ID and CARE of my new snake!1

[Mecca01]

My husband and I decided to keep this snake he found outside our house. We have tried to feed it (Sneaky) earthworms and feeder fish with no luck. He had a hide, heat, water bowl, fake foilage, etc in the aquarium. We got him 2 weeks ago. I don't know if I am mistakenly IDing him as an eastern garter, hence I am feeding him the wrong food. We have grown quite fond of him and would love to keep him. Any suhttp://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/268367_168957579841535_100001818824400_363275_9744 29_n.jpgggestions? :o

[RedSidedSPR]

Hard to tell, but it looks like an eastern...

[guidofatherof5]

I'm going with a female T.s.sirtalis(Eastern Garter Snake);)

[RedSidedSPR]

How can you tell the sex in that photo?

[Didymus20X6]

For food, I'd go with Nightcrawlers. For fish, guppies if you can get them.

Avoid panfish worms, trout worms, compost worms, and red wigglers. They are toxic to garter snakes.

Also avoid goldfish and rosy reds, as they are high in a substance that can cause vitamin deficiency in snakes.

A lot of people around here recommend pinkies, that is, frozen baby mice. Pet stores carry them, but they are rather expensive. I've never been able to get my easterns to eat them, but apparently, that's unusual, as almost everyone else has tremendous luck getting their snakes to eat them.

If you have a picky eater, try finding a small toady frog. Wild garters love toady frogs, even if they are not the cleanest food for them (sort of like humans and McDonalds).

[RedSidedSPR]

Avoid panfish worms, trout worms, compost worms, and red wigglers. They are toxic to garter snakes.


All the same thing btw.

[Mecca01]

If I go to my backyard and find a worm, would that be the right kind?

[RedSidedSPR]

As long as it's the right kind :D sorry.

Earthworms. Little ones, or big ones, AKA nightcrawlers.

Learn to tell them apart from red wrigglers. Red stripes are a no. Yellow tip is a no. Etc.

[guidofatherof5]

How can you tell the sex in that photo?

Head structure and build of the body.
Of course, I'm going to feel pretty stupid if it turns out to be a male:D
It was just my first impression.

[RedSidedSPR]

I get that I just can't tell at all in this pic...
I would gave guessed male...

[guidofatherof5]

If I go to my backyard and find a worm, would that be the right kind?

If they are coming from soil that is a good indication that it's a safe worm.
Red worm, wigglers and compost worm are found in decaying matter, not soil as a rule.

Night crawlers, earthworms and slugs:
The small pale worm at the top of the container is a Pale-nose worm(I call those earthworms) All the other large worms are night crawlers and then there are a few slugs in the mix.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/worms1.jpg