questions about my new WC eastern

[RedSidedSPR]

Too soon for what? It's only a week, so she's solo nervous. I'd wait for pretty much everything.

[snakehill]

Okay! Steve tells me that I shouldn't be embarrassed about this but I am. Apparently the WC eastern that I have is more likely a WC eastern ribbon not an WC eastern garter! It is probably a northern (a subspecies) because it looks exactly like the pictures I have seen. I was looking at her head and noticed it was longer and wasn't as wide as all the garters heads that I have seen. This would also explain a few other things that I have noticed also! Oh well! This is how we learn I guess!

[RedSidedSPR]

lol, no wonder I couldn't find a picture!!

Don't worry about it. Easy mistake.

[kibakiba]

It's easy to make mistakes, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. I was convinced Snakey was an eastern, because he did look like some of the ones in the pictures, and I was told he was an eastern garter snake. Everyone set me right with that.

[snakehill]

Okay! I was checking out nightcrawlwers on the walmart site and noticed that they have salmons eggs in nightcrawler juice(?). Is this something garters would eat and has any one ever tried feeding these to their snakes? This snake I have is sucking down worms (medium size) like they are spaghetti by the way! How do you know when they have had their fill? Do you feed fewer nightcrawlers because they tend to be bigger? I am starting to miss the days of throwing a f/t rodent in the tank once a week!!!

[RedSidedSPR]

NOT having f/t rodent once a week is what's fun!

Worms aren't a staple and will digest fast, but just feed her till she's kinda fat, a slight bulge, than wait a few more days until she's more normal.

I have absolutely no freaking idea about salmons eggs!

[d_virginiana]

I've never heard of the salmon egg thing before, but I don't see any problems with it. How expensive are those? Like Jesse said though, worms aren't a good staple. I use fish and/or rodents in addition to worms.

I don't like feeding mostly rodents, just because I think my snakes are more active and alert when they get quickly digested meals more often (2-3 times a week). Like, my adult probably gets a mouse, some fish, and goodness knows how many nightcrawlers in a week.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

I don't think i would use the salmon eggs, i don't know if they are 100% natural. Seems like the ones i use to fish with were not real but processed and there is no telling what is in them.

[snakehill]

Here is another question! I keep reading about ribbons not typically eating worms but she is eating them like there is no tomorrow. It is the only food item she will eat. I've tried salmon strips, a pinky and f/t guppies. She will only eat the worms! I can't offer her live guppies because I've become attached to the ones I have! I don't have a camera but can ask a friend to take pictures for me. The only problem would be getting her to stay still long enough to take a picture! So the question remains! Is she a garter or a ribbon??!

[guidofatherof5]

The feeding you describe sounds garter more then ribbon. I don't think many ribbons would pass-up a meal of fish fillet.
We really need to get this snake ID'd for you.