New litter of Easterns (WC)

[guidofatherof5]

In the first photo it appears they are looking for or expecting something to be delivered to them, I wonder what it could be.

[wxknight]

fishfoodfight.jpgredshed.jpg
Update: Garters are doing well. The biggest one about 13 inches now. Grew about 2.5 inches in a month! Most about 10-11 inches now. Here's a pic of "red" shedding in his tree and some of the gang fighting over a fish. I think I was feeding them too often before, like 4-5 times a week. I read they're supposed to be fed worms twice a week. I thought that seemed low but maybe when they're young it works to feed 'em more. I'm gonna feed them fish about once a week and worms twice a week now though, cause I know feeding them too much can be harmful to them. They've got an amazing appetite though. They'll eat whatever I give them. One of 'em ate pinky parts so I'm gonna introduce more rodents as they get a little bigger.

[wxknight]

I keep track of their length and shed schedule now too. They shed on average about once every 3 weeks. They're sure growing up fast. I got a new 24megapixel camera too so Ill upload some photos from that soon.

[wxknight]

What do you guys do for heat? I have a heat pad on during the day and a light. They seem to congregate to the warmth and are really active when the heat pad is on, which I guess is expected. Do most of you guys keep a heat pad on part of the tank daily? Sometimes I give them a break with the heat pad off for a day or two so they can cool down and relax more. But I always have it on when I feed them and right afterwards to keep the metabolism up. Does anyone keep heat pad on 24/7 or is that excessive?

[slipknot711]

i live in RI i gotta find me some cool garters this year

[Manitou]

wxknight wrote: Does anyone keep heat pad on 24/7 or is that excessive?

It's excessive. (and yes, I know this thread is 6yrs old, thank you)

[guidofatherof5]

I offer cool and warm hides so they can decide what they want. 24/7/365

[MNGuy]

wxknight wrote: Does anyone keep heat pad on 24/7 or is that excessive?

It's excessive. (and yes, I know this thread is 6yrs old, thank you)

No. All my heating elements turn off at night. A cool down period at night is normal and healthy. I live in Minnesota and I don't heat my snakes' tank at night even during the winter.

Good luck.

[Manitou]

365 Guido? So are you saying that you don't brumate?

Well, the reason I replied to the OP (not that he'll ever read this) that a heat pad on 24/7 is excessive is because I live relatively near his locale (Essex County, MA) and I know that summertime temps between sunrise and mid-afternoon there can fluctuate by ~50 degrees Fahrenheit. And, the OP states that the snakes are WC. So, hundreds of generations of his snake's ancestors have become habituated to nightly temperature fluctuations to the point where it is now needed for optimal health.

Now, if he had stated that they were WC from Florida, or that they were not WC but were, for example, F7's, F8's, etc, which more than likely would have been slowly weaned off temperature fluctuations then my reply would have been different.

I tend to believe that wild northern Garters undergo a "mini-brumation" most summer nights, when their metabolism slows down substantially (July heat waves are the exception to this). And that this is beneficial to them (yes, even with a lump of a meal in their midsection). Their engines were not designed for 6th gear all summer long. They are not Ball Pythons or Boas or another tropical species and require very different care.

I learned this the hard way.