hides in the water jar all the time

[stewartscience]

Sorry, I misunderstood. The students don't handle the snake. I've been figuring the snake hides from the students in the jar, and when the students are calm, the snake will come out the jar to feed. Since the snake comes out of the jar so rarely during school hours, I figured she's totally fed up with students and I won't let them handle her. The total enclosure is about 3 feet long, 14 inches high and 12-14 inches deep. Sliding screen top, coconut bedding, 2 half cylinder bark hides, and a gallon plastic "shoebox" 1/2 full of water with an airstone in it for the minnows.

I'm at August Boeger Middle School in San Jose.

[drache]

your habitat sounds fine
do you keep minnows in there all the time though?
I have a couple of snakes who like to hang out in the water a lot - it may just be a personal preference thing
as long as the enclosure is dry, I've never had scale rot issues or anything like that
as for the snake showing itself more . . .
some of my shyer snakes came out more once I packed their tank full of fake plants, providing cover and camo
it also helps to provide a basking spot that isn't too exposed, or gives the illusion of camo (branches and such)
if possible, create a calm zone around the tank as well

[gwynhwyfar]

Welcome! Pictures!

My guess is that she's hiding from the 7th graders. They're much larger than she is and a lot more active and snakes are prey to a lot of things larger and more active. This seems especially likely if she's more active in the summer when she's living with someone who isn't a slightly psychotic pre-teen. (I teach 9th graders -- they're all nuts!!!)

My garter's second favorite hide is a plastic container large enough for her to get her whole self into with a bit of moss. Her first favorite is the aspen chips that I use for substrate. But then you really wouldn't see the ribbon -- that also might be an issue because you'd have to move her to another container to feed her to make sure she doesn't ingest any of the aspen chips.

[zooplan]

Long time bathing could be a sign for mites.
have you checked that?

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

its funny how snakes know to soak when they have mites.

I can just picture them sitting there thinking "just you wait Im gonna drown you sorry suckers!"