Meet the gang!

[kibakiba]

Well today's attempt to feed them in a different enclosure failed. I've been trying to get them to eat in a cardboard box I have so that they wont eat their shavings when I feed them things like worms. If i dont I have to keep bothering them with tweezers to pick off the shavings so they don't swallow them. They really hate that and Mama hisses at me a little when I try to with her. Maybe she doesn't understand that its harmful for her to eat... Lol. Anyone have any tips to help get them used to eating in the box rather than in their tank?

[guidofatherof5]

It's all just training. I'm rehabbing a Bull snake that was never given any social time. All it knows is that when someone gets into the enclosure it must be feeding time. It's taken a few month to break the training. He now has learned that there is more than just food time.
You might try something other than a cardboard box. Something more clear may keep them calm. A dark box might mean sleep to them.
A plastic shoe box style feeding enclosure might work better.
Best of luck and keep us posted on your success.

[kibakiba]

It's an open large box they gobble stuff down fast so I dont see any point in leaving them in there for too long, its large enough that they cant escape, too. Next feeding I'll keep it near me while their in there just in case one of them develops a plan to go on vacation :P

[ConcinusMan]

It can be frustrating to get babies to eat the first month or two. Sometimes they are freaked out by your intrusion and won't eat, or for any number of reasons, won't eat.

I'm with Steve on this one. Try an escape proof plastic tub. (locking escape proof, tight fitting top, moist babies can scale walls, size doesn't matter, don't fall for that one) Just pluck them up and put them in there, bare tub, with small pieces of food. Keep them warm perhaps by heat pad on part of the bottom, and let them settle down in there for several hours or the entire day if necessary. I think you'll find that once they calm down and feel comfortable, the food will disappear.

You can't be in a hurry and keep moving them back and forth, so be patient. It took several tries to get my recent litters to eat. Do yourself a favor and don't use any particulate substrate. paper towels work fine if anything is used. If they are more willing to eat in their tank it's because they are settled and not feeling vulnerable. All the more reason to just line it with towels or something like that which is not a swallowing hazard then go ahead and feed them in there.

[kibakiba]

It's not baby snakes, it's Mama and Snakey... I can't afford to buy anything, not even a box of 3 pinkies for until next month, even then I probably cant afford to buy more than a little bit of food for them. Bills are too high. I have paper towels in the box and a couple paper towel roll things in there.
I like to pamper my snakes, they like to burrow in the aspen shavings and news paper stuff. It's easier for them to get to their water dish , it's not that high but they can just get right to it. That's the main reason I'm trying to get them to eat in a different area.

[flickerfriend]

his little tank has 2 plastic plants and his hide in there I got him to eat most of one of my baby nightcrawlers... he's nice and fat now He's asleep in my hand right now. It's so cute!

Awwww your making me wish my wc wasnt so aggresive! i miss my snakies back in oregon

[ConcinusMan]

Nice Oregon Red spot you got there in your avatar Flickerfriend. Looks familiar

[flickerfriend]

Nice Oregon Red spot you got there in your avatar Flickerfriend. Looks familiar

Hehe thanks ^^ Thats a pic my mom (Flicker) took

[kibakiba]

Awwww your making me wish my wc wasnt so aggresive! i miss my snakies back in oregon

Some snakes calm down over time, some don't. That's one of the fun things about garter snakes. They all have their own little personalities
Of course, it's never fun to have an aggressive snake when you want to keep it. Mama used to be aggressive and would hiss and strike at me from time to time but any time I was going into the tank it was to feed her and Snakey or to change the water, so she slowly learned that I'm not going to hurt her.

[ConcinusMan]

Some snakes calm down over time, some don't. That's one of the fun things about garter snakes. They all have their own little personalities
Of course, it's never fun to have an aggressive snake when you want to keep it.

That first sentence is very true but I don't agree with the last one. I've had plenty of aggressive snakes such gopher snakes and king snakes that were hostile as heck. Sometimes I like a snake with a bit of attitude. Nothing wrong with that, and yes, it can be fun to have one.