7 Wandering Babies...Need Help (pics inside)

[lostaggy]

I rescued a wandering garter from my local town park...had her for three weeks, and she just had seven neonates. They've all shed, are very active and healthy, but haven't eaten yet. What is the best food for these little guys? Plus, any advice on husbandry for them would be greatly appreciated.

Should I try to feed them together or separate? And whats the best way to keep track of which ones have eaten?

[adamanteus]

Rescued?

[bsol]

Rescued?

yeah, you know... when you catch a garter snake in the wild at a park.
Rescued! hehe

I'd feed them individually. Earthworms from a non fertilized/pesticided area would be perfect! Then gets some frozen pinkies, thaw them out, cut them up into baby snake bites and maybe scent them with fish or earthworms!

Nice group btw!

[drache]

if it's the typical town park that's a four block square of manicured lawn that has a military statue of either some fusiliers or a guy on a horse, rescue may well be an appropriate choice of words
I just offer my babies pinky strips, trout or salmon strips, and small or cut up earthworms

[ssssnakeluvr]

first thing....remove them from the tank and get them away from the mother.....wanderings have been known to be cannibalistic. they may take a week or 2 after being born before they eat. start with small worms and guppies....

[lostaggy]

Thanks for all this help, guys. I bought a bunch of earthworms and Gladware and spent all day drilling tiny holes all over them (the gladware hehe). I numbered every container, and laid down paper towels and water bowls in each. They are in a climate and humidity controlled room that a Red Tail, and Ball python currently reside in.

So far three have noticeably consumed the chopped earthworms, but one regurgitated his right after he ate. I think I chopped them too large, because the ones that did eat, ate small pieces and have no noticable bulge like the regurgitator.

So far all babies seem snappy, and full of life.

The mama seems a lot calmer after a huge hopper, and removal of the neonates.

Thanks again for all the help, and yes the "rescue" occurred at the park two days before a huge music festival. So I thought it an appropriate choice of words.

Here's another pic of mama and baby:

[mustang]

put em in different tanks and thats cool

[lostaggy]

update: I tried the earthworm thing, and only a few took to that. But when I chopped up a pinky, and put a piece in each container, they all ate at once! So now they're on a steady diet of pinky parts, and are getting bigger every day.

[jitami]

excellent

[FunkyRes]

Beautiful! The only wild Wandering I have ever personally seen was on a mountain that looks down on Boulder. It's a beautiful species!