Lots of questions

[New Mutant]

He's been a little bit more active recently, but he is still almost always in his hide. He retreats into his hide if he sees me and bolts when I try to pick him up. How do I make him friendlier? This is very important to me, because the main reason I wheedled my mother into letting me get a snake instead of a lizard is because they're supposed to be so much more loveable and friendly (and he is oh-so-loveable, it's just hard to be friends with an animal that hides whenever it sees you).

[kibakiba]

You have to give them time, they'll become trusting of you on their own time. What I do to make mine more trusting is holding my hand in the tank and letting them get to know me more and learn that I won't hurt them. Doing daily things like changing their water or feeding is also a good way for them to trust you more. They'll learn that you provide the food, shelter and water for them. It can take a while for them to trust you enough to not get spooked when you go near the enclosure. If you move slowly it'll scare them less.

[New Mutant]

That's a relief. Reading about all the other snakes being so good with their keepers was making me start to wonder if there was something wrong with Percy's personality. Thanks, kibakiba.

[New Mutant]

...but he is still almost always in his hide...

The Lord has a reason for everything. When I went into the spare room to scoop the litter box, I saw that my mom's Maine Coon kitten was punching the mesh out of the lid of Percy's cage. I pulled the mesh back up as best as I could and covered that end with a large book, but now I sure am glad that he'll be spending the night napping in his hide at the other end of the cage. I put the litter box into the hallway and shut the door, so the cats won't be able to cause him any more trouble tonight.

[kibakiba]

No problem, a lot of new garter owners worry about that. Garters have a very large range of personalities, but they all come to know you as the one who cares for them and will be less scared of you. I mean, Mama used to hate me. Hissing and striking at me all the time, now she cuddles with me and gets neck massages and worms whenever she likes... Only to throw a few hissy fits when she doesn't get her way She's trained me very well.

[kibakiba]

Make sure he wont be able to reach the part that got ripped, they are escape artists and if he can reach it chances are he'll be able to get out.

[Selkielass]

Don't worry too much about him hiding all the time- some snakes do, and in the wild its a very good survival strategy.
My Abby is a hider, and still spends most of her days curled up in her coconut shell or in her greenery with just her head poking out to see whats going on. As she became relaxed and comfortable, she began taking dusk and dawn prowls around her enclosure, but she still spends 98% of her time with all but her head under cover.

When I take her out its a different story- she is calm, gentle (Never struck at anything but food.) and is perfectly content to curl up in or under a hand or along the crook of an arm. She explores a bit, but seldom bolts unless startled- she just likes to feel covered and safe unless she is out hunting.

I think she now looks forward to handling as I feed her when the handling session is over. When returned to her tank, if she is even slightly hungry, she will climb into her feeding plant and wait eagerly for the food to appear.
Conditioning really does work!

[guidofatherof5]

Conditioning really does work!

Yes. She's done a good job on you

Glad to see she got you trained well.
I think humans make good pets for garter snakes I know I don't mind.

[Selkielass]

Aww, Why must you go shredding my delusions of superiority? Huh?

[guidofatherof5]

Aww, Why must you go shredding my delusions of superiority? Huh?

"We are Thamnophis, resistance is futile"