxic to Garter Snakes and should not be fed. Walmart sells "Canadian Nightcrawlers" in there sporting goods dept. or
grab a shovel and dig some dirt, more than likely you will find both earthworms(small pale looking worms) and nightcrawlers(dark colored and much larger worms)
Your finicky eat may just be that. Try a mouse tail or legs with worm slime on them. Small steps may be neccessary to change that one. Sometimes skipping a meal can change an attitude. Being very hungry can be a great motivator. Don't worry about them missing a meal or even two. They can go for weeks without food when in the wild. This may just be the leverage you need with that one. Good luck.
http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets/index.php?title=Garter_Snake_Care_Sheet

[k2l3d4]

Thanks... I will have to try the night crawlers.I will head down to Walmart and see what they have. I live in the middle of a city, in CA and do not have a lot of dirt around my apartment.... Will I need to worry about chemicals with the night crawlers? I worry about anything that has been in the ground because of all of the weed killers, fertilizers, ect.

As far as the goldfish goes.. I have tried the minnows and my snakes act like they are not seeing them. So I feed my snakes mainly pinkies and then about once a month to a month and a half I will give them a treat of the goldfish... I read about the thimin deficency awhile ago and so have gotten my checkereds over to the Pinkies but I am trying to move them both up to the fuzzies since they are big enough to take them.

[guidofatherof5]

You're right about being worried where you get your worms. As I posted my response I was thinking about my own backyard.
Being worried about the chemicals is good thinking. Also, don't collect worms from the street after a rain storm. Those worms get contaminated quickly.


Thanks... I will have to try the night crawlers.I will head down to Walmart and see what they have. I live in the middle of a city, in CA and do not have a lot of dirt around my apartment.... Will I need to worry about chemicals with the night crawlers? I worry about anything that has been in the ground because of all of the weed killers, fertilizers, ect.

As far as the goldfish goes.. I have tried the minnows and my snakes act like they are not seeing them. So I feed my snakes mainly pinkies and then about once a month to a month and a half I will give them a treat of the goldfish... I read about the thimin deficency awhile ago and so have gotten my checkereds over to the Pinkies but I am trying to move them both up to the fuzzies since they are big enough to take them.

[k2l3d4]

Thank you for all of your advice.. in a week or so I will hopefully have her moved up to fuzzies