New member. Info needed.

[reptile65]

Hi everyone. I just joined this forum. My dad found a baby snake at work today and brought it home. I really wasn't planning on keeping it, but after seeing it, I thought it was too small to release because I was afraid it wouldn't last long. I need help with identifying this little snake. From the research I've done, I believe it is a baby western terrestrial garter snake. I have attached a few pictures.

Also, I have no idea what to feed it because it is so tiny. I'm not sure if it is even big enough to eat a pinky mouse. What should I try feeding it and how often should it be eating? Any other info is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[infernalis]

small feeder guppies or small earthworms would be good choices.

As far as the snake "making it" that is the normal size for a baby garter;)

http://www.thamfriends.com/mat.jpg

[drache]

looks like a T. vagrans (wandering garter) to me, but I'm the resident non-expert when it comes to ID, so better wait for one of the people who know this stuff
as Wayne said - that is a normal size for a baby, and will probably take guppies, or night crawlers (not all worms are ok)
welcome to the forum

[guidofatherof5]

Welcome to the forum.
Remember that the mother of this snake was once a wild snake herself. She made it to adulthood to have this little one.
I do understand where you're coming from though. It's a tough world out their for baby snakes. Not many of them make it to adulthood.
Thanks for considering giving this one a better chance at life.
If you are going to keep it I would strongly suggest you read the care sheet. Here's a link:Garter Snake Care Sheet - Caresheets (http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets/index.php?title=Garter_Snake_Care_Sheet)

[ssssnakeluvr]

it's a newborn wandering garter, t e vagrans. start with small worms and feeder guppies. it may not eat for a week or 2 until it adjusts to captivity. but you can try, put the guppies in the water dish and leave them there.

[Mommy2many]

Welcome to the forum!

[reptile65]

Thanks everyone for the quick replies! At this size, will it eat whole nightcrawlers, or will I have to cut them into smaller pieces? How many feeder guppies should I offer it at a time?

Also, what is the lifespan of this species and how long do they take to reach full size?

[reptile65]

I just called my local reptile store and they told me that even baby garters can eat pinky mice. Should I just get a pinky and attempt to feed it and see how it turns out? It would make things so much easier if I could feed it pinkies. Thanks in advance.

[Hollis_Steed]

Cut up a frozen pinky into bite size pieces and once it is completely thawed your little guy shouldn't have any problems eating it:)

[Snakers]

I would first try cut up nightcrawlers...........

[mustang]

welcome! feed it cut up pinkys worms and guppies

[Charis]

Hello & welcome! Very pretty garter! Hope he eats for you. ~ Charis, A.K.A Tavia (on CS.com)

[mtolypetsupply]

Hi there, and welcome! With all due respect to everyone else, I would suggest staying away from guppies and use them as a last resort if it will eat NOTHING else offered. The only snakes I have had problems with were ones that ate live (except for live earthworms) even if they were converted to mice later in life.

You can feed chopped NIGHTCRAWLERS, chopped fish filet (salmon, tilapia), and chopped pinky. Offer up chopped nightcrawler first, then if it takes that, go to the pinky or fish, with some wiggling worm parts on top. It should get the hang of it.

Please note that there is a difference between NIGHTCRAWLERS and RED WIGGLERS. Nightcrawlers are safe, but red wigglers are not. Red wigglers excrete a toxin, and will at the very least cause your snake to regurgitate it's meal, and can kill a snake. The difference between the two, the reds are smaller, and also have COLORED banding, red and yellow. Nightcrawlers have band-like ridges, but are the same greyish-pinkish through out.

Bait stores often sell both, as do the big chains, as other species like turtles can eat the reds no problem. Just ensure that you get nightcrawlers.

Best of luck with your new baby!

:)

[reptile65]

Hello & welcome! Very pretty garter! Hope he eats for you. ~ Charis, A.K.A Tavia (on CS.com)

Thanks again for your help on CS.com!

[reptile65]

Hi there, and welcome! With all due respect to everyone else, I would suggest staying away from guppies and use them as a last resort if it will eat NOTHING else offered. The only snakes I have had problems with were ones that ate live (except for live earthworms) even if they were converted to mice later in life.

You can feed chopped NIGHTCRAWLERS, chopped fish filet (salmon, tilapia), and chopped pinky. Offer up chopped nightcrawler first, then if it takes that, go to the pinky or fish, with some wiggling worm parts on top. It should get the hang of it.

Please note that there is a difference between NIGHTCRAWLERS and RED WIGGLERS. Nightcrawlers are safe, but red wigglers are not. Red wigglers excrete a toxin, and will at the very least cause your snake to regurgitate it's meal, and can kill a snake. The difference between the two, the reds are smaller, and also have COLORED banding, red and yellow. Nightcrawlers have band-like ridges, but are the same greyish-pinkish through out.

Bait stores often sell both, as do the big chains, as other species like turtles can eat the reds no problem. Just ensure that you get nightcrawlers.

Best of luck with your new baby!

:)

Yeah, I was reading about the red wigglers on the care sheet. Thanks for the advice! :)

[Odie]

Hi, from Oregon, reptile65 :)

[drui9201]

You can feed it pinkies, sure; but he is much to small for a whole pinky right now. You can chop it up in to little bits. If he won't take it unscented, you can mix in worms and/or fish fillet bits, or just worms and fish alone.

Wanderings do usually take mice more readily than others, they make up a good chunk of their diet in the wild compared to other garter species.

[ConcinusMan]

I agree that is a wandering garter (vagrans) and man, he sure is long. Anyone else notice that? Yeah drui is right, he should take to pinks no problem. Just cut them up into a few pieces while they are still frozen. I fed pinks to my albino radix when she was even smaller than that guy. Chopped night crawlers, pinky parts, those would be great choices for him. If fed mostly pinkies and kept at 80-85 degrees he'll grow very fast.