help! baby garter won't eat!

[ambro925]

so I recently saved a baby red sided garter snake from the jaws of a cat and she had it left a pretty gnarly gash on her side. I immediately went to my local reptile shop and they told me she probably won't eat for a while because of the trama but this happened on 1/5/15 and she has ate nothing since I hav had her! I tried a live feeder fish, worms, smallest pinky I could find, and fresh fish with prongs but she won't take anything! She isn't even the width of a pencil but as long as my forearm and my local shop told me that she was probably born in the spring so she's just a baby and I don't want to lose her!! Please help!!

[chris-uk]

I'll start with an, "it's the time of year, her instinct will be telling her to brumate" response.

However, that leads me to say that she should have been tucked up brumating when you found her. What was the weather like around those times?
The fact she is so thin might also indicate that she didn't find her way into a good hibernaculum and she's been expending energy staying alive. I'm making the assumption that you're in a Northern state, and that it has been cold though.

Some garters can take time to adjust to captivity, but given she sounds emaciated I'd have expected her to eat quickly.

That she's was out, and is now not eating, would suggest to me an underlying problem. Is it possible to get her checked by a vet?

[snakegirl909]

I'd check the caresheet on this forum first to make sure you have all your husbandry correct. I'm also thinking that there might be some sort of underlying problem.

[d_virginiana]

Can you get a picture of the snake as well as the setup, and also what temp you're keeping her at? Husbandry being off a bit could maybe stress one that's already weakened. Also, has the gash from the cat healed completely? A lot of times they won't eat if something like that is causing discomfort.

Like Chris and Snakegirl said, sounds like there could be an underlying problem. Vet visit may be a good idea.

[ambro925]

I'm in nor cal and the weather was cold there for awhile but at night she is always very active and I try to keep the room as warm as possible for her. She has a heating pad under her log dome with some moss and more moss scattered in the corner for her to hide in and she seems to have healed well. All seems well except shes not eating

[palmeb]

If it comes down to it force feed but gently

[snipstedy]

During this time of the year how often do they generally eat? I recently moved and the truck I used to move her (30 min ride)was loud vibrations and rumbly so I'm sure it has stressed him a bit. He seems to be coming out the hide often though and was basking on top of his log. Its only been a week but the last time he ate wasn't all that much. Its been about once a week that he will eat.

[Jeff B]

Try taking a night crawler, cut it into 4 pieces with a scissors, put the pieces in a shallow plastic dish. Do this in the evening before you go to bed and leave overnight undisturbed (no peeking or checking until morning)

[Zdravko092368]

I'd do what Jeff said, also posting a photo would be really helpful so we can see just how skinny the garter is and if anything else looks suspicious.