Hi,

My son and I picked up an 18" Northern Ribbon a couple of weeks ago in the Catskills, I had been thinking of keeping the next garter we caught. So I've read every caresheet on the web, and have the snake in a 10 g tank on newspaper with a shallow dish of water and a hide made of half a 4" dia cardboard tube 8" long. Since the ambient temp in the room is usually in the 80's I haven't given a light, I don't want to bake him, I think any heat source would raise the lower temps too high. I've offered rosy reds to no avail, and though against the common wisdom, even tried garden worms and crickets (get them for the beardie anyway).

It'll be 2 weeks tomorrow. He's remained very skittish, flailing around the tank if you approach close, though he doesn't actually hide very much. He won't musk when handled and settles down after a short while, though I've refrained from handling him figuring to get him eating first. Suggestions besides keeping to offer the minnows?