Baby snakes

[Stefan-A]

As for what definitely does contain thiaminase.

Whitefish
Smelt

Depends on the species. European smelt doesn't contain thiaminase and neither do all species of whitefish (a rough estimate is that there are around 70 species).

[Bakewell]

Just to add to this can I feed a Garter on a staple diet of fish?

[guidofatherof5]

Just to add to this can I feed a Garter on a staple diet of fish?

You can but variety is best. Each food source has something to offer.
A well balanced diet offers them the best each food has to offer. Just my opinion.

[Bakewell]

You can but variety is best. Each food source has something to offer.
A well balanced diet offers them the best each food has to offer. Just my opinion.

Yep I can thoroughly understand that thanks

[bigpig]

Hiya,
How much should I be feed a baby garter.
With my other species of snake I give food that is about 10% of their body weight once a week.
I believe that I should be feeding this wee fella every 2 or 3 days?
so far he has eaten some trout, 3 small pea sized pieces.
I have read that he can be given as much as he can eat? is this correct or will he over eat?

[guidofatherof5]

Hiya,
How much should I be feed a baby garter.
With my other species of snake I give food that is about 10% of their body weight once a week.
I believe that I should be feeding this wee fella every 2 or 3 days?
so far he has eaten some trout, 3 small pea sized pieces.
I have read that he can be given as much as he can eat? is this correct or will he over eat?

Baby garters are on the fast track to grow. Every 2 day is when I feed mine. I usually let the babies eat until they look plump. I don't let them eat until they can't move though.
The little beggars do a lot of exploring and burn off a lot of food. I usually feed my babies this way for the first year. I'm working with T.radix mainly.
Hope this helps.

[Mommy2many]

I did the same as Steve. My babies were fed almost every day. Depends on what you are offering. Earthworms don't last too long but salmon may get them by a day or two. Pinky parts I think would hold them over longer as well as silversides or live fish. I usually don't let them go more than a day or two between feedings, even now at 10 months.

[ConcinusMan]

I did the same as Steve. My babies were fed almost every day. Depends on what you are offering. Earthworms don't last too long but salmon may get them by a day or two. Pinky parts I think would hold them over longer as well as silversides or live fish. I usually don't let them go more than a day or two between feedings, even now at 10 months.

Yeah, you would think that pinky parts would hold them over but Amy would pig out on them every single day if I let her. I just feed her until she looks just a little thick, and about every other day, sometimes two days in a row, then 2 days off. She's over a year old now but she's an eating, growing machine.

Every time she's offered food, she acts like she hasn't been fed in a month. She bit my palm today(pinky smell on it) and seemed very determined to swallow my entire hand. Took at least 5 minutes for her to give up, and that was AFTER I fed her about half a pinky.

I guess my point is, even if you're feeding pinkies, there's nothing wrong with feeding a rapidly growing garter every day or two, just don't let them eat to the point of bursting. Give them very moderate feedings if it's pinkies and every day or two. With fish and worms, you could stuff them every day, and the next day it has already passed through them. They do need a lot more food (and make a lot more poop) if it's fish and worms.

With slow-growing fully adult snakes you have to be careful not to overfeed them. They can get obese and suffer health problems. At summer-like temperatures, a good rodent meal can hold an adult over for a week, perhaps longer.

[Snaky]

I feed my snakes always the same. Adult, newborn, yearling, ... they all get feeding once a week as much as they want.
Here they always get fish.

[ConcinusMan]

If they are fish eaters, you can usually throw in some pinky parts and mix it in. Chances are they'll eat it. They'll grow faster, and have more complete nutrition than fish and worms alone.