My first Garter!

[RedSidedSPR]

Bigger the better.

Here. Click your location and search around for some 20gal tanks
craigslist: Wisconsin - classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events

[J@50n]

So on a previous post there was something about Toads and how full of parasites they are. Is there a way to make them safe? Boiling them, freezing them, etc? It sounds really bad but I live on a lot of land and there are MILLIONS!!! I have no problem buying pinky mice but I was just being curious!

[guidofatherof5]

I would guess deep freezing for a month of so should kill anything but this is a debatable issue. Length of freeze and temp. of freeze being the main problem.
If pinkies are not a problem I would go with that.

[d_virginiana]

If you only have a 5 gallon, you probably don't need an 80 degree heat mat.. Garters do really well in cooler-than-ideal temps but not so well when they get overheated. In a tank that size, there's nowhere for them to cool off. What are the temps like around the tank without the mat?

And ditto to what Steve said. If pinkies are available and not a problem for you, use those and nightcrawlers. Better safe than sorry

[J@50n]

So I'm going on vacation for a week at the end of next month. Will he be O.K. without food if i put his lights on a timer and everything?

[kibakiba]

I'd keep the lights off, just in case. They can deal with no light and no heat for a week.

[RedSidedSPR]

Yeah, even without lights.

[kibakiba]

I said that

[RedSidedSPR]

We posted at the same time. Never saw your post. Sorry.

[J@50n]

What should I do about food?

I have a really expensive timer that the light is on along with my four fish aquarium hoods, so I'm not worried about that at all, I'm just worried he will get hungry and I wont have a snake when i get back :/