feeding a garter

[cuillan]

Hi Guys

I have a red-sided garter and have been told as she is eating pinkies I should feed her every 7 days. My question is can they be fed every 10 days, It doesn't matter too much but all the others get fed every 10 days so its easier to feed them all and defrost all the mice/rats together.

Thanks

[jitami]

Is it an adult? Garters have higher metabolism than many other snakes. What I would do is feed the garter every 5 days :) A good size meal when the other's eat and a snack mid way :) It would probably be ok every 10 days, but it's really not too tough to offer it something midway between feeding the others. If it's a baby it'll need to eat even more often. As you know, snakes can go long periods without eating and be fine, but I would have this be the exception and not the norm :)

[cuillan]

Thanks.

Its not really a hassle feeding it extra I just thought I would make sure it was necessary though. It will be even easier soon when she's moved to her new viv in the lounge instead of the bottom of a stack in my bedroom under a kingsnake and a large corn snake.

I have no idea how old she is I've only had her a few weeks from a pet shop she didnt eat for weeks she was so stressed. She's just under 2 foot though so not a hatchling. I assume she's a she looked like it from a comparison web site she seemed to thin straight after the vent.

Thanks again for the advice. much appreciated very novice at garters, more used to corns.

[jitami]

At just under 2 feet, I wouldn't say it's 'necessary' but maybe preferable? I'd do rodents when you feed everyone else and something lighter like fish or worms for the 'in between' meal?. If you have the ability to weigh the snake you could always just go by weight and see if she continues slow steady growth at every 10 days?