Results 1 to 3 of 3

Hybrid View

  1. #1
    Hi, I'm New Here!
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Stonewall, Manitoba
    Posts
    1

    newbie, a few questions...

    Hello all,
    Lots of questions answered already by this excellent forum! Thank you!

    We are waiting for a checkered garter snake to come in from the breeder (via the pet store). This is to be my 11 year old son's pet, although I think dad (me) will be helping out a lot.

    What is the best substrate to use for the bottom of the vivarium? The pet store recommended a product that is 100% cypress mulch (Zoo Med's Forest Floor Bedding, $17.00 for a 9 litre bag). What is best for the checkered garter snake? What is not acceptable for a bedding?

    The pet store also led me to believe that crickets were a main source of food for these snakes but according to this forum this appears to be false. I have to wonder if the staff know much at all about the caring of snakes.

    A brief list of do's and don'ts for the first time pet snake owner would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks

  2. #2
    Dutch, bold and Thamnophis-crazy Thamnophis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Netherlands
    Posts
    1,659
    Country: Netherlands

    Re: newbie, a few questions...

    Personally I use "woodchips".
    I do not know how this is called in English.
    See the picture...


    About the food.
    Sometimes gartersnakes will eat a cricket, but I would advise you to feed them with fish (smalle smelt or so) and/or worms.

    By the way... welcome on this forum!
    It is always advisable to be a loser if you cannot become a winner. Frank Zappa

  3. #3
    "PM Boots For Custom Title" CrazyHedgehog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Posts
    1,111
    Country: Wales

    Re: newbie, a few questions...

    If using wood chips just make sure its the dust free kind...
    newspaper, bark, woodchips are all good substrate, some just look better than others..

    I feed mainly on pinkies but when they are young start them off on chopped pinkies and chopped trout..worms are great for getting a problem snake to eat, also as a treat as they love them, but careful which ones...as brandlings (redder worms found in compost..) can be acidic and poisonous...

    Ask the petshop to ask the breeder what he was feeding before..

Similar Threads

  1. Garter snake food - fish questions.
    By Lee in forum Husbandry
    Replies: 37
    Last Post: 05-09-2007, 07:40 AM
  2. Forum Newbie
    By Cucuteni in forum Welcome Lounge
    Replies: 14
    Last Post: 01-12-2007, 08:38 PM
  3. questions
    By olddeej in forum General Talk
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 11-09-2006, 01:44 PM
  4. newbie question
    By bigdaddydan74 in forum General Talk
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 10-30-2006, 10:27 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •