Need to know more....

[anji1971]

.....about Dekay's snakes (storeria dekayi). I am most graciously being given one, (YAY!!) but first I must research more!
Found most of the info I need, but I am a bit unclear on some details.
1. What is the best temperature range for them, I hear warmer than garters, but how much warmer? Will a heat pad be enough?? A lamp too??
2. They eat worms and slugs, also soft-bodied insects. Problem is.. the little worms that they need will be hard to find when the ground freezes soon. Can I feed it mealworms, or little baby crickets that don't have a hard shell yet? Are they known to eat fish at all?
Any additional info would be greatly appreciated, I'm pretty confident that I can take care of the little feller, but I like to know everything I possibly can! And this is probably the best place to find out!

And just for the record -- Garterking is my new BESTEST friend!!!!!!

[drache]

Anji
my ringneck snake took blackworms
most pet shops carry those
and congrats

[Sid]

.....about Dekay's snakes (storeria dekayi). I am most graciously being given one, (YAY!!) but first I must research more!
Found most of the info I need, but I am a bit unclear on some details.
1. What is the best temperature range for them, I hear warmer than garters, but how much warmer? Will a heat pad be enough?? A lamp too??
2. They eat worms and slugs, also soft-bodied insects. Problem is.. the little worms that they need will be hard to find when the ground freezes soon. Can I feed it mealworms, or little baby crickets that don't have a hard shell yet? Are they known to eat fish at all?
Any additional info would be greatly appreciated, I'm pretty confident that I can take care of the little feller, but I like to know everything I possibly can! And this is probably the best place to find out!

And just for the record -- Garterking is my new BESTEST friend!!!!!!

From my own experience, slugs can usually be found the year round. Never tried mealworms or crickets, but couldn't hurt anything to try. I've kept them in the same area as my garters...same temps.
They are mainly nocturnal, so they stay burrowed a lot in the day time. Give it a good place to hide and it will be happy.

[anji1971]

So can I actually keep it with the garter? This little Dekays is tiny, Deejay might think it looks more like lunch than a companion! I was thinking of just putting the little one in the small terrarium Deejay started out in, till it grows a bit. I'm not sure this one is much more than half-grown yet. I'm already gathering some small containers and things to make hides.

[KITKAT]

So can I actually keep it with the garter? This little Dekays is tiny, Deejay might think it looks more like lunch than a companion! I was thinking of just putting the little one in the small terrarium Deejay started out in, till it grows a bit. I'm not sure this one is much more than half-grown yet. I'm already gathering some small containers and things to make hides.

It's a usual opinion among herp keepers that you should not mix species in a viv. That little Dekays might be lunch.

[anji1971]

That's what I was thinking, but I had to ask, just in case! At any rate, if I keep the little guy separately, then it just leaves me more tanks, and room to collect more garters. How can I complain about that???

[drache]

didn't quite get that reasoning
but if it lets you get more garters, it must be sound
or wait
I want to learn how to do this
you say when you keep him seperately you end up with more tanks?
and more room?

[Lori P]

I *think* she means it leaves her more room in the garter tank?? But Anji, if you have discovered a way to keep the tanks multiplying, please let us know!! LOL :-)

[anji1971]

What I mean is.........
Deejay is in a 10G tank right now, but I am moving her to a 20G this week. The new guy is going into a small terrarium I have in the basement. When I move Deejay, she will be in a big enough tank to share with another garter someday, and the newly empty 10G will now be ready for another garter, plus i have another 10G in the basement for a future garter. So I guess I don't have more tanks, just that I found a use for the real small one, so I can continue to find garters to fill up the rest. I don't know if this actually clarifies things or just makes it more confusing, but hey, I know what I mean.....

[anji1971]

And no, Lori, I still can't make the tanks multiply................been looking everywhere for tank seeds, tank- bush cuttings, even put two tanks really close together in case they mated...........but nothing, go figure!