Northern or Eastern - differences?

[Stefan-A]

I can't figure out how a “healthy” snake can have parasites.

Practically all animals have parasites. Most of the time, there are no symptoms and negligible harm done, at least until the immune system is compromised eg. due to stress or less than optimal conditions.

[ConcinusMan]

Exactly WC snakes get a bad reputation due to dealers like we're talking about. The stress of being captured and kept under less than ideal conditions is bad enough. Add a heavy parasite load and you get sickly snakes.

I always keep wild snakes for a while and make sure they're eating consistently and adapting to captive life. If I'm going to keep them long term, or sell them, I deworm them. The deworming process is in itself stressful and hard on them. It is poison afterall. A very small fraction won't get through it. Most do, and they're way better off afterward. They gain body mass, eat better, and are generally healthier afterwards.

There's a general misconception that somehow CB is better than WC. This comes from the fact that dealers like this just collect them up, overcrowd them, do not treat for parasites, and ship them right out. Fact is, if they're screened properly, treated for parasites, quarantined and observed for a period of time, WC snakes can be more hardy and even genetically superior to CB.

Captive bred does not magically make them healthier than WC or ensure that they don't have parasites. That's bull.

[kueluck]

My plan is to keep a snake for as long as it lives, hope for 15+ years. So I might as well go out and look for w/c, not an adult though, and just take it to the vet to have them checked out for internal parasites.

[EasternGirl]

15+ years is a long time for a garter...I don't think most captive garters even live that long. I think there have been some...but generally speaking, I think if a garter lives 8-10 years in captivity, that is a good long life. And with W/C garters you are looking at less years because the wild is hard on them...anyone else want to weigh in here?

[kueluck]

I'm just saying I'm not looking at short term commitment here. My plan is to keep a snake as long as I can, by keeping it healthy and happy. Also I won't take an adult from the wild or purchase an adult that is w/c. I personally think it's wrong to remove breeding stock for the wild, but now if I come across a baby in the wild!!! I'll consider it a give from above and bring it home. I will name him George and hug him, and pet him, and squeeze him, and pat him and rub him and caress him.

[guidofatherof5]

Let him get settled in before you do all that.
Keep in mind not all garter snake especially male don't take to being handled too much.

[kibakiba]

Snakey likes being held, or at least seems to... But he's been with me for 4 years and I held him daily and hand fed him a lot. But, if a snake doesn't seem to enjoy the attention it's usually best to put them down and leave them alone.

[kueluck]

Geezzzz people, I was quoting the classic looney tunes with the Yeti and Daffy. I guess every one had a Monday huh? Any way, my intention is to daily handle the snake, but not to extreme. Over handling isn't good for anything.

[guidofatherof5]

Geezzzz people, I was quoting the classic looney tunes with the Yeti and Daffy. I guess every one had a Monday huh? Any way, my intention is to daily handle the snake, but not to extreme. Over handling isn't good for anything.

Sorry about that. Must have missed that one.
I've lived a sheltered life.

[EasternGirl]

Sometimes we get a little too serious...lol.