Well, I don't have a Garter I have a Ribbon and a Northern Brown. HOpe that is OK-- they seem to have similar needs as the garters-- esp the ribbon.

My son found them in the wild.

Turns out the brown was pregnant and gave birth yesterday to a half dozen live and maybe 4 stills. Had not considered the "keeping the local population healthy" until reading here so definitely will be releasing all but one for that reason-- plus hella lot easier feeding one pinhead as opposed to 6.

Found the forum looking for how to feed the little ones and more importantlyly, how urgent to feed right away-- looks like there is no panic-- gave some chopped worm this am and a few of them were working on them. (Mom chowed down 2 leaf worms and 3 slugs this am-my wife was hammering on me last night to feed her saying : "I wanted a Whopper after I delivered-- that mom is HUNGRY!" ) In fact Dirt grabbed one of the worms right out of my hand as I was setting it in front of her. Oh, my Son named the Northern Brown Snake- "Dirt" Dirt Brown

Man that Ribbon can do the number on a frog and much larger one than I expected it could eat-- my son stuck one in figuring it would add to the menagerie and within seconds it was head first in Rosey the Ribbon Snake's maw -- screaming for its life I gave her two more decent sized ones this am to fill her up and keep her from eating any of the newborns-- hell maybe she ate a few already-- though they were crawling all over her last eve and she lunged at the hoppers this am, so I doubt it. I wonder if she will eat toads-- our lot is lousy with tiny ones this year due to very wet spring.

Anyway, glad I found this place and look fwd to interacting. Big question though-- where do you folks get the "pinkies"?

Stew