my snake won't eat

[emilyruth]

I caught a 2ft garter snake about 2.5 weeks ago. after biting me once and smelling bad twice, she has become very calm and gentle. I would like to keep her for the rest of the summer before letting her go (I have a mini petting zoo, and it's nice to show the kids, and I like holding her) but I don't think she has eaten since I got her. First, I put a little dish with minnows in her tank, but she would spill the water and the fish would die and smell and she didn'e eat them, so after 5 days I took them out. I went to the pet store, and put her in with a mouse, and she didn't express interest, so the guy told me she probably wasn't hungry and to come back in 5 days. so I did, and I bought a mouse and brought it home. I offered it to her several times in her tank, but still no interest. I put some worms in, and she hasn't eaten them. can anyone tell me what i'm doing wrong and how I can get her to eat? should I just let her go now(I'd really rather not but I don't want her to die)?

[ssssnakeluvr]

takes time for them to adjust to captivity....2 weeks is common....give her another 2 weeks, she won't die that fast, but if she hasn't eaten then, release her.....

[adamanteus]

As Don says, they often take a while to settle into captivity, so nothing to worry about there. I would suggest that handling her before she has settled in might not be such a good idea. I would give her some peace and some privacy, plenty of hiding opportunities and just keep offering food every couple of days.

[Snake lover 3-25]

you can also try some pieces of fish fillet... salmon trout or talapia all work great.... but like the others said don't worry, snakes are reptiles they can go a long time without food...

[Thamnophis Man]

Have tried Salimanders that you would find under a rotting log or even a frog? I've never seen a wild Garter turn down the scent of them.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Have tried Salimanders that you would find under a rotting log or even a frog? I've never seen a wild Garter turn down the scent of them.

I second that one. Just make sure to look up the species so that you don't accidentally feed your snake a poisonous or endangered species!

Basically, refrain from handling her at all. Give her plenty of places to hide and climb. Give her a basking light... they loooove those. If she is spilling her water bowl, it's too small. Give her a larger, heavier one that's big enough for her to take a little swim. Offer her nightcrawlers, fishes, (NO goldfish) or salmanders/frogs as a first meal. Do not offer live mice... especially to a newly WC garter. They are generally unfamiliar with a live mouse and cannot defend themselves against it's bites. For a garter, I recommend frozen thawed mice only... none of my garters will even touch a freshly killed mouse... it has to be f/t. And preferrably wet. They like 'em wet!!

[Millinex]

I've had mine for a few days now, they take time to get used to everything and they do come around eventually, and when they get eating they are very hardy eaters, give her time, and keep offering, when she is hungry she will eat.

[KITKAT]

Safe foods to offer as a first meal:

slugs
nightcrawlers
strips of salmon
strips of tilapia
strips of trout
frozen/thawed tadoles
frozen/thawed frogs
guppies in a water dish
a frozen/thawed pinky that has been rolled in chopped fish from this list



UNSAFE foods to offer as a first meal:

minnows/rosey reds
other fish containing thiaminase



Foods that garters won't eat:

pinky mice without scenting (some will learn to eat them after awhile)
crickets, mealworms, any kind of insect


Give your snake another week, and if she is still not eating, find a herp vet and check her stool for parasites.

[DrKate]

I beg to differ on the unscented pinkies, KitKat! Or at least, I wouldn't just dismiss them without trying. If you've got frozen pinkies on hand, emilyruth (or can get them easily) you could try cutting one in half before thawing it, or at least cutting it open to expose the guts. Now, my Puget Sound garters are still babies, so it's possible there's a difference with wild adults who have already developed preferences. I wasn't expecting them to be interested in pre-killed prey, but mine went for quartered (lengthwise) pinkies with GUSTO, no scenting required. They seemed especially interested in the smell of the guts. So that may be something worth trying if it's hard for you to keep live worms, slugs, guppies, etc. on hand.

Oh, also, emilyruth... You said you caught a snake - how sure are you it's a garter snake? Because that could obviously affect what she will or won't eat. If you're not sure, you could post a picture and give your location or region of the country, and knowledgeable folks on this forum could probably help out with an ID.

[GartersRock]

KitKat, I have had plenty of freshly WC adults take f/t unscented pinks first try! ;)

[drache]

anything is worth a try - even something the snake didn't take a week ago
and definitely make sure she has a quiet and undisturbed place
good luck

[celticguitar]

My little guys only eat worms so far I've had them 3 weeks or so and they pretty much ate from the get go. I am trying live fish today (Guppies) to see if they like that I haven't tried mice and the idea kind of puts me off. my snake owner friends have exotics that only eat mice and the process of defrosting getting right temp putting them in a sererate container etc. is pretty involved process that takes a bit of time( I know it's only once a week or so). I not saying that isn't a worhtwhile and mice are easier to procure year round ( but our guys hibernate so that isn't an issue is it?) it's jsut not for me and the smell kind of turns my stomach It's much easier to throw a couple of night crawlers in and watch them hunt them down and eat them as long as you dip them ocasionally with Ca with Vit D your ok. A quality worm is jsut tougher to come by my yard is all organic so I collect them from my yard and supplement them with night crawlers which for some odd reason is 3x expensive at the pet shop ($ 6.99 for 12) than the bait shop (where I get them $2.50 a dozen) and they look exactly the same container. A little segue the local shop sells red wrigglers that are not suppose to be good feeidng items for Garter Snakes(?) and he didn't know that but I can feed them to my turtle.
Dwight

[GradStudentLeper]

I caught a 2ft garter snake about 2.5 weeks ago. after biting me once and smelling bad twice, she has become very calm and gentle. I would like to keep her for the rest of the summer before letting her go (I have a mini petting zoo, and it's nice to show the kids, and I like holding her) but I don't think she has eaten since I got her. First, I put a little dish with minnows in her tank, but she would spill the water and the fish would die and smell and she didn'e eat them, so after 5 days I took them out. I went to the pet store, and put her in with a mouse, and she didn't express interest, so the guy told me she probably wasn't hungry and to come back in 5 days. so I did, and I bought a mouse and brought it home. I offered it to her several times in her tank, but still no interest. I put some worms in, and she hasn't eaten them. can anyone tell me what i'm doing wrong and how I can get her to eat? should I just let her go now(I'd really rather not but I don't want her to die)?

I have almost 20 garter snakes, never had this problem if you feed them what they eat in the Nature. Make sure the snake has a basking spot in the cage in the mid 80s so it can warm up (rest of the cage keeping at room temp is fine), make sure the snake has a place to hide.

Then drop in a small frog or toad, possibly a non-toxic salamander

[Odie]

Hi, from Oregon, emilyruth :)

[emilyruth]

My snake's doing well now. I stopped holding him for a while, got her a bigger, more comfortable living place. I put a big rock on one side, then stones on top of that. I put some grass on the top of that, some sticks for climbing, and then about 3 inches of water for a swimming area. I found slugs and worms and put them on land, and a little fish to swim around the bottom. most of what I gave him disappeared, so I think he's eating well. also, shortly after I asked for help, he shed, and that might have bee why he didn't want to eat initially. Thank you, everyone, for your help.

[GradStudentLeper]

My snake's doing well now. I stopped holding him for a while, got her a bigger, more comfortable living place. I put a big rock on one side, then stones on top of that. I put some grass on the top of that, some sticks for climbing, and then about 3 inches of water for a swimming area. I found slugs and worms and put them on land, and a little fish to swim around the bottom. most of what I gave him disappeared, so I think he's eating well. also, shortly after I asked for help, he shed, and that might have bee why he didn't want to eat initially. Thank you, everyone, for your help.

That's the kicker. Most snakes go off feed when they shed. They get all reclusive and snappy as well. Well, mine dont, but my snakes (including my pine and gopher snakes) are tame as cats...

[drache]

but my snakes (including my pine and gopher snakes) are tame as cats...
what kinds of cats are we talking about here?

[mustang]

give em time it took mine 2 weeeks to start eating

[GradStudentLeper]

what kinds of cats are we talking about here?

I have a pine snake that likes to crawl into my shirt and hang out with me while I nap on my computer chair. That kind of cat.