I Got One!

[Snakeknot]

I got a garter! A friend found a TINY baby checkered while moving his kiddie pool. Any advice as to how to transition this little one as easily as possible? How about its first meal??? So many more questions now! Pics to follow!

Devon

[guidofatherof5]

Get it in something with a hide, water and heat. Let it settle in a few day or so. As far as food goes I would start with earthworms or night crawlers depending on the size of your new friend.
Waters really important, make sure it has access to plenty of water as dehydration can be a big problem.
Can't wait to see the little scrub.

[Snakeknot]

Before anyone asks, yes it is being quarantined. I have it in the bathroom in a 5 gallon tank ( which the little dude is practically swimming in! ). It has a cheapie UTH and fluffy bedding it can easily burrow in with a paper towel roll tube hide which also is dwarfing it. The snaps on the lid work a little TOO well. I almost need a crowbar to unsnap them and get the lid off. I was just taking a shower and while I was steaming up the room the little scrub was all over the place. It hid the minute I stepped out. I guess its still kinda shy!

And I can just see Stefan's grim avatar shaking its finger at me about wild caught. Here in Pa. we are allowed to take one garter. JUST ONE! ONLY ONE! No showing up at a den and grabbing 50 to sell at pet shops, crap.

This is to be my ONLY wild caught. I still want an albino and I still want a blue. But I'll wait until the vet clears this little dude before all that. I gotta get him going first. Man! These guys are fast!

BTW I was at the Havre De Grace show this past weekend and there always seems to be one garter per show but they don't last long. They get snapped up rather quick. If the snake owning community looks down their noses at garters, why do they disappear so fast at shows?

Well, I did say that they were fast!

Devon

[ssssnakeluvr]

Nice!! give him a week or so before feeding...they need time to adjust to captivity. taking an occasional garter isn't bad, it's the idiots that hit the dens and grab a ton that screw things up. we are looking forward to pics. if the snake was found in our area, its an eastern garter, not checkered.... pretty much all garters have the checker pattern

[Snakeknot]

Well, once hubby comes home with the magic laptop, AND the connection is agreeable, (its been really fussy lately. I think my 'puter is colicky! ) you guys will get pics of my baby. Then you can teach me the Latin name for what I've got.

I'll also be able to show pics of my new "Smoothie".

Devon

[ssssnakeluvr]

eastern garter......thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis

[Snakeknot]

Here's pics of the new addition. Anyone wanna guesstimate the approximate age of said scrub??? Sorry about the size of the pics.

Devon

[guidofatherof5]

I'm guessing it was born last fall and wintered over. I would say no older than 6 months.
I don't think you've had enough Spring for it to be born this year.

[jitami]

Oh, what a tiny little scrub Sooooo cute! Congrats on your new baby!

[Snakeknot]

After my experiences with my lovely, favorite, sand boa Fran, I've decided all my future snakes will not have gender specific names. ( Fran has been I.D. by the vet to be a FRANCO!)

I ended up with 2 snakes this weekend. I bought a Saharan sand boa at the show and named him "Smoothie". This little scrub didn't cost me a cent so I'm naming her/him "Bogo".

I hope its able to survive the transition.

Devon