Newbie!! tank settin up...

[Ringosmama]

ok so im getting a new tank for Ringo tomorrow!! (my baby garter) any body who has pictures of their tanks!! and/or ideas about tanks (decorating/settin up) please give me advice!! it will greatly appreciate it!! thanks soo much!! ive never set up a snakes cage sooo... lol thasnk!! i also read somethin in a book today and they said garter arent good pts :( that made me sad hah.. is that true??

[mustang]

thats bullshit garters are great pets even the w/cs are nicer than santa! well a tank setup is all about cost...how much can you spend?

[Ringosmama]

cost doesnt really matter, i mean im just getting what he needs, but i want it nice and i want him to feel like home, im new so i dont know alot haha :)

[kibakiba]

Garter snakes are absolutely wonderful pets. I wouldn't trade mine for any other animal in the world. As for tanks, I'd suggest getting a lot of hides for your garter. They don't like being completely out in the open. Here's what my tank looks like.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/My_Tank.JPG
A few trees fell down a while ago, I took branches off of them and put them in the oven at a high temperature for 5-10 minutes to kill off things living in/on it. You need to be VERY careful when doing this if you choose to. It can catch on fire.I also used toilet paper rolls that my snakes enjoy slithering through. I have some fake plants also that were free with a 1 gallon tank that I bought when I first got Snakey

[Ringosmama]

Garter snakes are absolutely wonderful pets. I wouldn't trade mine for any other animal in the world. As for tanks, I'd suggest getting a lot of hides for your garter. They don't like being completely out in the open. Here's what my tank looks like.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/My_Tank.JPG
A few trees fell down a while ago, I took branches off of them and put them in the oven at a high temperature for 5-10 minutes to kill off things living in/on it. You need to be VERY careful when doing this if you choose to. It can catch on fire.I also used toilet paper rolls that my snakes enjoy slithering through. I have some fake plants also that were free with a 1 gallon tank that I bought when I first got Snakey

thanks !! whats a cheap bottem liner i could use? (only cheap because i have to cange it and it may add up ya know?)

[ConcinusMan]

Baby tank. (20 gallon slide lock reptile tank) Has a liner to make in-tank feeding safe and easier to check on babies without having to dig through substrate. Also easy to clean. Multiple "cave" type hides, a piece of mopani wood propped up with fake plants stuck in the holes, and moss which is kept damp most of the time. 64 watt home flood lamp and dome fixture to provide light and around 84 degrees on one end. Pretty simple, easy to maintain, and the snakes seem comfortable.

http://a.imageshack.us/img227/2171/snakes014medium.jpg

Adult tank. 55 gallon long with screen top weighed down by a 3 tube florescent light fixture (2 X 18 inch reptisun 2.0 bulbs in it) and a 10 inch dome light with 60 watt basking bulb that works well to provide around 86 degrees on one end of the tank, about 75 on the other end. Reptibark (fir bark) and coconut fiber substrate mixture about an inch deep with a liner underneath. Driftwood, fake plants. Looks natural but very easy to maintain. A large corner water dish is hidden beneath and behind the plants on the far right end.

http://a.imageshack.us/img267/7564/dscn0813.jpg

http://a.imageshack.us/img714/8339/dscn0811b.jpg

Some day I hope to get a 100 gallon and set it up similar to this but with a waterfall and put it in my living room along with biggest, prettiest garters as a wonderful display for company!

[kibakiba]

I don't know any thing about liners. I buy big bags of newspaper shreds. I think it's 10 gallons for 15 dollars.

[ConcinusMan]

The liners I use were just some material sold as a "revere rug" at my local dollar store. I spent about $30 on reptile bark and eco earth online. Even after paying shipping charges I saved about $30 off of pet store prices and I got enough to use in my 55 gallon, a 20 gallon, and a 10 gallon that will last through several changes. I can spot clean this stuff and add to it and it completely stays odor free. No stinky fishy garter poop smell in my room anymore. The reason I use the liners under the substrate is I can use less depth and it won't slide around on the glass causing bare areas, and the liners make it easy to lift the stuff out for cleaning.;)

[mustang]

i save all my money for him so i shouldnt really be givn advice unless ur gonna go over $100 lol i spoil him and what does he do? he tries to escape!

[ssssnakeluvr]

i also read somethin in a book today and they said garter arent good pts :( that made me sad hah.. is that true??

I quote Homer Simpson... "that's 100% grade A bullplop!"

[guidofatherof5]

To each his own but I can't think of a better snake to have as a pet/family member/companion.
They are so interactive.

[kibakiba]

I'm with you on this Steve, my snakes love being held and they're the sweetest things on earth. Mama is even gentle enough to be around smaller kids, she's never bit since I tamed her. She loves coming in my bed with me and sleeping on my stomach under my blanket... It's so sweet and adorable :D

[guidofatherof5]

Garter Snake: The People Snake.;)

[ConcinusMan]

Yeah, there's another reason to call them that. They are probably at least as numerous as us!

[Stefan-A]

Yeah, there's another reason to call them that. They are probably at least as numerous as us!
Highly doubtful.

[ConcinusMan]

Oh for once turn off that analytical mind and go with the flow:rolleyes: Somebody would have bought it.;)

Nevermind. I'd never ask you to be something you're not. Just do it anyway.:p

[Ringosmama]

i out my hand in there and he trys to crawl on me!! i love it!!

[kibakiba]

That's usually a sign of him trusting you more. My newest snake that I got today, from Richard (concinnusman), named Ember took food from my hand and he really enjoys being held it seems. He coils up in my hand and is super calm. It's the cutest thing on the Earth. Seriously.

[Ringosmama]

aww!! ringo is reeeaaaalllyyyy adventurous!! hes alllwwaaaayyysss moveing!! why does he do that?

[kibakiba]

My male snake and my babies are always on the move. Maybe they're just curious, or have a lot more energy! Mama doesn't move much but she might be pregnant. She's also a female, they tend to be more calm when held, in my experience and what I've read. But males do like to move, they just don't have snappy moments like females. Mama will hiss if I annoy her or if she doesn't get her way. When she escaped the feeding box and I went to put her back he hissed all the way back to the tank. She wasn't happy about it :P Every snake is different though.

[Ringosmama]

oh hahah yeah i get that i still need to get a good picture so you can tell if he is a male and what kind he is haha