Welcome ringo! (querstions)

[Ringosmama]

Sometimes it takes them a while to eat. My little Runt didn't eat for 3 weeks before he accepted some worms. Sometimes if you're trying to get them to eat it's best to leave them in their enclosure for a few days and then offer some cut up night crawlers or earthworms or guppies in a small dish and then leave him alone

do they have to be dead or alive? and what should i buy first? should i buy some now? or in a bit? he lets me hold him! and all that and is soo sweet, i will get beter pictures to you as well

[Mommy2many]

Worms should be alive. You can get them at Walmart in the fishing section. Get the canadian night crawlers. Never offer your snake red wigglers. You can cut up the night crawlers into baby bite-sized pieces. You may try worms now. Being a WC (wild caught) it could have already been some time since he has eaten. Your baby may also appreciate the guppies as well.

[kibakiba]

Even if he lets you hold him it could still be pretty nervous. The worms should be alive, but cut into very small pieces. I'd by them as soon as possible, just so you can have a stock o them ready for when he's hungry. Even if it has been some time since he ate I'd, personally, leave him alone for a couple days just to let him settle in and get used to being captive for a little while. If it doesn't eat worms it could be that he's too nervous to eat, or perhaps it would like different food. As Le Ann said, it might like guppies Some snakes need to have the stimulation of moving food to be able to eat, I see this being the case mostly with older wild caught snakes who've caught quite a few meals.

[ConcinusMan]

Where are you ringo? That would help to narrow down what species of garter snake you have there. I know that in Western WA and OR, I often see robins eating baby Thamnophis ordinoides (Northwestern Garter snake)

Most garter snakes will eat night crawlers (sold as bait) and recognize their food by the smell. Obviously, if you chop worms up into bite-sized pieces, they will no longer be alive or moving but most garter snakes will eat it anyway.

That snake looks to be a month old or younger. Garter snakes do not receive protection or guidance from "mom". As soon as they are born, they are on their own and they disperse. Could just be a coincidence that a robin snatched up a nearby baby garter when you happen to be there. It's not likely that the snake which was run over, is "mom" since there are probably a lot of adult and baby snakes in the area.

[Ringosmama]

Where are you ringo? That would help to narrow down what species of garter snake you have there. I know that in Western WA and OR, I often see robins eating baby Thamnophis ordinoides (Northwestern Garter snake)

Most garter snakes will eat night crawlers (sold as bait) and recognize their food by the smell. Obviously, if you chop worms up into bite-sized pieces, they will no longer be alive or moving but most garter snakes will eat it anyway.

That snake looks to be a month old or younger. Garter snakes do not receive protection or guidance from "mom". As soon as they are born, they are on their own and they disperse. Could just be a coincidence that a robin snatched up a nearby baby garter when you happen to be there. It's not likely that the snake which was run over, is "mom" since there are probably a lot of adult and baby snakes in the area.

oh haha, how do i get him to tolarate me and be a good snake like a corn snake? i would like to be able to continue holding him with him being calm about it i live in skagit county, northern washington hes such a sweet heart! he wraps around my fingure.. i hope he eats and begins to like me hah

[ConcinusMan]

Well, I can't say for sure unless we get bigger and better pictures but it's likely a northwestern garter snake. He could be wrapping around you for warmth. 80-85 degrees during the day is comfortable for them so if you're not providing heat, that could be why he's clinging to your warm hand.

Baby northwesterns will usually readily take worms, and some will take bits of fish or f/t pinky mice. Don't forget to provide some moist and dry places to hide and a very shallow, wide water dish such as a cottage cheese or margarine container lid. It will dry out fast so keep it filled. A good misting once a day doesn't hurt. Baby garters dehydrate fast. Keeping piles of moist moss to hide under helps too.

[Ringosmama]

Well, I can't say for sure unless we get bigger and better pictures but it's likely a northwestern garter snake. He could be wrapping around you for warmth. 80-85 degrees during the day is comfortable for them so if you're not providing heat, that could be why he's clinging to your warm hand.

Baby northwesterns will usually readily take worms, and some will take bits of fish or f/t pinky mice. Don't forget to provide some moist and dry places to hide and a very shallow, wide water dish such as a cottage cheese or margarine container lid. It will dry out fast so keep it filled. A good misting once a day doesn't hurt. Baby garters dehydrate fast. Keeping piles of moist moss to hide under helps too.

thanks so much do you have any tips to "bond" with him or her? and how does the tail sexing work?

[kibakiba]

It could also be a wandering garter snake I believe they're called. But my experience with those is that they have a bad temperament. They also tend to be a lighter colour based off what I've seen, so it probably would be Northwestern garter snake. I have 3 of those myself! Great snakes.

What I do to "bond" with my snakes and get them used to me is keep my hand in their enclosure for a while and let them slither on me and learn that I'm not going to hurt them. After a while of feeding them they come to know you as a source of food and they'll trust you more. With my older snakes I let them have a warm bath every once in a while and I'll keep my hand in the drier part of the bath. They'll stop swimming around and coil up in my hands when they're done. With Runt he's skittish so I leave him alone unless I'm cleaning his tank or feeding him. I hold him sometimes too. Another thing I do with all my snakes is taking them out individually and letting them slither on my bed while I'm laying down. They seem to enjoy it a lot since they can hide in my blankets and explore. Mama normally stays around me while Snakey and Runt like to explore in my blankets.

Tail sexing works by looking at their tails past the cloaca (where they go poop pretty much). Males have longer tails and they don't taper immediately after the cloaca. Females have shorter tails and it tapers after the cloaca. I'm not sure how to do the link thing but here's a good topic that explains how to sex snakes visually.

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/bree...xing-pics.html

[Stefan-A]

It could also be a wandering garter snake I believe they're called. But my experience with those is that they have a bad temperament.

Bunk! Bunk, I say!

I've never seen one with a bad temper. The one thing that might get you bit, is trying to interact with them when they've gotten into their heads that there's food around.

[Ringosmama]

It could also be a wandering garter snake I believe they're called. But my experience with those is that they have a bad temperament. They also tend to be a lighter colour based off what I've seen, so it probably would be Northwestern garter snake. I have 3 of those myself! Great snakes.

What I do to "bond" with my snakes and get them used to me is keep my hand in their enclosure for a while and let them slither on me and learn that I'm not going to hurt them. After a while of feeding them they come to know you as a source of food and they'll trust you more. With my older snakes I let them have a warm bath every once in a while and I'll keep my hand in the drier part of the bath. They'll stop swimming around and coil up in my hands when they're done. With Runt he's skittish so I leave him alone unless I'm cleaning his tank or feeding him. I hold him sometimes too. Another thing I do with all my snakes is taking them out individually and letting them slither on my bed while I'm laying down. They seem to enjoy it a lot since they can hide in my blankets and explore. Mama normally stays around me while Snakey and Runt like to explore in my blankets.

Tail sexing works by looking at their tails past the cloaca (where they go poop pretty much). Males have longer tails and they don't taper immediately after the cloaca. Females have shorter tails and it tapers after the cloaca. I'm not sure how to do the link thing but here's a good topic that explains how to sex snakes visually.

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/bree...xing-pics.html

thanks that helps alot, i hope he eats. haha