A visit to the NY reptile expo!

[Ironpriest88]

So, a few days ago I saw that there was going to be an expo nearby me, so I tricked the parents to take me. Wow there were a lot of snakes there! Though as I looked around, a majority of them were boas or pythons, which was NOT was I was looking for.

Eventually I managed to find a table that had some garter babies. They are such tiny little things! Now that I found what I wanted, I had to convince my parents (mostly my mother, she thought they were all poisonous!) to let me get some. At first they said one, but I convinced them to let me get two!

So, I picked up a tiny baby albino checkered garter, and a beautiful ghost cornsnake. Ill post pictures to them shortly. Supposedly the ghost is already eating pinky parts, and the albino is munching down guppies. A local petco/petsmart should have feeder guppies available right?

Anywho, it was a good day for me, and I am happy with my two new kids!

[Ironpriest88]

Also, it seems I need to "baby proof" my current house for these snakes. The baby checkered managed to sneak his way out of it! I think a ninja themed name would suit him best... -_-

[Mommy2many]

Can't wait to see the pictures of your 2 new kids!

[infernalis]

Congrats!! looking forward to pictures.....

[Selkielass]

Hey congratulations!
I got a Little albino checkered yesterday too, but I got mine at the Taylor MI show.
Lots of Boas, Pythons, cornsnakes, geckos and tropical frogs at our show.
The only thing besides the garters that tempted me were the baby hognose snakes, but ther's no way I can take on another species.

[Ironpriest88]

Hah yeah Selkilass, there were tons of all those at my show. I was tempted to pick up another corn snake (there was a really nice "sunkist" one that I fell in love with), but I knew I had to get a garter, after seeing all the ones on here. But I did get the ghost corn, which I also loved. The ghost was unsexed, and the garter is a male, the lil garter is really shy and doesn't like being near the other snakes and runs when I look into the tank. I hope he calms down soon, and I hope to finish my larger housing later this week.

And the pics are a coming! they are uploading to photobucket as I type this! ;)

[Ironpriest88]

Pictures of the new kids, and some pics of them playing with the others.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c325/angelusdarkside2/pets/P1020221.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c325/angelusdarkside2/pets/P1020186.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c325/angelusdarkside2/pets/P1020202.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c325/angelusdarkside2/pets/P1020194.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c325/angelusdarkside2/pets/P1020219.jpg

[kibakiba]

Pretty snakes! I like that ghost corn. It's very lovely. Not my kind of snake but still looks cool :D

[Mommy2many]

Very nice! I love the ghost corn!

[Selkielass]

Beautiful!
That ghost corn is certainly striking!
Your Albino looks a whole lot like mine!

[Ironpriest88]

Hmmm, this is not going so well. It would seem my male brown snake is not enjoying his new roomate. He will go up to the ghost, and then run away. If the ghost goes near him, he flips out and runs... Will I have to separate them?

[Mommy2many]

Give them time. You may be too concerned about their socialization.

[Ironpriest88]

Ok... I trust ya! I am just worried about one of my lil ones catching a heart attack or something >.<

Well I am going out for the rest of the night, I hope I wont be worrying about them the entire time! haha

[Mommy2many]

Shouldn't be a problem as long as there is no food to be fighting over:D

[kibakiba]

I think they'll be fine, little Runt had a hard time when I introduced him to the concinnus. My male, Ember is bigger than Runt and it scared him any time he want near him. Now, you can often find Runt and Ember coiled up next to each other :D

[guidofatherof5]

I've never heard of anyone keeping Corns, Garters and Browns together.
I can understand the concern of the little brown snake. That corn won't smell like anything a brown or even garter would know.
It's just my opinion but I don't think I would keep two different species of snakes together. That seem dangerous for the smaller snakes.
I did Google that question "Can you keep corns and garters together" This is what I found.
can i keep my corn snake and a garter snake in the same tank? | Everything For Your Pet Lizard and Reptiles (http://www.petlizardsreptiles.com/5513/can-i-keep-my-corn-snake-and-a-garter-snake-in-the-same-tank/)

It seems like a novel idea but the risk is too great that something tragic will happen and I know you don't want that.

With that being said I know that Garter Snake and Brown Snakes are two different species but they are found in the wild together and have the same eating habits and care needs. A Corn Snake is far too removed from the other two.
Just my opinion.:)

[mustang]

well idk youres seem to actually be getting along... i have no clue what to do in your situation

[kibakiba]

That is very true, Steve. There is a possibility of it not harming them at all but there's also the possibility of the corn hurting one of the snakes. It's also quite a bit larger and could possibly crush the smaller ones, kind of like when garters give birth and accidentally crush the babies. In the end, though, it's Rafael's choice.

[sirtalis01]

The show was nice.. Some dude had some nice baby albino and anery radix.....:opefully next year I will have a table full of garters :)

[ConcinusMan]

A corn looks a lot like a brown snake's natural enemy, the eastern milk snake so it's no wonder he freaks out.

I wouldn't keep all those together either. I would Keep the corn separate.

[mb90078]

One more vote for taking the corn out. Nice looking snake though.

[Ironpriest88]

Hmm, well, if the case is I have to move the corn out, that will suck. I picked up the two of them because the breeder said that there would most likely be no problems in them being all together. That would also mean I would have to build/buy another tank. Unless I split the one I just made in two. Either way I guess, they will have to shack up together for another day or two. The only other tank I have is the feeding tank, and while big enough to hold the corn comfortably, it would last until he grew out of it (no idea how long that would be).

Thing is, the corn has little to no interest in the browns or the garter. The baby garter has this far stayed to himself for the most part. My female brown just stays under the substrate (that's all she did before), its the male brown thats looking around for the corn. >.<

Thanks for the advice and tips guys and gals. Once I put the finishing touches to the cage, enough time will have passed that I could see if they will be calmer together. Though with the size of the cage, I really don't see why they couldn't just stay at opposite ends... it's going to be plenty big enough until the garter/corn get massively bigger.

[drache]

many breeders at expos are out to sell
next time you have a question like that, go to any of the the table of the herpetological society or the rescue, and ask them - they have no interest in giving you wrong info
the corn is going to grow a bit, so I suggest you build something largish for it

[Stefan-A]

It's a very bad idea to house them together. Pantherophis are very closely related to Lampropeltis and are known to eat other reptiles. Especially as babies.

Some members of the tribe Lampropeltini do it throughout their lives.

[guidofatherof5]

Though with the size of the cage, I really don't see why they couldn't just stay at opposite ends... it's going to be plenty big enough until the garter/corn get massively bigger.

Unfortunately you can just tell them to avoid each other. Nature is nature and you are running the risk of something tragic happening. I would suggest building that other enclosure or finding a used aquarium at a yard sale or on Craigslist. I'd even suggest using a plastic tote at this point. Move the non corns out. They don't need the space at this point and it will certainly be less stress on that male brown snake.
You are right in the sense that they might get along but what is the cost if they don't?

[Ironpriest88]

Ok, it's done. The ghost is going to use the feeding tank as a home til I work out something else thats bigger for him. For now I think it will be ok, he has a hide and a the top of the container that he came in is filled with water for him to bath/drink. Later today I will try and post some pictures of both tanks, and then the one I am building.

[Stefan-A]

Excellent. :)

[guidofatherof5]

Good choice. Thanks.;)
Looking forward to seeing some pictures.

[Tyrel26]

I kept a corn and 2 garters together for 2 years and had no problems. One garter was just a little smaller than the corn and the other was a baby. They always shared the same hide (even though there were several) and curled up together.

Eventually I had to move and I had to downsize my collection to do so and I sold the 2 garters that lived with the corn and the corn acted very odd for quite some time after. It was clear that she missed her room mates.

BUT there is no doubt a risk, just as there is when you house any 2 snakes together, and this risk may be slightly higher for the same reasons that Stefan-A has already mentioned.

[Ironpriest88]

HAHAHA!!! I got the baby checkered to eat 1/3 a pinky! now to get the corn to eat...

[guidofatherof5]

HAHAHA!!! I got the baby checkered to eat 1/3 a pinky! now to get the corn to eat...

That's great news.

[Snakers]

Awesome looking snakes

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

I have 11 species of snakes, and all of them are in separate enclosures. I have tried the "roommate" situation," and, whether different species or the same species (such as my corns), eventually either food competition or territorial intimidation or aggression becomes a problem. We can't anthropomorphize how our snakes feel rooming with one another. What looks like 2 species getting along, may be a slow drive towards one individual eventually becoming the submissive (submissives often stop eating.) And, yes, there's always the risk of ophiophagy.

[Ironpriest88]

So, the corn was separated from the others, and everyone seems to be pretty happy about this. The corn usually moves around at night and I can see him climbing on the branch every now and then. The lil albino is all over the place, and the browns seem to love him. There is no real issue between them all.

Now as far as feeding, I have gotten the albino to eat some pinky parts. Granted they were cut up really small, but hey, he is eatin. The corn however... I don't think he is truly settled in like I had thought he was. He still hasn't eaten, but other than that, he seems to be in good health. Oh, how often should I feed the albino? So far I have fed him a few small pieces of pinky (a third of a pinky cut up into 3-4 parts) twice in just as many days. Is this too much food? He doesn't seem to mind it, and eats it like nothing!

[guidofatherof5]

He doesn't seem to mind it, and eats it like nothing!

Garter snakes never turn food down. When your snakes return to their slim appearance after a feeding they could use some more food.
When they are younger they eat more as they are trying to get out of that "Happy Meal" size. The bigger they get the higher up the food chain they climb.
Granted, it's not much of a move but it is a move.

[Ironpriest88]

Haha, "happy meal size". Ok, when he looks slim, he gets food gotcha! Thanks once again for the tip :)

[guidofatherof5]

Haha, "happy meal size". Ok, when he looks slim, he gets food gotcha! Thanks once again for the tip :)

Some foods digest and move through the systems slower than others.
Worms move through very fast.
Pinkies move the slowest, as a rule.

[ConcinusMan]

I broke away from the usual fish and worms the other day with my litters and fed them all pinky parts. I was very pleased that all the concinnus and even the ordinoides took right to the pinkies. However, I offered them food 2 days in a row after that, and they didn't want to eat so I guess the pinkies held them over pretty well.

Today, after 2 days of not eating, they finally attacked and stuffed themselves on night crawlers and tilapia.