questions about my new WC eastern

[snakehill]

Okay ! Here goes! First question! And it's a long one! I have had this little beauty for a week now. She seems to be settling in. She does not try to escape from her tank and has been basking etc. She ate several earthworms (6-8?) on Saturday night (they were gone in the AM) I've only taken her out of the tank once. She was not happy (bit me sveral times!) but that is normal. She is jumpy and tries to flee when she sees me and I am sure this is normal also but how long should I wait before I start really interacting with her? She is VERY FAST!!! She wants nothing to do with me! (my cocker spaniel loves her! She watches her for hours! Just like her mommie! lol) How long does it usually take for WC snakes to calm down? I know all snakes are different but generally speaking. Also when feeding worms you should feed twice a week correct? Sorry to be so long winded! Thanks in advance!;)

[RedSidedSPR]

My WC took a few months to get completey calm.

I'd start by interacting without really touching her to much, and try hand-feeding. That helped mine a lot.

Once they're used to you, theyll be more open to handling.

[snakehill]

I have shown her a worm with a pair of tongs and she was gone! When I fed her the worms I put them in a shallow container (big enough for the snake to fit into) with dirt and covered it with a flat piece of driftwood. She spent a good part of the day in there rooting around. I don't think we are anywhere near being ready to handfeed IMO lol;)

[RedSidedSPR]

Well, sure, not yet. Its only been a week. Shes still getting used to captivity.

[Starling96]

haand feeding helped me tons
just move very slow and if he bites u instead of the food just move the food closer to his head

[d_virginiana]

Yup, like they said, handfeeding is a big help once they're ready for it.

Another thing you could try is putting your hand in her cage for small amounts of time, and just let it sit there and not trying to touch her or anything. That'd be a good way for her to get used to your presence and understand that you're not a threat. It's great that she's already taking food since you don't have to worry about every little thing you do stressing her out and keeping her from eating.

[guidofatherof5]

Yup, like they said, handfeeding is a big help once they're ready for it.

Another thing you could try is putting your hand in her cage for small amounts of time, and just let it sit there and not trying to touch her or anything. That'd be a good way for her to get used to your presence and understand that you're not a threat.

Good advice.;)

[snakehill]

So I should offer her more worms tomorrow though right? I swear she looks like she has grown a litle bit already! Am I imagining this?:confused:

[RedSidedSPR]

Yes.:D

Thats kinda what I meant by interacting without touching.

[snakehill]

Okay but is it too soon? I've only had her for a week!:confused:

[RedSidedSPR]

Too soon for what? It's only a week, so she's solo nervous. I'd wait for pretty much everything.

[snakehill]

Okay! Steve tells me that I shouldn't be embarrassed about this but I am. Apparently the WC eastern that I have is more likely a WC eastern ribbon not an WC eastern garter! It is probably a northern (a subspecies) because it looks exactly like the pictures I have seen. I was looking at her head and noticed it was longer and wasn't as wide as all the garters heads that I have seen. This would also explain a few other things that I have noticed also! Oh well! This is how we learn I guess!:o

[RedSidedSPR]

lol, no wonder I couldn't find a picture!!

Don't worry about it. Easy mistake.

[kibakiba]

It's easy to make mistakes, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. I was convinced Snakey was an eastern, because he did look like some of the ones in the pictures, and I was told he was an eastern garter snake. Everyone set me right with that.

[snakehill]

Okay! I was checking out nightcrawlwers on the walmart site and noticed that they have salmons eggs in nightcrawler juice(?). Is this something garters would eat and has any one ever tried feeding these to their snakes? This snake I have is sucking down worms (medium size) like they are spaghetti by the way! How do you know when they have had their fill? Do you feed fewer nightcrawlers because they tend to be bigger? I am starting to miss the days of throwing a f/t rodent in the tank once a week!!!;)

[RedSidedSPR]

NOT having f/t rodent once a week is what's fun!

Worms aren't a staple and will digest fast, but just feed her till she's kinda fat, a slight bulge, than wait a few more days until she's more normal.

I have absolutely no freaking idea about salmons eggs!

[d_virginiana]

I've never heard of the salmon egg thing before, but I don't see any problems with it. How expensive are those? Like Jesse said though, worms aren't a good staple. I use fish and/or rodents in addition to worms.

I don't like feeding mostly rodents, just because I think my snakes are more active and alert when they get quickly digested meals more often (2-3 times a week). Like, my adult probably gets a mouse, some fish, and goodness knows how many nightcrawlers in a week.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

I don't think i would use the salmon eggs, i don't know if they are 100% natural. Seems like the ones i use to fish with were not real but processed and there is no telling what is in them.

[snakehill]

Here is another question! I keep reading about ribbons not typically eating worms but she is eating them like there is no tomorrow. It is the only food item she will eat. I've tried salmon strips, a pinky and f/t guppies. She will only eat the worms! I can't offer her live guppies because I've become attached to the ones I have! I don't have a camera but can ask a friend to take pictures for me. The only problem would be getting her to stay still long enough to take a picture! So the question remains! Is she a garter or a ribbon??!:confused:

[guidofatherof5]

The feeding you describe sounds garter more then ribbon. I don't think many ribbons would pass-up a meal of fish fillet.
We really need to get this snake ID'd for you.;)

[snakehill]

I think you are right! Maybe she is just a skinny headed long nosed garter!!!!:p

[RedSidedSPR]

If she's a ribbon that's just weird!

It's easy to scent fish with worms.

Does she look like this(ribbon)

http://michherptrips.webs.com/ribbon%20snake.jpg
http://magickcanoe.com/snakes/ribbon-snake-head-large.jpg

Or this (garter)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3654/3407942514_0dde92b890.jpg
http://magickcanoe.com/snakes/garter-snake-head-1-large.jpg

[snakehill]

Her nose is longer!;) I was just looking at her tail and it looks more like a garter tail. Ribbons have longer skinnier tails right? It's hard to get a good look at her because she hides when she sees me!:p

[RedSidedSPR]

Than what? All of them?

Don't just go by the nose, which (out of the above photo) does it look more like?

[snakehill]

#3 :) The last 2 are pictures of the same snake?:confused:

[RedSidedSPR]

No, same kind though.

If that's more like yours I'm guessing it's a garter, not a ribbon...

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Here you go side by side see if it makes it any easier.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Eastern_RibbonSnake.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Eastern_RibbonSnake.jpg) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ea/GarterSnake.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GarterSnake.jpg)

[snakehill]

I would say picture #2 with different coloring. (When I look at her I want a Reese cup! lol) She doesn't have those white spots near her eyes like the ribbon does either. I guess she is a garter! I will try to get pics!:o

[RedSidedSPR]

I'd say garter too... just because of the worms and the photos...

but pics would confirm it.

[snakehill]

I hope my friends knows how to post pics!!!!!;)

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Garters also usually have more facial markings on the sides of the botton half of the face than ribbons. You see how the sides of the ribbons face are more white with hardly any stripes or markings and the garters have markings between the scales.

[snakehill]

She does appear to have more markings on her face than the ribbon!;)

[snakehill]

Worm feeding question! I just caught the biggest nightcrawler that I have ever seen! It is so big and gross that when I picked it up I screamed like a girl! That is not like me at all! Any way this thing is almost the width of my snake and about a third of her length. Can I feed this thing to her whole or do I (yech) have to cut it in half?!:confused:

[guidofatherof5]

Worm feeding question! I just caught the biggest nightcrawler that I have ever seen! It is so big and gross that when I picked it up I screamed like a girl! That is not like me at all! Any way this thing is almost the width of my snake and about a third of her length. Can I feed this thing to her whole or do I (yech) have to cut it in half?!:confused:

That's your call. In the wild I doubt many garters would pass that meal up.
I've seen many small garters eating very large night crawlers out in my backyard.
If you're concerned cut it in half and feed the back half first. The front will stay alive so you can offer another good meal later.

[snakehill]

But I don't WANT to have to do that! lol :p She just ate 3 mediums worms from tongs for the first time by the way!:)

[guidofatherof5]

Keep it as a pet then :D

[RedSidedSPR]

That, or cut it in half.:D

[d_virginiana]

Put it in the fridge and then pull it back out for a snack later, that's what I do :D

... For the snakes. A snack for the snakes lol.

[Mommy2many]

Put it in the fridge and then pull it back out for a snack later, that's what I do :D

... For the snakes. A snack for the snakes lol.


Uh huh...:)

[PINJOHN]

That, or cut it in half.:D

and then keep both as pets :D:D:D:D

[snakehill]

Well she just sucked down the huge one and then ate a smaller one too! She looks like she'd like another! Are garters like horses? Will they eat themselves to death or do they stop when they've had enough??!:confused:

[guidofatherof5]

Babies can sometimes gorge themselves. I believe that some babies haven't developed enough to handle that much food. For them it could cause death.
Most adults will eat until they are stuffed. Once in a while they will regurgitate a meal but I don't see it happening very often with my snakes.
Just my opinion.

[RedSidedSPR]

If she looks fat, she doesnt need more...

[snakehill]

She does look fatter and has finally settled down!!! :)

[snakehill]

Keep it as a pet then :D
Steve I have decided to take your advice!!!;)

[RedSidedSPR]

"and I shall call it Squishy, and it will be mine, and it will be my Squishy".:D

Movie quote. Nvm.

[snakehill]

I can't call it that! I call something else that! :p

[RedSidedSPR]

oh. Shucks.:p

[snakehill]

Anyway!!! This nightcrawler is 10 inches long and is a phsycho! When I open the worm box he launches himself at me! He may just be trying to get out but it freaks me out a little! I'm not sure who is worse the worm or my snake!! :p

[RedSidedSPR]

JEEZ!! Really?!?

Weird.

[Mommy2many]

I had a night crawler that I found in the back yard that was pretty big. I placed it in the enclosure with my girl Stewie, who was probably 32" at the time. That night crawler gave her a run for her money. She chased that thing around the enclosure for up to 20 minutes. It sure put up a fight! I was almost concerned for her but she won out at the end.:D

[Light of Dae]

I've had my baby snake for 4 weeks now and she(i think) is almost fully hand tame, she's never biten me, but I have startled her into hiding a number of times... Try tapping the glass gently to get it's attention first, like knocking on someones door before walking in :P then just slowly put your hand in there and almost ignore it lol Thats what i did lol sat beside the tank with a book and one hand just hangin inside :) oh and could be too soon to feed again... let it get hungry first... in about 5-14 days feed if its still young.

[snakehill]

I just picked up my snake and she flipped out and went flying! Luckily we caught her before the dogs or cats did!! She is a nut!!;)

[RedSidedSPR]

I love nutty snakes!:D

[ConcinusMan]

I just picked up my snake and she flipped out and went flying! Luckily we caught her before the dogs or cats did!! She is a nut!!;)

Remember that when we reach down for a snake, it's often perceived as a threat because this is how predators attack. Especially if the snake tries to "take off" and you grip to restrain it from moving.

[snakehill]

I know this! But it's hard not to with a small top entry enclosure!;) (10 gallon)

[snakehill]

Another question! When you feed nightcrawlers how many do you generally feed? This snake is around 18 inches long. I gave her a HUGE one and she was looking at me like okay that was my appetizer! Where is my entree? I gave her a smaller worm too and she went into one of her hides after that. Should I offer her any more? She doesn't really have a bulge. She just had a PERFECT shed by the way so she hasn't eaten that much in the past week. :confused:

[ConcinusMan]

You can feed them night crawlers until they look really fat. For the most part, they lack the mechanism that tells them that they are full and to stop eating. They'll act starved when they are really quite full.

[snakehill]

This snake HATES ME!!!!:mad:

[guidofatherof5]

This snake HATES ME!!!!:mad:

I doubt that. Probably just doesn't understand you.:D

[snakehill]

Nobody does!!!!!!!!!:rolleyes:

[guidofatherof5]

The two little radixes you are getting from me will adjust fine.
Just remember they are in charge.:D

[kibakiba]

It's likely scared of you, not hating you.

[snakehill]

The two little radixes you are getting from me will adjust fine.
Just remember they are in charge.:D In charge????;)

[kibakiba]

Yep, they are the ones who will tell you what to do!

[RedSidedSPR]

They are in their domain, you just wait on them. My spoiled little snakes just have look like that. "I'm sleeping in, bring me 'breakfast I'm hide'":D

[snakehill]

This could be a problem!!!!!!!!!!:p

[snakehill]

Okay so this snake is trying desperately to get out of her tank. Could it be that she knows that she needs to brumate soon and is trying to get out to find a place? It appeared lately that she was calming down and settling in but now she just wants out! Any opinions on this? Thanks:confused: