Need advise from snake experts

[Sylverkitti]

OK heres the story: I'm in South Dakota, Sioux Falls to be exact..yesterday we found a baby garter snake in the basement...very slow, cold and damaged on the tail from one of the cats. Once I warmed him up he was OK, and active. I cleaned out an old plexiglass 5 gallon aquarium, put in a dry washrag to hide under ,and a bowel of water. Today I went to petco and got a heat pad, and bedding and a few crickets. He was FINE, happy looking. Set him up and gave him crickets. 2 hours later..I find him dead..hes limp, unresponsive, but still "loose" not stiff. Pretty sure hes dead since hes so limp. I am really upset...what did I do wrong??

[Stefan-A]

Not much, basically just the crickets. It sure seems like the injuries killed it. It could be a combination of the injuries, the low winter temperatures and dehydration, I suppose.

[adamanteus]

As Stefan says, the crickets were the wrong food choice, but that certainly didn't kill him. It sounds as though there was nothing much you could have done to avert this outcome.

[Sylverkitti]

Yeah I'm still broken up over it...as I said in the other thread....I got attached fast. If another appears...what to feed them?? That's what the gal at Petco told me to give them. They were nasty...ARE nasty...they're all in the empty tank. I hate them. Let me know what to go and get if this ever happens again...

[adamanteus]

http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets...ake_Care_Sheet

Some good info to start you off in this link, Heather.

[drache]

you did what you could, Heather
very likely that little snake had other stuff going on too
not sure what to tell you about the crickets
do you know someone with an animal that will eat them?
you could always bring them back to petco and tell them that garters don't eat crickets - it's the kind of something they should know
in fact - tell them to look at the petco care sheet for garters
meanwhile
welcome to the forum

[Seere121]

Snakes are very good at hiding illness and injuries till its almost too late to treat them. I had an adult eastern garter once who ate and drank, had plenty of space and seemed perfectly healthy for the 6 months I had her. One day she was cruising around her tank, the next I found her passed away The only thing I can think of was some sort of parasite or infection, but her tank mate is just fine to this day.
On another note, Petco is notorious for not knowing about the animals they have. They can't even tell the difference between a garter, ribbon, and keelback.
Don't give up if you really want to keep another garter snake, they are wonderful little animals with awesom personalities. Just make sure you read up on their care and husbandry before you get another and you should do just fine.

[guidofatherof5]

Welcome, Thanks for giving the little one a shot at life. I have one right now that a friend found in his basement. Had it two weeks and no eating, yet. There are so many unknowns about these guys. You did what you could. If you need another snake I would be glad to let you have one of my young Radix children. If you ever get down to Council Bluffs let me know. You can come by and I'll get you set up.
Of course, they'll be my crying children to contend with. They think every snake should stay with us. I tend to agree with them but I won't be crying until after you leave.

Welcome to the best forum and people.

[infernalis]

Not sure what to say that hasn't already been said.

Welcome, Garter snakes can make very rewarding pets..

[Sylverkitti]

Thanks Steve...a Radix huh...Snake lingo, I'll have to look those up...Are they VERY Hardy?? Right now I would take another basement case....LOL but am afraid to do it on purpose! So Maybe one day. I feel guilty despite what everyone said, but better than I DID...geeze you would think one of my cats I had for years had died instead of a snake I had for 24 hours....oh well I have learned a bit...actually done a LOT of internet reading, was thinking...maybe it was the bedding? I read dusty is bad for them? Hard to believe, I used to see them all the time growing up out there on those dusty gravel roads, or in the fields. What I got was: Jungle reptile bedding made by Critter culture. Says good for all snakes but while pooring spewed up a dust storm I put him in there about 2 minutes after. It looks like the stuff you find on the floors of shelter belts and tree groves...
Anyway I'm keeping my eyes peeled, and NOT letting the cats back down without supervision....no more causulities...
Gonna hang around here as well....learn what I can in case I need that info, I really did thinks were easier...but I have learned loads more than the average one thing a day...
Thnk you all so much your so helpful here...LOL I got treated MUCH more rough on craigslist...and only bc I called them GARDEN snakes instead of GARTER! LOL