I recently came into possession of a northwestern garter snake (Thamnophis ordinoides); judging by its size, I assume its on its second year. So far, feeding has not been a problem: its diet mostly consists of earthworms and slugs, but pieces of thawed pinkie have recently been added to the plate. I have also fed it a live gold fish and a waxworm, but from what I've read on the forums these food items are not advisable.

I'm curious on how often I should feed it. Most sources say it is best to feed young garters every second day. However, the snake is always exploring the enclosure as soon as the previous meal is deposited; on smaller meals, it doesn't even rest to digest. How often should I feed thesnake? Are larger, more spread out meals better then smaller and more frequent meals? Thanks.