Sammy had 7 babies today

[Sssssnakey]

Sammy hadn't been eating the last couple weeks although I'd been trying and threw away three pinkies in the process of her not eating (one each week, the last being Friday). I even bought a feeder gold fish that I put in her water dish and she didn't eat it.

I was beginning to wonder if she was gravid and today we came home to find she'd had seven babies. I separated them from her, but I don't think the large disposable Glad container with holes in the top is adequate for them. Besides not having very good ventilation even with the small holes I put in the lid.

Can the babies stay in Sammy's cage with her or will she eat them?

I fed Sammy this afternoon and she ate three pinkies. She usually only eats one so I figured she was pretty hungry.

I cut off some pinky legs and the tail and put the parts in with the baby snakes and they aren't eating them.

How soon do baby snakes eat and what should I feed them?

Thanks for all your help! btw I'm going to take some pictures now and post them.

[Sssssnakey]

Here are some photos:

These are her babies. You can only see some of their heads, but there are 7 babies.
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs140.snc1/5976_1208373928498_1203192755_30639140_8037475_n.j pg
My oldest daughter says when they're all on top of each other like that they make her think of the Indiana Jones movie.

Sammy is doing well after giving birth.
http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs140.snc1/5976_1208373968499_1203192755_30639141_6210099_n.j pg

[guidofatherof5]

Beautiful looking babies. Give mom an extra pinky from me. Some babies start eating right away. Others start during the first week and others wait even longer. Small chunks of earthworm with pinky parts, guppies. Moving food seem to attract them more quickly. I offer food everyday rather than waiting. I don't want to miss the time they want to eat. Of my 6 babies born last week 4 are eating guppies. The other 2 are waiting.
Make sure the babies have a heat source. Keeps their metabolism high and more alert for food opportunities.
My experience has been with baby radixes only.
Good luck with your little scrubs:)

[Zephyr]

I've had excellent success with salmon/tilapia pieces and mouse bits. A lot of the wandering garters I've had won't even look at worm pieces, so I'd stick with what mom's been eating.
They're probably not eating because they were just born; give them a day or two.
They look so adorable. Sammy must be a very proud mommy. :)

[ddawg]

Congrats on the babies!! my eastern garter gave birth to 36 snakes yesterday!!! They have started eating cut up earthworm already. :D You can see my pics.

[Sssssnakey]

Thanks for all the compliments! We're really excited about them. My youngest daughter was thinking we needed to make them all blankets so they could sleep. lol I told her they don't need blankets or sleeping bags, but I will make sure they're on the heating pad.

Thanks for all the info!

[Sssssnakey]

ddawg - That is totally amazing that your snake had 36 babies!

Steve - Thanks for the info about feeding them! I read part of another thread about separating the babies from the adults so I'm glad we took the babies out of Sammy's cage. Now I have to figure out what to do with all of them.

[guidofatherof5]

Now I have to figure out what to do with all of them.


Love and enjoy them:) Babies are so cool. Sit and watch them. See the little personalities and attitudes that develope.:)

[Sssssnakey]

They do already seem to have their own personalities. My kids already named the most active one Jakey. I don't know if it's a boy though. I'll have to post some gender photos later.

I need to get another cage though. This large disposable food container with tonz of holes in the lid is not my favorite place to see them. Maybe I'll check the thrift store tomorrow.

I'm glad I found you guys! I posted my photos on Facebook and got three negative comments from my friends and family. They said things like "I hate snakes" and "they creep me out" and "are you going to keep all of them". It hurt my feelings to be sharing something we're excited about and have them be so negative. I ranted a bit and told them they hurt my feelings. I wish people could let go of their fear and realize that snakes are amazing, beautiful creatures with "personalities and attitudes" of their own.

[Stefan-A]

Congratulations! :)

You've already been given good advice, but I'd like to add that since they're wandering garters, it might be best to separate the babies from each other as well. I had a little "incident" earlier this spring when I was housing them in pairs; One of the babies tried to kill its cage mate and would probably have succeeded.

[ssssnakeluvr]

they make take a week or so to start eating....make sure you get them in a separate cage real soon....wanderings are known for eating babies.....

oh, sorry, forgot...congrats!!!!! waiting on 3 wanderings here to pop!!!!!

[guidofatherof5]

I wish people could let go of their fear and realize that snakes are amazing, beautiful creatures with "personalities and attitudes" of their own.

I'm not sure that will ever happen. The cards are stacked against them in so many respects. Books, movies, fears passed on. They are concidered evil worldwide. Spiders are also treated with distain. I've lived most of my life in an area which has no poisons snakes and very few spider problems. I'm fortunate to have been blessed with this experience and hope my children will continue caring for these great creatures.

[Didymus20X6]

I'm glad I found you guys! I posted my photos on Facebook and got three negative comments from my friends and family. They said things like "I hate snakes" and "they creep me out" and "are you going to keep all of them". It hurt my feelings to be sharing something we're excited about and have them be so negative. I ranted a bit and told them they hurt my feelings. I wish people could let go of their fear and realize that snakes are amazing, beautiful creatures with "personalities and attitudes" of their own.
I encountered the same reaction from one of my own parishioners on Facebook for that very same reason. Try asking them things like, "Why do you hate them?" and "Why do they creep you out?" In many cases, it's probably because they don't have any understanding about these creatures whatsoever, and are simply fearful of what they don't understand.

I can understand irrational fear, though. It took me some time to be able to overcome my own fears. That, and successfully catching and releasing 18 of them into the wild. I kinda miss them now, and frankly, coming to this forum makes me wish I had kept a few of them. But I'm sure my landlady wouldn't approve (she has a strict no-pets policy, and given that one tenant who gave her such hell for them, I can't say I'd blame her for not wanting me to keep snakes).

Keep in mind, Hollywood has played on those fears so much over the past several decades, only to reinforce it in people's minds, from all the Westerns and their Sidewinders, to those idiotic Anaconda movies, and last but not least, Samuel L. Jackson and his famous @#$%^&* Snakes on a @#$%^&* Plane.

[Sssssnakey]

Oh, my. I'm going to have to see what I can do in that regard. (separating them)

I wish everyone could come to understand snakes like we do, but I guess it's about the equivalent of hoping for world peace. Maybe someday.

[Didymus20X6]

What, about Samuel L. Jackson? Be my guest! ^_^

[jitami]

I'm loving all these baby pics!!! Huge congrats on the new little ones!

[Sssssnakey]

Thanks! I need to take some more.

I just wish they'd start eating. Yesterday I cut up a night crawler and put the pieces in some mulch in a corner and all they wanted to do was crawl in their water dish and then crawl in the mulch which made their container a nasty mess.

I think I'll try some pinky parts again tonight.

[gregmonsta]

Yeah :D congrats on the wee squigglies.

[GarterGeek]

Congratulations and good luck!:)