Ok Ive done my Research

[jimijaw]

Jimi,

If you put a 10" trout in a plastic Ziploc bag for 45 minutes or so, you might get enough fish slime to scent your entire mouse colony . I doubt you'll have any trouble converting them with trout onhand. Just wash the pinkies first. Then scent them, and mix them in with fish chunks, so the snake is surprised by its first mouthful of a pinkie.

Rick

That is a great idea! I will do that thanks so much!!!!! Jimi
OBTW I so far have found a pic of a Garter that really gets to me but Im not sure they are available here since the site is in dutch. I already forgot the scientific name but it also goes by narrow headed Garter. Jimi

[adamanteus]

Narrow-headed...That would be T. rufipunctatus? I guess it all depends on availability Jimi. Post a thread on the forum requesting that species...you never know. I think it's a New Mexico/Mexico species, but no doubt somebody will correct me on that!

[jimijaw]

Thank you James I will do that Jimi

[Josh]

i hope the garter snakes work out for u

[Sid]

Hi Jimi,
My personal experience is with T. Sirtalis sirtalis (Easter Garter) and all of mine have been very difficult to switch to a rodent diet and my other is T sirtalis concinnus (Oregon red-spotted) which were the total opposite- switched to pinkies with no effort at all.

Good luck with whatever you choose,
Sid

[Cazador]

Jimi,

Remember that all garters are native to North and Central America. Shorthead garters aren't very common in the pet trade, but part of the fun (for me at least) is to scheme about ways to get which garters I want. Do I know anybody from their native range, or could I plan a herping trip there for any other reason? Another member of this forum (Daniel) has created a program called SnakeFinder. It shows the home ranges for each of the species/subspecies. Have a look (snakefinder).

Rick

[FitnessFreak]

i had to convince my mom just to let me keep ONE snake lol -.-

[Snaky]

If you really only want to give mice and worms, I'd suggest not to take cyrtopsis. From my own experience, they are quite difficult to get them to eat pinkies/worms.

I can say concinnus and marcianus are easy eaters and quite easy converted to pinkies

[ClosedCasket88]

get a checkered or an eastern , they seem to take pinkies and chunks of meat alittle easyer than other subspecies . i never had problems with these guys

[GarterGuy]

Yeh, you're right James.....T. rufipunctatus is a New Mexico/Mexico species. As far as them being available.....probably not going to happen. I believe they are a protected species in their Norht American habitats and as we've found out before, everything in Mexico is protected. If found, this species is primarily a fish eater....living more like a watersnake then a garter snake (although I've heard of people getting various species of water snakes to take scented mice as well). If you're really just looking for a "pet" snake, you're best off getting a nice captive bred individual of one of the commonly bred species, like T.s.sirtalis, T.s.concinnus, T.s.parietalis, ect. These would be very used to being in captive conditions and taking captive diets.
Roy