Garter wont eat worms?

[jamromhem]

another trick might be to familiarise yourself with the fish and then go look at the fish in bait shops.. sometimes they say something is a minnow and it is a different breed of fish all together.

[RedSidedSPR]

Ill try that.

[drache]

my parietalis aren't into worms either
many of the chain pet stores will carry SF Bay Brand Sally's Silver Sides - those are whole little fish, and very fishy smelling
my exciting challenge for you: acquire some dexterity with long-handled tweezers or tongs and make the fish come to life (or at least undead) for your snake
once you get them to take one kind of dead fish, they tend to be more open to others
hunting is not essential to their nature - that's human romantic projection - it just gives them exercise

[RedSidedSPR]

Thanks. He's eating Rosy Red minnows right now(dead or alive) and I dont think fish will be problem, it's just the worms he wont eat. And aren't you supposed to feed them something else along with fish? (I cant use pinkies for multiple reasons). Glad to know that hunting isn't important. Ill try the the Silver Sides if I have trouble giving him other fish though, especially since Rosies carry Thiamanaise. Yours aren't into worms either? Is it just the species?

[Tyrel26]

Quote: " i've tried it and he ate two and the third sat dead in his water bowl for the rest of the week"

Really not a good idea to leave a dead fish in your snakes water bowl, not only is the fish getting an increasing amount of bacteria but the water is unsafe as well.

I had the same problem until i scented the worms by rubbing them into mashed up fish, now they eat them no problem. As for exciting, I feed all my snakes by hand, I hold a piece of fish or worm between my finger and thumb and the stretch up to take it from me. It a very nice feeling to know my snakes trust me that much.

Goodluck!

[RedSidedSPR]

Thanks. I relized that before and Ive never left it dead in the water again. I realy don't care about exiting I just prefer to feed them live food but im cool with dead food. He eats out of my hand as well and I agree that its a nice feeling. Scenting still isn't working.

[Tyrel26]

It can take a while, try skipping a feeding for a day or so and then offer scented food, the hungrier he gets the more wiling he will be to eat something new/scented.

Also placing the snake in a small container (tupperware) with nothing but a couple worms can often have good results, make sure there are holes in the lid, the lid snaps on and place a couple droplets of water in to keep the worms from drying out. Don't be afraid to leave him in there for an hour or 2; just place him somewhere that has no disturbances or people watching. Once he gets a taste for worms he will start taking tem while you watch.


Goodluck!

[RedSidedSPR]

Thanks, I didnt think of that.

[ConcinusMan]

I have concinnus that absolutely adore night crawlers. I have others that won't touch them no matter how hungry they get. I have some that will eat f/t silversides and pinkies, scented or not. I have others that won't touch worms or fish. Others will eat only certain fish such as trout or salmon. And, just a couple that flat refuse anything but mice (fuzzies and pinkies)

[guidofatherof5]

The concinnus' you sent me are eating everything I offer. They seem to favor pinky parts.