New here, question about my snakes

[drgngrl116]

Hello there! I just signed up for this forum and I wanted to ask a couple of questions. First. I have two garter snakes, they are in a, I believe 20 gallon aquarium. They are about 2 feet long each (I got that from measuring their shed skins) Well, I got them because an old roommate of mine decided to catch a garter snake from belle isle and brought it home. She was about 4 feet long. And well, they thought it was a boy until she had about 60 babies! So, as I've always wanted a garter snake, but didn't want to catch one out of the wild, being afraid it would adjust to captivity, so I thought it was a perfect opportunity to keep a couple, seeing as they were born already in captivity. But anyhow, my snakes won't eat anything but worms. I tried to feed them guppies once but they were too lazy to catch them, (The guppies started breeding! )and they don't even look at crickets once. (The specific type I believe I have don't eat mice, we tried to feed them to the mother and she wouldn't touch them) And lately, my slightly bigger of the two (Ninja) doesn't want to eat (Oh, I feed them separately too, I have a little five gallon I transfer one or the other over to for feeding.) And I am afraid of them biting me. I used to pick them up all the time and they've never shown any signs of aggression until a few months ago. I picked one up (Monster, the smaller of them) and he snapped around and tried to bite me! I dropped him in shock, though I was sitting on the floor so he only fell about 4 inches, but now I'm afraid to handle them at all! I use a bent hanger and get them to crawl onto and then support their back end so I don't hurt them to move them into the feeding cage. (Oh, they are about 3 years old by the way) Is there any advice, or am I just hopeless and a wuss?

[RedSidedSPR]

Welcome to the forum:)

Ok, first measing skins doesn't really work the skin stretches so it's longer than the snake.;) Try this (http://www.serpwidgets.com/Apps/measure.html)

try scenting. If you want them to eat fish, cut up some worms and put them in with the fish. If you want them to eat pinkies, cover the pinkies in worms slime. (rub the worm on the mouse). Just make it smell like "food".

Don't feed crickets. They won't eat them anyway. They can't digest the exoskeletons even if they did, and it can kill them..

My snake just went off food too. It's normal. It may be a month before he eats again. Just keep offering food, every few days, and he'll snap back in soon

Don't worry about them biting you. It doesn't hurt at all. you probably won't even bleed. If they do bite you, try not to jerk away or you can injure their teeth. You need to hold the snake, and he'll get used to you. Forget the clothes hanger.;) Trust me. he's too small to do any damage..

Good luck with 'em, keep us posted.

[drgngrl116]

Oh, really? I assumed it would feel like a hamster bite, (Which I used to have and got bit a few times, lol) Thanks! I'll try and pick them up later today, and get myself over the nervousness, so I can enjoy their company again! :) (Everyone kept telling me to let them go but I said, NO! I can't do that, even if I wanted to, they're tame and I would be too afraid of them not surviving in the wild! -not that I wanted to (: )

Thanks so much for the site measuring site! I'll definitely do that as soon as I can get a proper picture :) Thanks too, for the food advice. I was worried that they're not getting enough nutrients with only eating one type of food.

I'll post again tomorrow with my progress (:

[snakehill]

It really doesn't hurt at all!;) Like Redsided said-very important not to jerk away!

[drgngrl116]

Thanks for the advice!

Oh, here's a picture of my snakes from a few months ago, when I wasn't to scared to hold them! :P haha hopefully soon I'll have some more :) (So you can see what size they are :))

[RedSidedSPR]

Do you know what kind they are? They look like easterns, but I see some red...

[guidofatherof5]

Big beautiful snakes.;)

[RedSidedSPR]

Oh yeah, I can see it now. That looks right. Cool, I love those! I have one too :D:D

[drgngrl116]

Well, I live in Michigan and the mama snake was from belle Ilse. One of them is more of a green color and a couple little black marks under the eyes and the other is more brown and I don't think he has the black marks. Here's another picture, the part that looks red on one of their bellies is just from the camera (Crappy camera -.-) I believe that they are eastern snakes, but I'm not sure -.-" I'll take some better close up pictures with a better camera when I pick them up in a little while (Or try to :P)


EDIT: (haha it took me so long to post there were two more posts before I finished! :P) haha Thanks!

You do? That's cool. Is yours tame or a grump? :)

[RedSidedSPR]

They look like easterns (thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis)

[drgngrl116]

Thanks :) I'll have to definitely read more into detail about the specifics. Oh, I was also wondering, is a 20 gallon tank big enough for my two garter snakes you think? I use newspaper for bedding, but I have a lot of flat rocks I use and make caves with them and a log hiding place, a big reptile soaking bowl and sticks and three fake plants :P I'm always worried they're gonna get bored) haha. Oh, and a half of coconut they absolutely love to curl up in! haha. Also, should I use a basking lamp? I use one but I'm wondering if it's required, or should I just get a regular like, fish tank lighting source? :) Sorry for so many questions!

[RedSidedSPR]

Questions are good

Anyhoo, 20gal is fine, and it sounds like a good setup.

Basking light, IMO, is necessary, but make sure the temps are right.

Somethin like 70-75 on one side, and the side with the heat lamp should be in 80s.

[drgngrl116]

Thanks :) I'll have to get a temperature gauge so I know. I always have the water on the opposite side from the lamp, so in the event that they do get hot, I figure they can cool off in there. Thanks for the info, I'm definitely starting on a mission for my snakes today! :D

[Selkielass]

Belle Isle?
Probably Easterns, with the red they have on their necks.
We also have Butlers Garters, Ribbon snakes and Dekayi here in Michigan.
I'm In Mount Clemens- Probably not that far from you if you and your friends visit Belle Isle. (I have one eastern, a checkered and a number of transient Butlers.)

Michigan Easterns are sometimes feisty when they get larger, but bites are seldom more than a sligtly bloody scrape. (They have tiny little needle teeth hidden in their gumline- think 'Toothless' from 'How to train your dragon'.)Handle them regularly to keep them used to people and they should calm down again.

Great Lakes reptile, on Gratiot, around 8 mile is a pretty good store- they do handle some garters tho they know more about the more common pet species.
'The road show' is a decent place for reptiles and supplies, but they don't know garters.

The advice previously offered about feeding is good- scent what you want to feed by mixing or dipping it in something they are familiar with- most snakes will come around eventually. My self caught eastern took readily to worms and fish, but pinky mice took some convincing at first. Make sure the mice aren't any bigger around than the largest part of your snakes body- maybe a little smaller at first. My Eastern was reluctant to eat anything that was much larger than the worms and minnows she was used to in the wild.

I only get on the forum once a week or so, but if you'd like somebody local to call and ask questions of, send me a pm and I'll get back to you when I can.

[jitami]

Sounds like you're doing fine and the scrubs are awfully cute :) I was afraid of getting bitten... well, still am... but finally got nailed by a corn snake, which is much larger than the garters and even it really didn't hurt. It's startling, but feels like rubbing the rough side of velcro on your hands :)

[drgngrl116]

:D that's funny! I live in Mt. Clemens too! :) I'll have to get used to feeding them the pinkies, curious, how much are they? I used to have three pet mice myself, but I'm sure a diet change would probably be good for them. I'll be sure to pm you if I need any help :)

Thanks for the encouragement about not worrying about being bitten, it makes me feel much more at ease with getting them 're-tamed' :)

[RedSidedSPR]

Pinkies are not too expensive IF you order online. But than the shipping gets ya.

My petsmart charged an unreasonable $10 for 6 pinkies... NOT GONNA HAPPEN!!!

But MiceDirect and other online sources is more like $16 for 100 (that's more like it) HOWEVER than the shipping is like $50. ($35 if it's not overnight) Crap. But it's neseccary if you want them tonstay frozen on the way to your place.

[drgngrl116]

Yikes! Well, it seems likes it's not too bad for a bulk price. I'll just have to save up some money and have a 'snake food fund' envelope :P 'Till then, I'll keep feeding them nightcrawlers. Thanks for the advice :)

[RedSidedSPR]

Keep in mind, more mice doesn't effect shipping. So you might want to throw in another $16 and get 200. more for your shipping cash.

[Selkielass]

If you're in Mt. Clemens, your closest source for cheap feeders is over at Gibraltar trade center; 'Rautio's Reptile and rodent ranch' Phone 586-855-9196 Call and talk to Dave about what you need- he fills pre-orders and seldom has extras.

Pinky mice run from about .40 each to around a dollar, depending on size and quantity puchased. - .40 each is for a bag of 25 frozen mice from the mice breeders at the Taylor Reptile show. MICHIGAN REPTILE SHOW (http://www.michiganreptileshow.com/)

Great lakes Reptile (586) 773-1807 has really cheap feeders (For retail), but its more of a drive than Gibraltar. If you factor in gas, cost is probably pretty similar.

[Mrs N1ntndo]

I live in Michigan too so this is good on all the numbers and places to go to and names thank you .

[drgngrl116]

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind :) I appreciate all the help! :D

[drgngrl116]

Update: I know it took forever! I finally got up the courage to pick of one of my snakes. I still got him out of the cage the usual way but then I let him slither onto my hand and I held him for a few minutes :) Whew. I'm going to try and start doing that once a day now, hopefully it will get them re-used to people ;p Thanks again everyone for all of the advice and help!

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Make sure you have no fear of holding the snakes or they will know and it will make them nervous. You have to get use to the snakes and when you feel comfortable then you can hold them. Make sure to keep there body supported when you hold them and you should be fine.

[drgngrl116]

Thanks, will do. I used to never have ANY fear of them until the one tried to bite me, though I used to own hamsters and got bit by them a few times and I'm sure the garter snake bite would probably at least bleed less then a bite from one of them haha. Thanks again :)

[guidofatherof5]

A garter snake bite is as a rule much less of a bite then a hamster or mouse.
The teeth are far smaller(more of them thought) and garter snakes don't have near the jaw strength as those animals.