Hows my checkered garter & setup look?

[stan73]

I have an adult female checkered in a 4x2x2, she has a washing up bowl to swim in, hides, rocks, branches and a plant (currently an aloe vira but I swap it with a weeping fig to give the plant some normal sunlight etc) . The viv is heated by a ceramic with stat set about 80degF at the warm end. I'm feeding her a small mouse, sometimes 2 every 7 days.
Is this good or should I change anything?
I'm also looking at getting another female garter of another species to put in with her.

here are some pics

Bonnie pictures by stan73 - Photobucket (http://s1015.photobucket.com/albums/af279/stan73/Bonnie/)

[gregmonsta]

She's looking good mate ;).
I would raise the temps a little though. Ideally you want her to have the option of up to 90F at the warm end.
Diet is something I would vary but that's really up to you. Considering your only feeding rodent - every 7 days is appropriate.

[guidofatherof5]

Very nice looking Checkered.

That's a nice size enclosure. Are these frozen/thawed mice?

Knowing the size of the mice will help determine the frequency of feeding.
After you feed her, how long does it take for the stomach to return to normal size?

[infernalis]

Your snake and setup look lovely mate.

[EasternGirl]

She looks like an adult version of my snake, Selena.... see the attached pic.

Very nice set-up!

[yellowfang]

Hi,

Good looking Garter and viv setup.

Is that an Aloe Vera plant? Are the thorns ok for your Garter?

[ConcinusMan]

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af279/stan73/Bonnie/100_1439.jpg

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af279/stan73/Bonnie/100_1461.jpg

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af279/stan73/Bonnie/100_1457.jpg

There you go.

Snake looks malnourished. Are you sure it's getting enough food?:p

[mustang]

Snake looks malnourished. Are you sure it's getting enough food?:p
i can only see the biger picture due to restricted school wifi (and i can see the little picture of selina) were you serious about that being underweight?(i know ":p" usually means sarcasm but it never hurts to double check, checker seems to be about that size (body porportions atleast)) sorry if it seems im being stupid and you were sarcastic:rolleyes:
what is the easiest way to know if your snake is underweight?
also iv been meaning to ask yalll
how often should checker shed?

[ConcinusMan]

:p = I was joking. That's a fat snake.

[stan73]

She's looking good mate ;).
I would raise the temps a little though. Ideally you want her to have the option of up to 90F at the warm end.
Diet is something I would vary but that's really up to you. Considering your only feeding rodent - every 7 days is appropriate.

Cool, I've turned the stat up a bit.
Thanks

[stan73]

Very nice looking Checkered.

That's a nice size enclosure. Are these frozen/thawed mice?

Knowing the size of the mice will help determine the frequency of feeding.
After you feed her, how long does it take for the stomach to return to normal size?

They are frozen thawed. they are small mice. The one I fed her last week was on the big size 9for a small mouse) and she struggled a bit but the two she had this week were quite a bit smaller. She poo'ed about 4 days after eating the last meal.

[stan73]

Hi,

Good looking Garter and viv setup.

Is that an Aloe Vera plant? Are the thorns ok for your Garter?

yeah its an aloe vera but the thorns are soft, I think there's more than one type of aloe vera?

[gregmonsta]

She looks in good health. You appear to be judging the food size right so I would stick to the 7 day schedule. ;)

[stan73]

:p = I was joking. That's a fat snake.

What should she weigh? her shed was 36" so she must be slightly less.
I've not weighed her yet, just getting her used to being handled. I've only had her a couple of months and she wasn't handled before. The guy who had her said she goes mental and bites and he got me to pick her up when i bought her because he didn't want to. I let her settle in a while as she kept striking at me through the glass but now she's calmed down and doesn't do it. I pick her up with gloves on and then take them off once I've got her as she normally bit as I pick her up but she doesn't bite as much now. Once I'm holding her she's ok apart from being skittish at first and musking.
Its funny garter snakes seem quite rare over here in the UK these days. I do searches and there is only usually the odd couple for sale in the whole country that I can find.
I posted picks of her on reptile forum UK but she doesn't get much attention. Its all royals, boas and corns mainly that everyone's into over here but they don't really do anything for me to be honest.

[stan73]

Thanks for all the other comments to everyone else.:)

[gregmonsta]

I posted picks of her on reptile forum UK but she doesn't get much attention. Its all royals, boas and corns mainly that everyone's into over here but they don't really do anything for me to be honest.

They're all scared of real snakes :rolleyes: ... lol .... no - Welcome to the exclusive world of garter keepers :D. We're just not hip enough :o

[guidofatherof5]

They're all scared of real snakes :rolleyes: ... lol .... no - Welcome to the exclusive world of garter keepers :D. We're just not hip enough :o

Go get'em Greg. Love it.;)

[Mix]

No - they're just not hip enough! :D
I'm happy to be a garter nerd.

[mustang]

No - they're just not hip enough! :D
I'm happy to be a garter nerd.
few things
1. AMEN
2.I WAS GONNA SAY THAT
3. people usually just have corns or boas but here most owners have garters corns and boas! we are the elite we are superior we are..not as wierd as a lot of people say we are...ok maybe we are :P

[ConcinusMan]

Its all royals, boas and corns mainly that everyone's into over here but they don't really do anything for me to be honest.

Me neither.:rolleyes: