my first garter

[twostripes42]

ok so i got my first garter snake yesterday she ( i think ) is wild caught by me and is pretty big (2 or 3 feet) i think its an eastern but not sure i cut some big earth worms in half and put them in this little food she wont eat them im thinking it just cuz shes not used to her new encloser but im not sure i can handle her but shes really nippy i just need some tips on care and feeding i also put some slugs in there so can any one help please? and if u can identify her that would be great thanx
:confused::confused::confused: :) 2262

2263

[Starling96]

She looks like an eastern to me.
and she is pretty big lol
U shoould leave her alone for a week and the ontly interaction should you changing the water
Shell be fine without food for that long
also how bigs the tank?

[jitami]

Welcome. She's very pretty. You're definitely going to want to let her settle in for a week or so. What type of area was she found in? Near water? She may be a fish or rodent eater. Most love worms, but not all, and being that she's a big girl she may be used to something a bit 'meatier'... or not :) That's part of the fun (sometimes frustrating) game of figuring them out.

[RedSidedSPR]

Welcome!

Eastern. No doubt.

Give her some time before too much handling, let her settle in.

I doubt shell go for the slugs. Try earthworms or nighcrawlers (no trout worms/ red wrigglers) or fish.

Ditch the gloves. Garter snake bites are nothing, and handling her with your hands will help her get used to you and not bite. If she does bite, try not to jerk sways or you'll hurt her teeth.

Good luck, keep us posted!:)

[Mrs N1ntndo]

my Pheobe looks about her big. And I give her just whole worms and not cut thm. I give her the huge ones too. Also I agree that u should just wait a while and let her get used to things. Shes pretty.

[katach]

Welcome and congrats on the new garter! Letting her get settled is the most important thing. All my snakes eat pinkies, and worms. I give small chunks of salmon as a treat once in a while and use it to scent when needed. I have Pugets and Northwesterns. Good luck and please keep us posted!

[d_virginiana]

Yeah, try not to handle or disturb her until she starts eating. Put some nightcrawlers in a shallow dish and just leave them there and see if she'll eat them. If you can't get her to eat those, if you can get a sort of deep water dish and put a few bait minnows (try to get silver ones rather than red ones if you can) in there, that might work. Minnows normally aren't recommended because they can carry a heavy parasite load, but since yours is wild caught she's probably been eating prey with parasites.

Also, can you post a pic or describe the enclosure? You can do some things to make them feel more relaxed. Congrats on the new snake!

[twostripes42]

she poops alot and now shes in shed so it looks like shes eating and growing but she didn't touch any food shes calmed down alot and shes in a 45 gallon tank my friend said try feeding her FT guppys and minnows so i did but she didn't want them ill just leave her alone for now thanks for the help and if anyone can help me with a name it would be appreciated :D

[twostripes42]

she in a 45gallon tank heres some pics 2271 2272 2273 anything i should add and the wight thing is a hide but it is now covered in dirt so it doesn't look so white
thanks for all the advise its soooo helpful :D:D

[twostripes42]

she in a 45gallon tank heres some pics 2271 2272 2273 anything i should add and the wight thing is a hide but it is now covered in dirt so it doesn't look so white
thanks for all the advise its soooo helpful :D:D the tank is much bigger than it looks

[katach]

Nice! Maybe a branch so it can climb since you have all that vertical room.

[infernalis]

Whenever I find really big ones like that, they take fuzzy mice without even trying hard.

My big eastern girls I saved from the mower last year took rodents right away with no scenting.

[twostripes42]

thank you all very mutch I added some branches and about the fuzzy mice should they be FT or live and how many times a week should I feed her? thanks again everyone :D

[katach]

Frozen/thawed. Our snakes are quite active. I feed 2 large pinkies a week to each of my adults, not sure about fuzzies, I'm not sure of their size.

[twostripes42]

thank u should i start feeding in a week or asap?

[RedSidedSPR]

You don't need to start yet. I'd let her get settled in first.;)

[twostripes42]

her eyes are blue in the light and normal in the shade is she going into shed? and thank you

[RedSidedSPR]

Probably.

Her eyes will get bluer, then they'll clear up, then shell shed.

[Mommy2many]

Welcome to the forum! Very pretty Eastern you have there. Love the enclosure, just make sure it is not in direct sunlight for too long at any point during the day. It may become to hot in there.

Most snakes will take the nightcrawlers and/or mice once they have acclimated themselves to their new surroundings. Good luck!

[twostripes42]

thank u

[twostripes42]

how hot should I keep her cage?

[RedSidedSPR]

Well if your heating up the whole cage, no more than high 70s..

It's best to get a heat lamp (wide cages are good) and keep one side around 85 the other 75. But if you can't just keep it around 77.

[snakehill]

how hot should I keep her cage?
You might want to check out the care sheets. Sorry I don't know how to post the link. Jesse can you help me out here?;)

[twostripes42]

it stays around 76 to 83 at the highest

[RedSidedSPR]

That's OK... Nothing bad, but not great.

Here, she's right. Reading this would be a great idea.
Garter Snake Care Sheet - Caresheets (http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets/index.php?title=Garter_Snake_Care_Sheet)

[twostripes42]

ok in will go to the pet store tomarow and get every thing I need thanks agen she doing great just waiting for her to shed how long should it new till she starts? and do they like to live with cage mates or are the solitary snake?

[RedSidedSPR]

She should shed in the next dew days. Leave her alone until she does.

They will do just fine alone, but can live together.

My adult is alone, but my three babies are together. I think it's important for babies, but adults do just fine alone.

[twostripes42]

ok and after she sheds I should start trying to get her to eT right?

[RedSidedSPR]

If you want.

[RedSidedSPR]

I would try some nightcrawlers first.

[twostripes42]

ok thanks

[ConcinusMan]

That's not much floor space. Tall tanks aren't exactly ideal for garters. Be careful of that window! sunlight coming in can heat that tank to fatal temperatures in a matter of minutes. Does it have a tight fitting screen top? Don't be fooled. Even if you don't think they can reach that far, they can get up the glass and escape. If you have to use that tank (I wouldn't. I'd get one with more floor space) then I would use a small undertank heater and keep the tank in the low to mid 70's, and use a compact florescent for light.

[twostripes42]

i dont have the window open all the time i just opened it for better lighting and i got a heat mat and a light she shed this morning and and i tried giving her a fuzzy but she dident take it so i went to the place were i found her to see what kind of food she would be eating in the wild and what i saw was a ton of frogs and toads and a saw a snake that look kinda like her eat a toad and were i live we have a toad problem so i went a got a toad and put it in with her and he ate it right away but im going to keep trying to get her to take mice and her shed was 33.5'' and it was a perfect shed thanks for all the help ;D

[xStatic]

Yeah she might be a little picky of an eater then lol... but toads aren't really great for snakes. Any wild caught food (other than some nightcrawlers.. maybe) aren't really great food options for snakes since they contain a lot of parasites. Then again she's wild caught and well into adulthood so I'm sure she has a fair share of her own parasites. One thing you can do is scent a pinky or fuzzy with a toad and she might take it. Either rub the toad on the pinky, or kill the toad and freeze it and then thaw the toad and the pinky or fuzzy together in a plastic bag.

Also, you could slit the toad and get all the nasty "toad juice" on the mouse.. snakes LOVE that stuff. Or even just try braining or slitting the mouse.. poke a small hole in the mouse head and squeeze out some brains (gross, but not as bad as it sounds) or use a knife to slit the mouse a few times. This will also help make digestion easier.

I think some people also take toads and deep freeze them for a long time... this in theory should kill any parasites but others would know more about that (: Good luck!!!

Oh, and you also should probably look into de-worming her once she starts eating and is all settled in. After that point avoid any foods that could possibly contain parasites

[twostripes42]

ok will do thanks

[amcutem]

Wow!!!

Thats a nice snake.

Whats her name and how did u find her?

[twostripes42]

I named her obsidian and I whent to a place called bog medow and not long after I found her she's really cool

[twostripes42]

ok so i got her a new really big cage i think its a 85 gallon and i got a heat lamp and she loves it she basks there all day shes doing great she shed she eats like a champ and shes really friendly i feed her 2 times a week and shes right now taking fuzzes. her basking spot is 82.6 Fahrenheit and her cool spot is 78.7 Fahrenheit are these good temps? and yesterday was feeding day and after she took 1 fuzzy she wanted more (these are are fairly big fuzzes) so i gave her another is that a no no or is it fine if i give her a little more then usual every once in awhile? thanks for all your help and nice comments :)
here are some pics of her new cage. enjoy

[twostripes42]

ok so i got her a new really big cage i think its a 85 gallon and i got a heat lamp and she loves it she basks there all day shes doing great she shed she eats like a champ and shes really friendly i feed her 2 times a week and shes right now taking fuzzes. her basking spot is 82.6 Fahrenheit and her cool spot is 78.7 Fahrenheit are these good temps? and yesterday was feeding day and after she took 1 fuzzy she wanted more (these are are fairly big fuzzes) so i gave her another is that a no no or is it fine if i give her a little more then usual every once in awhile? thanks for all your help and nice comments :)
here are some pics of her new cage. enjoy the on on the end is her new cage compared to her old cage and sorry there so blurry i have a really bad camera

[RedSidedSPR]

Much better! That's a good setup as far as i can tell. Temps are fine.:)

[ConcinusMan]

Looks like a pretty good setup but that top has got to go. Get a proper one. If you did that you could easily get your basking spot up to 86 and still have low 70's on the cool end. The way that top is, I doubt you're getting proper air circulation. The rising warm air from the hot end should cause cool fresh air to be drawn in on the cool end. That can't happen because it's covered.

[RedSidedSPR]

Not to mention, it can't be nearly as secure. These guys are serious escape artists.

[ConcinusMan]

And it uses tape. Big no-no. And if you're using that strip tape thermometer to monitor your temps, get rid of it. It's not accurate. It's not designed for this use. It's designed for an aquarium full of water.

Hey, you asked. Just giving my honest opinion.;)

[RedSidedSPR]

That too.:D

Those strips suck. I had an extra from my aquarium and tried it, didn't even come close to the same as my thermometers.

[ConcinusMan]

Yeah, what you need is a proper reptile thermometer with a probe. Place the probe on the surface of the substrate under the basking lamp. Another probe or ambient air temp thermometer on the cool end.

[Hazeldarc]

shouldnt the water dish be the other side of the cage instead of in the middle???

[RedSidedSPR]

That's how i'd do it, yes... dont see how it could actually hurt, other than the heat heating it up...

[ConcinusMan]

As long as the water doesn't get significantly heated, its fine. I kept a water dish about in the middle of my 55 gallon long and it was fine.

[twostripes42]

i have two digital thermometers the strip thing is just there for some resone and the basking spot is 85.7 now and the cool end is 73.2 the lid is escape prof there is no way it can lift it up its a littel hard for me to lift cuz its so tight on the cage and it has alot of ventilation its just kinda hard to she the rest of the screen thanks for all the help and the water bull dosent heat up to much it just gets a little warmer then when i first put it in there

[RedSidedSPR]

Gotcha.

You'd be surprised though, at
1) how easily a snake can escape,
2) how easily a snake can get himself caught in tape, and very likely that will be fatal. I'd get a proper screen lid.;)

[kaseypf]

Hey this is kinda off topic, but how do you post a Question not an answer?

[twostripes42]

ya i am trying to finde one but i cant find one with its dimensions but when i find one ill get it and the tape is on the out side of the tank so she cant get stuck thanks

[Hazeldarc]

i had to make my snakes lid...just get some screen and wood(almost the width of a two by four) but if you build the rectangle shape of the lid with wood make sure to measure it right before you attach the screen i found out the hard way by not measureing it right and made it one inch too long and beleave me it really does make a problem

[kibakiba]

Honestly, even if it is on the outside, if she were to try to get out she can get stuck in it. It might be hard to believe, but trust me, things happen even when people are 100% sure that it wont, it can. I'm not trying to be rude about it, but your snakes safety is a concern of mine and I would hate to see your snake harmed in any way.

[twostripes42]

I don't think ur being rude at all and I'm conserned to and I have been trying to get a good lid but I cant find one that fits and iv had her for 3 weeks and she's never tride to get out but I still whant a reall lid but this is all I have

[Hazeldarc]

I don't think ur being rude at all and I'm conserned to and I have been trying to get a good lid but I cant find one that fits and iv had her for 3 weeks and she's never tride to get out but I still whant a reall lid but this is all I have

Make one its real easy

[d_virginiana]

I have a custom fitted top that my fiance made from some plastic mesh, wood, and gorilla glue from the hardware store. I can try to get a picture up, but if you have to make one, then it'd be hard to get any more secure than that since it was made to keep a career escape artist in and a morbidly obese cat out :D

Or if you don't want to go to the trouble of making one, then you can always get one cut from glass; I know a lot of ppl who do that for their frog vivs and it's not very expensive.

[ConcinusMan]

ya i am trying to finde one but i cant find one with its dimensions but when i find one ill get it and the tape is on the out side of the tank so she cant get stuck thanks

Yeah, sure it is. It thought the same thing. Still lost a snake that was hopelessly caught up in that tape and I was soooo sure there was no way for that to happen.:rolleyes: It did anyway and the snake had to be put down. It was pretty much the exact same way you're using the tape on that top.

What are the dimensions of that top. Don't tell me you can't find a top. I'll find it for you. It's not hard. Remember I'm just trying to help you to avoid mistakes I've already made and learned the hard way.;)

[jitami]

Remember I'm just trying to help you to avoid mistakes I've already made and learned the hard way.;)

I think this is good to point out. All of the advice can be overwhelming at times, but it's only because most of us have made the same mistakes and learned the hard way. Somewhere on here are examples of great tops made by an inactive forum member, Loren. I looked for them a bit earlier and then got busy. I'll see if I can find them. They're simple, but very nice.

Got lucky and in time to edit even :) Here's a great thread with a diagram from Steve & Loren's examples: http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/enclosures/5160-screen-top-building.html

[ConcinusMan]

I still say there's a manufactured top to fit that tank. It's not exactly a custom tank. It's a standard size.

[kibakiba]

I gotta agree with that, you just have to look.

[ConcinusMan]

ok so i got her a new really big cage i think its a 85 gallon

It's definitely not 85 gallon. A 55 gallon is a much bigger tank, 4 feet long X 12inch X18. It's difficult to tell from a pic. Please give me the measurements of the enclosure. That's all I need to determine the gallons, which is really irrelevant when looking for a screen top. I only need to know the dimensions of the floor space, not height.

I suspect it to be 30 inches long X 12 inches. If that's the case, there is a top for that tank which will fit a 20 gallon long, or a taller 30 gallon. I think you have a 30 gallon there.

Or I could be wrong. Either way, I know there's a screen top for it and I will find it for you and work with you to get it to you if I have to buy it online myself. The top you currently have is dangerous in terms of fire safety and to the snake. If I can prevent a tragedy here, it's worth it. Believe me, it's only a matter of time if you keep using that top.

[twostripes42]

ok so to my suprise i woke up and there was a little snake crusen around the tank i had a felling that mama was prego but i dident really know so far there is one dead and one alive should i be expecting more???????????????? i have a bunche of little tubes with drill holes in the can i put it in there or should i leave it with its mother?????????????? please answer asap

[Kantar]

That most definately is a 50 or 55 gallon or whatever you want to call it dimensions of that tank look like a 36 x 18 x 18. You can tell by the little 5 gallon on its side and the slots under the tank.

I can't give advice for the newborns since I never had a litter of garters myself

[twostripes42]

ya the demtions are 36 x 12 x 12
and do u no if the mom will eat the baby???

[RedSidedSPR]

NO she won't eat them, but don't leave them with the mother... that's really all i can say. They can get hurt, so you want to take them out, and put them in another cage.

[twostripes42]

i meen 36 x 12 x 17

[twostripes42]

thank u i have a little make shift encloser that shes in
heres a pic the hide is really big but its the only one i had

[twostripes42]

can any one give me any tips on how to get this little guy started and how to take care of him/her i got two little hides but she dosent want to go in them should i put the big hide back in and should i put her in a smaller cage?????????????????????????

[twostripes42]

and ill go to all the pet stores in town to day ( witch is only like two) and see if there are any that would fit

[twostripes42]

the pet store is getting the right lid next week that's the only place that I can get in in my area

[RedSidedSPR]

Try Craigslist.

[ConcinusMan]

ya the demtions are 36 x 12 x 12
and do u no if the mom will eat the baby???

No, mom won't eat the babies. She simply ignores them. Make sure they have immediate and easy access to fresh water. A shallow, wide plastic lid will suffice. A pile of moist shredded newspaper, paper towels, or other damp material for the first few days is highly recommended. Dehydration is the # 1 killer at this age.

Never heard of a 36 X 12 X 12.

However, these are standard sizes. I rounded the sizes to the nearest whole inch. I think that maybe you have the first one:

36 X 12 X X 16 high = 30 gallon

36 X X 18 X 13 high = 30 gallon breeder

36 x13 x 20 = 38 gallon

36 x18 x17 high = 40 gallon breeder

36 x13 x24 high = 45 gallon

37 x19 x 20 high = 50 gallon

37 x19 x25 = 65 gallon

If you do have the first one and your floor space really is 36 X 12, then here's your top:

Amazon.com: Metal Cover Screen For Aquariums, 36" x 12" Black: Kitchen & Dining (http://www.amazon.com/Metal-Cover-Screen-Aquariums-Black/dp/B000QFRMRI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1314646965&sr=8-4)

Now, make darn sure if that size is right. If you can afford $16.70 (which includes shipping) but don't have a way to buy it online, I can do it for you and you can reimburse me. I can almost guarantee a pet store is going to to charge quite a bit more than that.

There, you see. That wasn't so hard.

[twostripes42]

ya it's like a 36 x 12 x 16 or at least really close I'll check and I can get it my self bit thank u

[twostripes42]

the tank is 36x12.5 will that lid still fit?

[twostripes42]

ok so i bought that lid and it will be here in two days thanks for al the helpfull suggestions she hasent had any more babys so i dont know if shes done or if shell have more later thanks agen ill keep u updated on the little one

[twostripes42]

so the baby ate some cut up worms and shes doing great and the lid came so every thing is doing great and mama didn't have any more :(

[RedSidedSPR]

Awesome!:) Great!:D Crap.:(

[ConcinusMan]

the tank is 36x12.5 will that lid still fit?

You probably measured the plastic at the top? Even though that is logical, a screen top advertised as 20 X 12 will fit a 10 gallon even though if you measure the plastic at the top it's actually 20 X 12.5. The 20 X 12 dimensions they give is the dimensions if you measure that tank at the glass. The screen is actually a little bigger so it fits over the plastic at the top.

In short, yes, if you measured 12.5 at the plastic, and the glass is actually 12, that top will fit.

So, you do have a 30 gallon after all like I suspected.

[twostripes42]

thank u and the mom keeps having babys but there all still borns is this normal or should i be worried for any reason???? shes had so far 4 stillborns and 1 live baby who is my new favorite snake in the whole world :D

[jitami]

It's good that she's passing them. Just try to keep her surroundings calm so as not to stress her. It's better that she gets them out rather than retain them. There could still be live ones behind the stillborns, too. Hang in there.

[ConcinusMan]

Yeah, unfortunately it does happen (the still borns) so it's common, but not necessarily "normal". Like Tami said, hang in there. There might be more live ones to come.

[twostripes42]

thanks i havent seen any to day but i dont want to go and lift every thing up to see but i just really want 1 or 2 more not to sell them but just to have the experiences of raising them cuz its what i want to do (breeding and raising reptiles) for a living :)