HELP this is urgent...can minnows kill my new garter

[drache]

I've not seen silversides in grocery stores, but I think bait shops carry them
does your mom seriously prefer worms in the fridge to mice in the freezer?
trout is usually available at grocery stores, and a small one will last a long time

[jitami]

You probably won't find silversides at the grocery store... pet store or possibly bait store... but you can buy trout or salmon at the grocery store and cut them into thin strips for your garter. Buy a trout or salmon fillet, cut into many many worm sized strips, freeze on a cookie sheet and then put the leftover frozen strips in a ziploc bag and defrost a few as needed. The trout or salmon fillet may seem expensive, but will last one garter snake a very long time. As other's have said you should add some powdered calcium. You can find it at a pet store and you don't have to give it every time or even have it at all to start with, but it is important to get some eventually. Good luck with your new little one

[snakeman]

Your snake does'nt look female to me.A bigger pic would tell for sure.

[ConcinusMan]

The photo is so blurry, I can't even be sure of the species. Possibly Red-sided Thamnophis sirtalis? But yeah, judging from the body shape I'm leaning toward male too. I've been wrong before though. Hard to judge from a photo, especially when the snake is sub-adult. It very well could be female. Photo isn't clear enough.

No garters of any species can be found in pet stores here due to laws preventing "native" species from being sold in pet stores. That means no garters of any kind, even if the species isn't native to the State. Petco has eastern ribbon snakes here though.

I'm with everyone else here about the feeding. Don't worry about what the snake has already been fed. The disease takes time to show up and if you change the diet now, it's likely that no harm will come to the snake. Night crawlers are OK but like they said, they make for a very messy tank when they come out the other end. Try to vary the diet and use trout and salmon bits. I would give the calcium supplement about twice a month.

[Dameco13]

what about this one?

[ConcinusMan]

Still hiding the important part. A good clear picture of the last 1/3 of the snake, preferably bottom view would help us take a more accurate guess at the sex. Just let the last 1/3 hang and take a picture of the underside. It helps if it's not blurry. As far as what species of garter it is, I'm pretty sure it's a Thamnophis sirtalis. Specifically, a Red-sided garter like the ones found at the famous Narcisse snake dens in Canada found on this page: Narcisse Snake Dens Update Page!

[Dameco13]

oka heres the pic

i need to ask something else

I am about to start feeding my baby garter chopped up but i dont know because i really want to freeze them but i do not know if ill freeze them will they become unhealthy for my garter? I also would like to know about the deadly worm people r talking about? please?

[guidofatherof5]

oka ill have another picture comming but while im waiting i need to ask something else

I am about to start feeding my baby garter chopped up but i dont know because i really want to freeze them but i do not know if ill freeze them will they become unhealthy for my garter? I also would like to know about the deadly worm people r talking about? please?

This link will give you the best idea on a photo.
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/bree...xing-pics.html

[ConcinusMan]

If you freeze any food, freeze it whole and date it. Vacuum sealing is best because it's air in the bag that causes freezer burn/ice crystals. Freezing will not affect the nutritional value. Just don't let it stay in there too long and don't let ice crystals form on it or let it get freezer burn.(typically causes drying/discoloration). Works fine for fish and pinkies but night crawlers (worms) will turn to mush so maybe not a good idea. If your garter doesn't mind dead food, chopping it up is fine since they are eating it because it smells good.

Just don't use small worms that are very red and have stripes on them like these:


The best worms to use are night crawlers. They tend to be very large and look like this:


Notice the flattened tail and lighter color at the tail. Bait shops that have both will call the bad ones "red wigglers" and the good ones will be called "night crawlers"

[Dameco13]

(just had to see the pic)

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oka thanks but i need to know why my garter snake is not willing to eat mealworms the people at petco told me thats what they eat but i didnt beleive it but my mom bought they just in case