Quote Originally Posted by GRT View Post
Do they go off feed for the winter even if they are not hibernating? How would I know if it's just off-feed and not having a health problem due to not eating? How long can they go w/out eating?

Thanks for the questions you've answered so far, very informative. I'm giving it the rest of the week to settle in and then will try again with different worms.
They can go off feed due to environmental cues, mainly hours of light, but temperature and pressure could have something to do with it also.
If the snake is still active, "bright-eyed," and there aren't any other signs of health problems (mucus near the mouth/nose, crusty eyes, cuts or wounds, etc) I'd say that the snake has gone off feed due to the upcoming winter.
Garters can go surprisingly long without food; I had one go for 2 months through blistering summer heat and then suddenly she ate again.
It all depends on the temperature, the age of the snake, and how much water they have available. (Without water the snake would die sooner due to dehydration.)