Introducing new snake!

[hjelte]

Yes, Just to be safe! And taking in a stool (poop) sample to the Vet as well to check for parasites is a good idea too!
Good luck with your new snake!
I wish you all the best, Suzoo

Thank you so much for help and info. I´m going to get a Sirtalis or another Radix I believe. If I can found one about the same size that is! I won´t just buy one for the sake of it, of course. But I´m really hoping to find one and now I know what to do with it. Thanx!

[Cazador]

Hi Christopher,

I just wanted to reinforce the quarantine issue. A lot of us on here bought new snakes that appear healthy, but the stresses of shipping and being exposed to new surroundings can allow pathogens to overwelm your snake's immune system. Then they start to become ill within a month or so.

If you're going to house multiple individuals, even from the same subspecies, together, you have to assume that any health issues that one may have will spread to the others in the same enclosure. Many parasites are spread when one snake poops in the water dish, or one snake crawls through the feces of another snake. Some parasites actually enter snakes by boring through their skin. That's why quarantine for a minimum of a month is necessary, and a stool check is a good idea. You'd really be worried if either snake started to show signs of illness a few weeks after you brought it home if they were both housed together right away.

Rick

[GarterGuy]

I would honestly quarantine any new animal for at least a month. Sometimes it takes some time not only to diagnose but also to treak any problems that may come up. Better safe than sorry!

[Gijs & Sabine]

I forgot to say about the quarantine period, shame on me !!
But like everybody else says, it's very important. In the beginning of our garterhobby we've made that mistake once. The newones seems healthy in the beginning but within a month all the 6 died and a few of our others as well (btw we bought them from the wrong kind of people, we know that now)That was a hard lesson for us, so now we have a few quarantine tanks in a sepparate room.

[Stefan-A]

I forgot to say about the quarantine period, shame on me !!
But like everybody else says, it's very important. In the beginning of our garterhobby we've made that mistake once. The newones seems healthy in the beginning but within a month all the 6 died and a few of our others as well (btw we bought them from the wrong kind of people, we know that now)That was a hard lesson for us, so now we have a few quarantine tanks in a sepparate room.

I'm just curious, in what way were they the wrong kind of people? Emphasized quantity over quality, kept their snakes wrong or neglected to treat or get rid of sick animals?

[brown655]

Hjelte!
long time no see....As you've heard garters are sociable with each other,so you shouldn't have any problems if you keep them the same size.by the way I have a wandering in with 2 Cal.red side, same size,no problems.
......................John

[Gijs & Sabine]

@ Stefan:
We bought 6 red sided from a businessman (not sure if this is the right word) Someone who is selling all kinds of reptiles and who's just in for the money. Sadly there always people like this on shows and we didn't know that at that time. We just fell in love with the red siders.
Now we know better and thanks to that we have a very nice and healthy collection.

[hjelte]

Thanks for all the advice, wow very cool of all of you.
Ok so the plan is as follows. I´m going to set up a basic quarantine-tank tomorrow morning and then I´m of to the repti-fair, hopefully I will find a garter wich "tickles my fancy"(there´s some english for you I will keep the new garter there for a month+ and observe it carefully to see if it has any signs of sickness. Since this will be the first time i quarantine an animal, is it something particular other than that wich I should keep in mind?

[zirliz]

My two live together have to separate during feeding but that's all

[hjelte]

My two live together have to separate during feeding but that's all

ok nice, what kind of garter do you have? How big are they?