5 gal. tank?

[Millinex]

Wow. I'm starting to think this thread was a bad idea Kidding. I'm actually enjoying this. But I'll have to say, I'm on Richard/Chantles, side. I believe they do need exercise and all that. They are not always inactive even if they just ate. I've had my garter eat 12 fish and a nightcrawler, nice and fat, and then go climb on the big tree thing in his 20gal tank. Obviously not hungry. I also think that once they've been in captivity (or in most cases born in captivity) they will lose their fear of being prey. I've seen snakes come up to the glass, begging to be picked up. While that will very likely means he wants food (even if he's not really hungry), he isn't worrying about being eaten. He likes being out of his cage, but not because of any discomfort. Ask Steve. He took his snake to the vet in his coat hood. They usually have a reason to come out, like you say, but they do need exercise, and they do explore. He isn't climbing that tree looking for pinkies. And he isn't climbing up your arm worrying about being eaten. I think keeping a little snake in a little tank is okay, but I think keeping him in a big tank is better. If you have the choice, for the snakes sake, get the bigger. But if it's a temporary quarantine or other reason, he'll be fine in a small tank. Just my opinion.

Have you ever thought that the reason it was on top of the said plant after eating, was it was a better temperature gradient for digesting its meal? No, clearly the snake wasn't adjusting itself for proper temps to digest, it was clearly out playing and wanting to interact. Also, the snake isn't "begging" to be picked up, the temperatures etc in his cage are not correct for his immediate needs and he wants out, to find somewhere that is correct.
They do not need exercise, they get enough of that when eating/drinking or moving to a new area of the enclosure for proper temps, and he certainly isn't exploring because it seems like a fun idea. Again, it would would be a genetic impossibility, as these animals have no real defense from predators, and would be wiped out.

Apparently that's not the only thing you fail to see, but then again, can't do much observing if your snakes are in tubs or racks.

Again, because perhaps you where too dense to read the fact I've stated multiple times that I have kept snakes in both situations. I housed 3 garters in a 155 5x2.5x3 cage for over a year before I moved them. So I suggest learning some basic reading before trying to get hostile with me, because you won't go far.

You sound so sure. I am sure they do have some basic emotions. Perhaps not as complex, and definitely not expressed in a familiar way, but they are there. To assume certain animals have emotion while others absolutely cannot possibly have them, is what is ridiculous here. I'm not saying that they have the same emotions we do, I'm not saying your snake is going to love you or feel affection, but to say they have no emotion at all is ludicrous.

Emotions where developed for social animals, animals with highly developed brains in which to communicate and work as a team, to look after each other. I have never witnessed anything of the sort with snakes. Snakes do not problem solve, work as a team, care for each other, etc. Emotion in and of itself would have no place in a solitary animal run by instinct.

That is questionable. To be honest, I've plenty of snakes, particularly large adult female garter snakes, display more intelligence than your average dog. I often am able to "train" even a freshly caught wild snake, to trust me, to come to me, and even to know the difference between feeding time and a water change and it often only takes a day or two to accomplish that. Something that often takes much longer for your average dog to learn. Some of these female garter snakes I have are sharp as a tack. Can't even say that about all of my dogs.

I'd really love to see some sort of video proof of a snake having some sort of higher thinking and brain power. I hate to say it but recognizing the water dish as water is not exactly higher thinking. Neither is "he knows when it's food time". Why is this you ask? In nature they know to associate certain things with certain results, in captivity it really is absolutely no different. When you open the door, you change the atmosphere, wind, temps, humidity etc and the snake can tell these things. At some point they realize that this = food. That doesn't mean he's thought about it, problem solved, and came to a conclusion.

By definition anger and fear are emotions. reptiles clearly display both.

Anger? Please do define "anger" in a reptile? All reactions including a snake puffing/hissing/biting/musking are programmed self protection methods that are followed by instinct. If you want to use the term fear for it, go ahead, however I believe the snake is already programmed to do certain things in response to certain stimuli.

If you no longer find enjoyment in watching and interacting with a "healthy" snake - thus losing interest, what brings you here to this forum? I feel this is a fair question to ask you.

I don't, because there is no real interaction between a snake and a person, the snake doesn't have the desire to be with me, etc. I'm here on this forum because I keep snakes, I breed and sell multiple species including garters. I used to keep several of them, and have nothing against them.

Very fair question. If you don't like healthy snakes, you can't like snakes. Don't tell me you starve your snakes for your own enjoyment.

No, I feed my snakes every 5-7 days in appropriate size meals. However, I keep them in tubs/bins and not on display, the displays are all of my monitors, which I've found more interesting. Also, it's not a matter of not liking snakes, or liking healthy snakes. I don't enjoy the keeping of snakes on the same level as some people. I love and appreciate reptiles, I enjoy catching snakes and rearing them in my home. However, over 15 years I've observed how a healthy snake behaves, and they just don't make awesome display animals that are tons of fun for me. Some people really enjoy snakes, some of us like them, and keep them, but certainly aren't dedicating our lives to them or proposing they have any human characteristics.

One of the reasons so many of us here like Garter Snakes is their dynamic nature. These snakes will constantly peer out into the room, are frequently on the move providing a rather dynamic visual display.

Larger snakes tend to feed and hide, feed and hide. that's about it.

These little guys have ADHD real bad and don't seem to adhere to the "rules"

You like garter snakes because they are diurnal foragers. Not because they are dynamic. They are peering out in the middle of the day to see if it's a safe time to search for food, if safe, they will actively hunt. Most large snakes- boas/pythons etc, are nocturnal, and have no reason to be out and about, also their thicker/heavier bodies expend much more energy so "cruising around" isn't exactly a viable option for them.

-Mike