Found a baby. Identification confirmation and care?

[RissaVS]

Hi, everyone! I'm new to this forum, because I'm new to garter snakes. We found what I think is a female baby black-necked garter snake in Golden, CO. My daughter wants to keep her as a pet, both parents have given the okay, but we really know next to nothing about taking care of her. So here are my questions:

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How long until we should worry about her not eating or drinking? It's been about 2 hours since we picked her up.

Did we get the identification right?

Any tips for a happy garter snake?

Thanks!

[Stefan-A]

Wandering garter snake, Thamnophis elegans vagrans.

Weeks.

Here's the caresheet: http://www.thamnophis.com/index.php?page=caresheet

[guidofatherof5]

Wandering garter snake, Thamnophis elegans vagrans.

Yep.
It can take as much as 2 or more weeks for some snake to settle in. Drinking usually isn't an issue, just be sure to give it a large water dish.


Here's a link to the forum care sheet. Garter Snake Forum - Garter Caresheet
Be sure to go to the "Welcome Lounge" and introduce yourself so we can give you a proper welcome.
Welcome Lounge

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Great looking vagrans.The care sheet covers most topics but if you have anymore questions just ask away!

[Didymus20X6]

Give him a few weeks to get settled. Some snakes won't eat for almost a month until they get used to their new surroundings.

I suggest feeding him chopped-up Canadian nightcrawlers at first, or maybe some feeder guppies or captive-bred tadpoles. Avoid red wigglers, rosy reds, and goldfish, as these can make him sick. Also avoid any feeder insects, as garters cannot digest their exoskeletons.

A 30 gallon enclosure would give him plenty of room to explore. Just put in a bunch of plastic plants for him to climb on.

For a hide, I suggest an el-cheapo Walmart flower pot. Break a hole in the rim, and turn it upside down. A perfect little cottage for a garter snake! Toilet paper and paper towel tubes are also great.

A small plastic tub or glass bowl full of water would be great, something big enough for him to go swimming in would be ideal. You could use pieces of brick or good sized rocks to allow him to climb in and out of the water. You could even put feeder guppies in the water so he can go fishin'.

Depending on your indoor house temps, you might want to get a lamp. A medium wattage incandescent bulb, if your house is cool. If your house is warm, a spiral florescent bulb to provide light will be fine instead. You'll want the enclosure temp to be around 85F.

[Steveo]

Nice find! I have a few vagrans babies myself. They're very active and will escape given the opportunity. I have my 4 in a 2qt. tupperware with some small holes in the lid. Given the time of year it's probably less than 2 weeks old.

Make sure it has access to water that it can't tip over; mine currently have a large plastic bottle cap as a water dish. I refill it daily.

Given some pinky mouse parts or silverside chunks, they'll eat when they're ready. I just offered food every other day until they decided to eat. Seems like if one of them starts eating, the rest follow suit.

I'm in SE Denver if you need any help. Frozen silversides are easy to get at Petco and I could share a few frozen pinky mice since they're pretty much mail-order only around here.

Edit: forgot about nightcrawlers. They're a good starter food that you can get at any bait shop or Walmart. Just make sure to get the Canadian Nightcrawlers; the smaller "panfish and trout worms" are usually red wigglers, which are toxic to garters.

[i_heart_sneakie_snakes]

Aw, you lucky ducky!!! I love my Wandering, they are so cool. Definately the biggest escape artists of all the Garters I have owned. Silly little guys.

[ProXimuS]

Very nice find! I don't think I 've seen a wandering that color before, really pretty

[katach]

Very nice find. Pretty snakie! Welcome to the forum family!

[RissaVS]

Thanks for all the input, everyone! I have her in a 12 x 6 x 6 tupperware for now, and had a small cardboard box which I turned upside down for a hide. Then I have a small deli Tupperware for her water. She hasn't been in there much yet because my girl keeps taking her out to play, but so far she's gone in the hide, under the folded paper towel I put for substrate, and between the hide and the wall of the Tupperware.

I'm relieved that we don't have to worry too much yet about the food situation. I think we'll start with the nightcrawlers. The husband will feel better about it because we could also use them for fishing.

I'll keep you updated, and I'm sure I'll have more questions after reading the caresheet.