Question about worm born parasites.

[ConcinusMan]

I don't want my snake to get worms from eating worms.

Not all that likely to happen. Also, the most harmful parasites wouldn't come from worms or the dirt. They would come from live fish or amphibians which in turn, got them from swallowing eggs that were left in water.

[infernalis]

clams aren't a natural source of food for garters.... wouldn't feed them myself...probably won't take them they don't eat snails eaither due to the shells.

A common misconception, some people think Dekayi are little brown garter snakes.. and they eat snails.

[RedSidedSPR]

But that's Dekayi's... i've never heard of a garter eating a snail. Even if it happens, which i don't doubt. (I've seen Dekayis do it though its awesome)

[ConcinusMan]

Some of my garters take snails just fine, even with the shell. I usually peel it off for them anyway. Forget about the clams. I wouldn't do that.

[RedSidedSPR]

Me niether... I'd love to see my garter eat shelled snails.. how do you feed them to them? Just find a snail and give it to them?

[ConcinusMan]

No, I send them out in the yard and say "go get the slug"

[RedSidedSPR]

ok gotcha.. Yeah, that's probably better.

[ConcinusMan]

Only problem is, when I do that, they usually don't come back, so yeah, I bring the slugs to their enclosure. Oops. Snail, I mean.

[RedSidedSPR]

You mean, snail. Not slug..

and that's safe? Just give them the snail?

Are there safe and unsafe snails?

[ConcinusMan]

Don't know. I only find these in my yard: European Brown Garden Snail

When I lived in CA central valley these snails were huge and had very thick, strong shells. They're quite a bit smaller here, and have very thin weak shells so they're very easy to just peel off and that's what I do. Radixes and northwesterns seem to love them.

I tried giving with the shell and they can manage, but it's easier if I just peel them first.