Wild Garter -- Care Suggestions

[adamanteus]

Jennifer, I've never heard of 'dilly' worms... perhaps our other US members can help you with that one...... but how about pinkies as a dietary option?

[gwynhwyfar]

Jennifer, I've never heard of 'dilly' worms... perhaps our other US members can help you with that one...... but how about pinkies as a dietary option?

I'm honestly not sure that she can eat one yet so I haven't tried. The pinkies that the local store has frozen are larger than the largest of the rosey reds that she's eaten and those look close to too large for her while she's downing them. I do want to get her onto mice but I don't know if she's large enough for that. How can you tell?

[tikichick]

Dilly or dillie worm is a bizarre little term for nightcrawlers. Since that bait shop says they're nightcrawlers and aren't red wigglers, those should be fine. I would recommend asking any new bait shops you go to to clarify what their dillys are... the word could be used to describe any worm, like any soft paper product for nose blowing is called "kleenex" lol.

[Lori P]

I've also never heard of dilly worms, so maybe ask a couple other bait stores for clarification... also, you could shop the pinkies into smaller pieces for her. :-)

[gwynhwyfar]

I'm bringing this thread back from the dead with an update and a new set of questions!

Snakey-snake seems to be doing quite well. She likes to hang out in her substrate, occasionally takes a little swim around the water bowl, lies on the rock and branch I gave her, and generally appears content. She's shed twice since I brought her home in November and has grown a -lot- since then.

My current excitement is that I finally convinced her that her food doesn't have to be alive when she starts to swallow it, so I want to switch her over from the fish of dubious safety to something that I know doesn't have thiamianese in it. I have the list of safe/unsafe fish but I'm wondering if there are any favorites of garters?

Also, can I buy it, cut it up into Snakey sized pieces, and freeze it?

My ultimate goal is to get her onto mice, but there are no stores around here that carry live feeder mice and I know that with the lack of scent in frozen, it's going to be a challenge to get her onto them. I'm just exited that we've moved to 'it doesn't have to be swimming around in the water.'

Outside of feeding, she's a sweetie. She isn't overly fond of being handled, but from time to time, she actually seems to enjoy hanging out with me. She'll curl up around my fingers like some weird kind of jewelry (I know that it's all about my body heat) or she actually crawls up into my sleeve. Which is a bit unnerving, but still kind of sweet.

Yep, I am attached to the little slither. Even if I were allowed to release her, I don't think I'd be doing so. *grins wryly*

*ETA -- For both of the sheds, they weren't clean, but I filled a bowl with warm water and she sat draped over my hands and largely in the water ... I was able to gently get the unshed portions off, including the whole tail. She's remarkably patient about the process!

[Stefan-A]

Good to hear that she's doing well.

[anji1971]

Sounds good!! I didn't think you'd want to release her once she'd hung around for a bit!!

[ssssnakeluvr]

rainbow trowut are good for them, and a natural prey item in the wild.

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

salmons good too

[adamanteus]

Glad to hear that she's settling in so well, Jennifer. Trout is certainly a good, safe, cheap, readily available option, and it can be cut into suitable sized pieces and frozen. Once she's accepting trout pieces it will be easier to convince her to accept other food items, such as frozen/thawed pink mice. Trout is a very strong smelling fish, so the scent transfers well onto other things (especially fingers!)

Welcome back, after your short involuntary absence!!!!