Feeding Issues

[Maleko]

So here's the situation. My garter snake will readily take food (I have her on a mixed diet of pinky mice, slugs, and earthworms), but the problem is that I use coconut bedding in her enclosure. Whenever I feed her, the food collects coconut shavings and it gets on her face and around her mouth. It looks very uncomfortable and I see her burying her face and rubbing her head against the aquarium to get rid of the debris. What should I do for her? Is there a kind of "feeding station" I can set up?

[ConcinusMan]

Many snakes won't eat if you disturb them and take them out of their enclosure. Loose coconut fiber (which is what eco-earth is) isn't too dangerous to swallow. It will usually pass just fine. However, I always avoid letting them swallow any kind of substrate. A little "clean" dirt along with earthworms is OK, but don't let them swallow substrate.

OK, so, you don't want them swallowing substrate but you also can't take them out and still have them feed. So what to do? cut the food into pieces that are small enough to be swallowed quickly, and tong feed. This also keeps fights to a minimum. Here's some video to demonstrate the method. I found this to be the easiest method to solve all the major problems (fighting, swallowing substrate, making sure each snake gets fed, etc.)

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And of course, a few of my snakes don't mind coming out of the enclosure to eat:

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You might have to work with your snakes to get them accustomed to this feeding method. Once they get the hang of it, and used to it, it goes just fine. It also helps them learn to trust you and not be afraid of your hand. A pair of needlenose craft pliers or hemostats work well for tong feeding.

[ConcinusMan]

You can also try something similar to this. I setup a large "dish" and once they know it's feeding time and I have their attention, I just drop it on the dish in front of them. Again, keep the pieces small and they won't be dragging it through substrate. They'll just swallow it immediately. There's no substrate here, but you get the idea. A large dish where they can snatch it up and swallow quickly will minimize contact with substrate.

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[Maleko]

I have a critter cage I use for travelling purposes. Can I feed her in there?
And whats the general rule for handling snakes after eating? For instance, will I be able to transfer her from the critter cage back to her enclosure after eating, or should I wait a few days?

Edit:

That second post is a good idea. I think I'll try setting up a dish.

[ConcinusMan]

Sure you can. Unless she's one of those snakes that gets freaked out and won't eat after you move her. When she's done eating, just pick her up (supporting her body well) and put her back in her enclosure.

[katach]

I cut the worms up into pieces and put them on a Tupperware lid. With the pinkies, they are usually swallowed before they hit the bottom of the enclosure. If they are on the bottom of the enclosure and not on the shelf, I feed the pinkies with tongs and hold on to it until they have it a little over half gone.

I have to separate my pugets from the nw during feeding time so there is no food fights, so I have a 5gal. feeding tank. I just wait a few minutes after they have swallowed their food to transfer them back in the main enclosure.

My babies won't eat if they are transferred so I watch them and make sure they eat over their plate. When they have had a few bites I move them to the feeding tank to let the others eat. With my snakes, as long as they have it fully swallowed they don't regurgitate.

Hope this helps. This is just what works for us and our snakes.

[RedSidedSPR]

I used to have that problem, than i started feeding like Richard (ConcinnusMan) and that works great!

[d_virginiana]

Yeah, plus coco-fiber seems to stick more to food than other substrates that I've used. I've never had any problems with using Carefresh. It's a bit bulkier, so even if it does get on the food, they can usually knock it off with their mouths.

Not that it matters since my snakes refuse to eat anything that isn't cut up into bite-sized pieces anyway.. :rolleyes:

[ConcinusMan]

Yeah, I don't know what's up with Big Bertha lately, but if she can't fit it in her mouth in one strike, she'll grab it, start to work on it and drop it. I don't know what's up with that. Then I gotta pick it up, cut it smaller, then she'll eat it. I don't know if maybe her mouth is bothering her, or her jaw is sore, or what, but I can't see anything obviously wrong. The inside of her mouth looks good since she recovered from her respiratory infection. Was all gray and mucous present, now looks pink and healthy. But she started the food dropping when she was on antibiotics. Still not so sure about her. She's hanging in there but without a vet to look her over, it's impossible to know what's going on with her.

[kibakiba]

Mama has done that... I think it just gives them a bit of ease when swallowing. At least in Mama's case. I try to give her larger food when she'll take it though, because she's tried to chew on the babies when I wasn't feeding her fast enough.

[ConcinusMan]

Well, something else is going on with Big Bertha. She acts like it really bothers her, or that it hurts to try to work a large food item down her throat. If it's small enough to just gulp it down quickly, (just a mouthful and no more) she's OK.

[kibakiba]

Poor Bertha. Maybe a little jaw massage will help? Mama likes those after eating "large" food items.

[ConcinusMan]

I doubt that. Big Bertha just wants (and needs) to be left alone most of the time. The less stress, the better.

[katach]

Cotton and Toothless get a little grouchy after food time too. You would think they would be happy with their full tummies, but noooooo. :)

[kibakiba]

That makes sense. I wasn't sure if she was like Mama, who seems to enjoy the attention, neck and back rubs. I thought someone adopted her? Or do you plan on keeping her so shipping doesn't stress her out?

[kibakiba]

Snap gets really pissy after eating, if you even touch her on accident, you better pray to god that you can get your hand out of the way fast enough.

[katach]

haha that's funny, or not depending on how fast you are. :D

[kibakiba]

Well, she hasn't tagged me yet, at least not during the feeding pissiness. There was one time that she actually let me stroke her back, though. It was a really special moment for me.

[katach]

Awww. From the sound of it, savor the moment!

[kibakiba]

I do, I tell her every time she's out that it was special ;)

[ConcinusMan]

Cotton and Toothless get a little grouchy after food time too. You would think they would be happy with their full tummies, but noooooo. :)

I'm not talking about grouchiness. This is a very old and large snake who dang near lost her life to a bacterial respiratory infection last winter. Not only that, she's been wild her entire life until two years ago. She's old and vulerable. She needs TLC. I try not to disturb her much. I make sure she has clean water, clean tank, comfort, and eats enough, but for the most part she just needs to be left alone.

A thorough vet exam and any necessary care would be ideal for me to give her the longest life possible but without getting into explanations, she cant get that in this State. Katach, try going to a vet and telling them what you have. See what happens. You're screwed.

[katach]

Ah, I see. Good idea.

[ConcinusMan]

Sorry, i edited.

[katach]

I'm so thankful for our vet. They are very helpful and know a lot about garters. They are very reasonably priced as well. A full exam for $63.

[ConcinusMan]

No vet in WA will treat or even look at your garter snakes. The only reason Big Bertha is still alive is because I acquired the Baytril (antibiotics) illegally from out of state and treated her myself. The only reason my snakes aren't infested with internal parasites is because, again, I got the meds and treated them myself. As much as a vet would like to, for the love of animals, they cannot treat garter snakes here. It's against the law. They cannot treat wildlife and this State pretty much considers all garter snakes, native wildlife.

[katach]

Any time I've ever called with a question, they have been very helpful and offered a visit to look it over. Luckily the advise they gave over the phone has always worked out well.

[ConcinusMan]

Well of course. I didn't learn what drugs are needed and how to administer them without first consulting with a vet. Well, actually, a professor of zoology. But when a prescription is needed requiring a vet visit, their hands are tied by the law. They cannot treat native wildlife. As far the law in WA is concerned, garter snakes are native wildlife.:cool:

[d_virginiana]

We've run into similar issues with some of the animals we've had over the years. Nothing that a state wildlife official will even consider picking up and rehabbing in an actual facility, but nothing that a vet can legally treat since you're not supposed to have them. Luckily, we were friends with our vet at the time, and he gave us a lot of unofficial advice.

It's pretty impressive that you went to all that trouble and risked getting those meds for your snakes though.