Steveo's Garters

[Steveo]

Update time. I didn't realize it had been almost two months. Still growing like crazy. Compare these pictures to the ones at the top of page 3. I've also included a shot of a deli cup they were originally shipped in (2 per cup) ~5 month ago for reference. Both of the female radix had to be held, and the first one is starting to show some red. I'm going to need a bigger photo box next time. Everyone was given their first offering of chicken liver immediately after the photo shoot, but the female Eastern was the only one to chow down right away. I think a few more have started on it, but it's been about 30 minutes already.

[Steveo]

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[guidofatherof5]

Very nice Steveo.

[ProXimuS]

Aww!!! They look like little grown ups They've really grown!

[Steveo]

I meant to weigh them before putting them into the food containers, but it was just too much to handle at once. A few ate some of the liver, but I think at least 3 of them didn't touch it. I'll offer some fish tomorrow and then try to mix the liver with some pinkies next time.

Also, that damn pickeringii still musks me every. single. time.

[ConcinusMan]

Hahahha. Even though my pickeringii are WC, (this summer) they're sweet as can be. No musking. Very tame.

[Steveo]

Weighed them today. The male Eastern tops the list at 30g, the rest are right around 25g. Got musked again.

[Steveo]

Fed a mix of silversides and chicken liver last night. I only saw the male eastern eat liver. Some of the others may have had a piece but nobody ate it all.

The male eastern is starting to show some more red, I think. Could have been chicken blood. I almost escaped without being musked by the pickeringii but she jumped out of the feeding container before I could get the lid on and we had a 30 second battle.

[Steveo]

Monthly update time. I gave up on the liver because a) it was messy and b) I found a bag of 100 pinkies hiding in the freezer. I knew I hadn't run through them all.

After eating fish and ignoring the liver for a couple weeks, the pickeringii was relucatant to go back to pinkies. I've been giving everyone a couple whole silversides and a couple whole pinkies for each meal, which appeases everyone. The largest garter could probably put down 6 pinkies easily if I let him. Once I run through these pinkies I might order some hairless weanlings or whatever is appropriately sized. Pinkies are high in fat and low in calcium (vs. older mice) so I don't want to be feeding them forever.

I will be leaving Friday to visit family over Christmas and I'll be gone for 10 days. Everyone will get a big meal tomorrow night and another big one when I get back. I have a friend watching the dog and she'll check in on the cat every few days and also make sure the snakes have water. I'll leave a lamp on with a natural light bulb so they don't go into brumation mode. Hopefully.

The male radix is still a cool green color, but the two females are turning red. The male eastern is also showing red. I'm not sure about the female because I'm always looking at the flame part

The pickeringii still musks except one time when I caught her sleeping under the cool hide. I'd think she'd be happy to be handled as she is only handled when being fed, but nooooo....

[Steveo]

As I look my garters over before feeding, I'm starting to doubt that I've sexed them all properly. I'm not sure that the big green radix is male or that the eastern showing flame is female. The bigger eastern is surely pushing 40g by now. I'll try to get some new pictures, weigh everyone, and measure them with imageJ within the next week.

They've all definitely become less active when the lights are on. They hide more and I don't see their heads peeking out as much. But when I turn the light on in the morning (or if I forget and have to turn it on when I get home from work), I usually see 2 or 3 just lounging about. Feeding response is still strong, though going 10 days without a meal at the end of December probably had something to do with that.