Caught a Garter snake last week

[d_virginiana]

Handling only increases the stress levels your new friend is experiencing.

Sorry about that, I didn't know it still wasn't eating.. So yeahh, what the two comments above just said

[EasternGirl]

Hi! Welcome to the forum! Your new little snake looks just like my eastern garter, Selena. Sounds like you are making a nice home for him or her. Yes, do try to post a picture so that someone can tell you if the snake is male or female.

I am so confused now you guys...about heat and light and all that. Here in Delaware...well, it's very difficult to tell you an average temperature outside at any time of year...the weather here is very odd...it can be 80 degrees one day, and 40 degrees the next. I have been using a 60 watt regular light bulb in a dome light for Selena to bask in during the day...and a 25 watt night bulb that provides little heat and light at night. She seems happy and healthy. For my new snake...I have just been putting a reptisun flourescent light over the enclosure during the day because the enclosure is in a dimly lit area, and I use no heat or light at night because the snake is used to sleeping under my cold house at night when he/she was outside. There are window air conditioners in the rooms where the snakes are...the rooms stay around 65-75 degrees. Thoughts?

[infernalis]

45-60 watts is plenty anywhere in the US, I would leave it off on hot days though.

[EasternGirl]

Thanks, Infernalis...Roger Wildcat, I do want to apologize if I hijacked your thread there...didn't mean to do that. Again, welcome to the forum and good luck with your new friend!

[Roger Wildcat]

I'm taking it one step at a time.

Here is the latest arrangement of the snake enclosure. Any suggestion on how it should be arranged?

Currently the hideaway is on the left-rear portion of the enclosure with the opening facing diagonally toward the plant. There is also a small white lid filled with shallow water next to the entrance of the hideaway that was put in after the picture was taken.










Any interaction with the snake will only delay it from settling down? I guess I should wait till it settle down before taking more picture.

How long should I wait before trying to offer food again? I tried again yesterday by placing a shallow container with a fish swimming in it, but the snake seem intimidated by the tiny fish. The fish was not flopping around or anything like that. I'll have try the F/T route next time I try to feed it.

I've read the care guide from the link of the 1st page and under the breeding part it mention the care of young snakes. I overlooked it the first time I read the guide. Roughly how old would a 12 inch garter be and should I be cutting down the food to roughly the size of its head?

[ConcinusMan]

Here is the latest arrangement of the snake enclosure. Any suggestion on how it should be arranged?

You'll likely see more activity and your snake might be more comfortable if you do something like this. This is only a suggestion. It's been my experience that if I leave a garter in a setup like yours just as it is, he will just hide all the time and not eat well. Light and heat stimulate activity and appetite. They seem to be most comfortable and active when there's plenty of light (albinos are the exception) and they are able to warm themselves to around 85 degrees. After all, this is what they do outside.





This is bigger but shows the basic concept. Can be done on smaller scale too. Florescent light provides most of the enclosure lighting and a household floodlamp makes a "sunny" spot around 88 degrees. The other end where the water dish is, is only in the 70's.

[Sonya610]

Roger if you haven't already tried this, maybe get some night crawlers and put them in a lid (or something nearly flat with a damp paper towel underneath so they don't dehydrate, honestly I don't know much about night crawlers).

Leave that right outside of his hide under the plant. If he feels hidden and safe he may be tempted to eat given some time, especially if they move. Give him total privacy for a few hours and see if that works (course you will have to wonder if the nightcrawlers crawled away or got eaten but you can figure something out).

[RedSidedSPR]

I've noticed that too

[ConcinusMan]

That's a good idea. A lot of snakes will eat in private if they feel hidden and secure but won't eat if they think someone is watching. (shy feeder) My only concern would be with substrate sticking to them and getting swallowed. Silly snakes have a tendency to drag worms backwards through the substrate after biting them.

[d_virginiana]

If you're worried about him getting substrate on the nightcrawlers, maybe you can chop them into smaller bits before putting them in the dish? Even really tiny bits of worm will continue to wiggle for a pretty long time, and he wouldn't be able to get as much substrate on those.