Keeping garters in the same cage

[Dredric1]

i have three wild caught garters and i am wondering if i could keep two of them in the same cage it is large in comparison to them and they are near to the same size.

The largest garter is feeding fine it has eaten two slugs.
but the two smaller ones have not yet. i am wondering what size of a slug or earthworm they can eat they are both about 15 inches long. i have heard that garters are sometimes cannibalistic during feeding. do i run the risk of them eating each other if they are kept together.

[kibakiba]

I don't think it would be a problem as long as they aren't opposite genders, and close to the same size. You might want to feed them in separate areas, my two snakes try stealing food from each other if they're in the same enclosure while I'm feeding them. I would think that as long as both are well fed they wouldn't try to eat each other. My baby snake, Runt, ate a whole earthworm when he was born. It was about 4 inches long or so. He was a tiny little baby, the worm seemed bigger than he was! Snakes can pack down food pretty easily. Perhaps try giving them a couple days to settle in and then offer a couple cut up earthworms. Hope this helps!

[Dredric1]

thanks for the help. why would it be bad if they were opposite genders.

[kibakiba]

They could breed. If their different species and not from the same area they could produce hybrids. Hybrids are frowned upon usually. They seem like their pretty young, though. I believe it's also past breeding season, but some snakes still try to mate :P

[Dredric1]

the large garter is the same species would it be ok to put him/her in there. or is the size difference bad.

[kibakiba]

If it's quite a lot bigger than the others I could see there being a problem, if it's within a couple inches I can't see it being a problem. My female snake is 2-3 inches bigger than my male and there's no problem. Maybe a more experienced member could confirm what I said?

[guidofatherof5]

i have heard that garters are sometimes cannibalistic during feeding. do i run the risk of them eating each other if they are kept together.

I know the word cannibalistic fits the situation but I've always had a problem with it in a feeding situation. It's more of a feeding accident than what I would consider true cannibalism.
Sorry, it has bothered me and I though I would vent.
Moving on.

[Spankenstyne]

I know the word cannibalistic fits the situation but I've always had a problem with it in a feeding situation. It's more of a feeding accident than what I would consider true cannibalism.
Sorry, it has bothered me and I though I would vent.
Moving on.

Might just be semantics but you're right Steve. It's more of an accidental thing than actively hunting each other.

For my group enclosures I cut the food items into bite sized pieces to lessen the risk.

[guidofatherof5]

Might just be semantics but you're right Steve. It's more of an accidental thing than actively hunting each other.

For my group enclosures I cut the food items into bite sized pieces to lessen the risk.

Feeding time and just after is always a scary time when you've got more than more in an enclosure.

[bkhuff1s]

I have five in one cage... they're CB, but I can't imagine it making a big difference, my other two are WC and aren't the same size, and I've never had a problem with them in two years