Jon's Garter Snake Thread ( Suzi )

[Selkielass]

If she wants more, try offering low fat foods like worms and fish, until she has a bit of a bulge, or seems satisfied.
My snakes that got fat did so on a diet overly rich in rodents. They became quite sedentary, and its been a long slow process getting them back to a healthy build.

[ConcinusMan]

Not all fats are created equal. And depending on what type of fish you're using, fish are often very fatty. Even more so than pinkies. Salmon is very fatty. Silversides are too. They're just a type of smelt. The native Americans around here used to dry them and use burn them like a candle. They're that fatty. I don't think it's so much about the fat content that makes snakes overweight anyway. Pinkies are simply very dense food and if they're being overfed on pinkies, their body mass reserves are going to max out quickly especially since captive snakes don't have to expend any energy to find the food.

[Foxrun402]

No local fish market... where else could I get fish suitable for her to eat?

Edit: and I was meaning I have only really tried to offer her 1 pinkie and she doesn't appear to be getting anything but longer lol... she has no build to her she is very slender and doesn't seem like she puts on much weight but she does eat everything I give her and probably would eat more if left in a tray with her to eat at her own free will lol

[Foxrun402]

Photobucket was being crazy and wouldnt let me upload this, soon I will setup a youtube channel...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=536137496404161

Let me know if that works... video of her graduating from pinki parts this morning. =)

-Jonathan

[guidofatherof5]

Looks good Jonathan. You got a mouser there.

[Foxrun402]

Well lets see how do I start... I re-arranged her pad again and today I completely scrubbed it out and used wipe-out and dried it with paper towels and a blow dryer... Gave her all new substrate and then a few new things to play on... this is probably the last few things it'll really ever need... it looks pretty awesome in there now...
All new moss for the dry sleeping spots and the moist hide (change the moist one most often because idk if its a bathroom or not but just sayin, lol) and I secluded the water dish a bit underneath that riverwood log so she has a birdge!


But she normally sheds by the 10th... and I haven't found ANY evidence of a shed! =/ just wednesday I offered her a pinkie... BLAM! GONE! she ate that whole thing so fast! I'm not sure if t is a growing thing or not but I also have not found her opaque that I have noticed at all... maybe I'm just being worried but I am kinda attached to her!

Here are pics I got of her today just after I got her pad set back up and clean and tidy!





I just don't know what to think at this point... She goes into that moist hide ALL the time too even when she dosen't need to shed lol... she never stays in there for long periods of time but maybe 30 minutes to an hour at times... So I know thats not a problem... and there was no shed pieces in there...

Hopefully soon =(

Do they always usually shed on the same schedule?

[kueluck]

She is so pretty. My two babies use to shed just about once a month, but now that they are getting older and growing up, they don't shed as often. I DEFINETLY no expert on this, but my guess is as they reach adult size they shed less often. As long as she is acting normal, eating well and pooping normally I wouldn't worry about it. Just enjoy her.

[chris-uk]

They don't shed on a schedule. And if those pictures are today, she doesn't look like she's due to shed any time soon. The time to worry is if she goes blue then doesn't shed within a week.

[Foxrun402]

Thanks guys that makes me feel better, I will just enjoy the time I have with her, Hopefully it last's a long while yet =)

[guidofatherof5]

Looking good.