Lots of questions

[New Mutant]

Very nice snake and WELCOME!
P.S. make sure those minnows are safe!

Do you mean without thiaminise?

[guidofatherof5]

Very nice snake and WELCOME!
P.S. make sure those minnows are safe!

Do you mean without thiaminise?

Many minnow, especially bait shop ones can carry a heavy parasite load.
It's not just the thiaminase issue.

[drache]

welcome to the forum

[New Mutant]

Many minnow, especially bait shop ones can carry a heavy parasite load.
It's not just the thiaminase issue.

I get minnows from Petco. The staff said that they had been feeding them to him exclusively for the past 5 months (poor guy, no one wanted him). Would any potential problems have shown up by now?

[guidofatherof5]

Probably, but the sooner you get him switched over to a more healthy food the better.
A Calcium supp. would also be good. Here's what I use. The one with the pink label, third down:
Rep-Cal Supplements

[ConcinusMan]

Petco often sells ribbon snakes. My local store had eastern ribbon snakes for 5 bucks not long ago. It was tempting but they looked a bit undernourished. There were crickets in the enclosure. That store carries no live fish that are appropriate for ribbons or garters so I guess they were feeding them crickets. They had some very tiny half-starved baby corn snakes too. Same thing, crickets in the enclosure. Stupid.

[ConcinusMan]

I would recommend using a florescent on a timer in addition to the undertank heater. Set the heat and light for 10-12 hours and if necessary, cover the tank at night so he gets darkness and a cool down.

irregular days and lack of natural-like light can cause your snake to be confused/depressed and have a poor appetite.

The tank size sounds more than adequate for now.

[New Mutant]

I would recommend using a florescent on a timer in addition to the undertank heater. Set the heat and light for 10-12 hours and if necessary, cover the tank at night so he gets darkness and a cool down.

irregular days and lack of natural-like light can cause your snake to be confused/depressed and have a poor appetite.

The tank size sounds more than adequate for now.

Thanks! I just added a heat lamp, and he really loves it. Just a few minutes after I set it up, he stuck his head out of his hide and started tongue-flicking. Over the next hour or so he was in and out of his hide, sunning himself and watching the cats play.

[ConcinusMan]

Well if that lamp puts out light then you can probably do without the florescent. I'm just saying that diurnal snakes, especially garters and ribbons like the "sun" and so simply giving them adequate heat without light is in my opinion, not enough.

[New Mutant]

Well if that lamp puts out light then you can probably do without the florescent. I'm just saying that diurnal snakes, especially garters and ribbons like the "sun" and so simply giving them adequate heat without light is in my opinion, not enough.

Oh yeah, I completely agree. I had thought he was sick or mentally damaged (I had a bad experience with poorly raised pet shop rats), but now that his lamp is set up he is acting just like he's supposed to, exploring his cage and being curious.