Are Superworms Safe?

[Wyoming]

My sons garter gave birth to 12 healthy babies a couple of days ago. . . I have since spent a lot of time trying to figure out what to feed them. Their mom eats almost exclusively a diet of feeder goldfish. 3 of the babies willingly ate tiny feeder guppies, but the others left them untouched.

Each of the 12 babies is housed individually so we can keep track of all the details about them. most of them weigh 2 grams, 3 of them weighed 3 grams and 2 weighed only 1 gram.

My Question:
Can I cut up some superworms (Zophobas morio) for the babies to eat.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Welcome to the forums. I would stick to fish and worms. Superworms or any insects are not good for garters and they cannot digest the exoskeleton so i would say no. You also need to get the adult garter off of goldfish because they are bad. You could try some cut strips of tilapia or salmon dusted with vitamins.

[Kantar]

some cut up night crawlers usually work especally if they are still moving a little bit because they usually notice that

Don't be worried if they don't eat right away since they would still have yolk in their stomachs, some don't eat for a couple weeks.

[Didymus20X6]

Get the mom off the goldfish. Now.

Goldfish contain an enzyme called Thiaminase that destroys necessary vitamins in garter snakes. It can be fatal. A varied diet with occasional goldfish might not be dangerous, but a diet exclusively of goldfish is. And Rosy Reds are not a safe alternative, as they are also high in thiaminase.

Feeder guppies are much better for the snake, although a lot of our people suggest switching them over to tilapia or salmon filets. Especially frozen, as that helps to kill parasites.

Also, I would suggest trying to vary the mom's diet a little. Maybe add some nightcrawers in addition to the fish, or pinkies.

As for the babies, try chopping up some Nightcrawlers, and maybe lightly dust them with some calcium. You could also make a mixture of chopped nightcrawler and fish, to help vary their diet as well, and get them eating multiple foods.

[guidofatherof5]

Welcome to the forum.
Here is a link to the care sheet which should answer many questions about garter snake care.
Feel free to post any other questions you might have.
Ditch the superworms and the goldfish.
The guppies are a very good idea.
Any idea what species of garter snake you have?
Garter Snake Care Sheet - Caresheets (http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets/index.php?title=Garter_Snake_Care_Sheet)

[Wyoming]

I have tried varying the moms diet. She has access to nightcrawlers daily but does not care to eat them very often.

According to the guide I used to ID her based on where she was captured and all of the questions it asked she is a Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis).

I will try to switch her to tilapia in place of goldfish, as far as the babies I am going to try some small earthworms and offer cut up tilapia filet.

Thanks for the assistance.

[guidofatherof5]

We would love to see a photo when you have time.

[katach]

Welcome to the forum family. Be sure you are not getting red wrigglers they are poisonous to the snakes also. There are pictures in the care sheet to see what to avoid. Would love to see photos of mom and the babies, so we can see which T. sirtalis you have as there are many.

[Wyoming]

I will work on photos this in the near future.

Would it be ok for me to puree some tilapia and nightcrawlers together and mix with gelatin to make my own food for all 13 garters we have or is the gelatin toxic somehow?

[katach]

Try this thread:
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/general-talk/4881-fish-gelatin-total-success.html

[Didymus20X6]

Gelatin is a normal part of animal skeletons. In fact, they extract it by boiling bones and cartilage; it makes a great natural thickening agent.

http://i52.tinypic.com/14l0t93.jpg

If the mom doesn't like tilapia, feeder guppies would be good. I like tilapia because I can actually get it in this town, and Little Dude loves it.

[Wyoming]

Update:
7 of the babies have now eaten. 3 of them twice.

Early Thursday Morning 5 of the babies took a piece of salmon about the size of their head and 2 ate a nightcrawler piece the same size.

Here in a couple of hours we will try to feed all 12 again with tilapia pieces.

[guidofatherof5]

Glad to hear so many are eating.
I hope the holdouts will start soon.;)