New with a few questions

[PhillyDude]

Thanks!

1) I can definitely do the paper towel under the food thing... he's a pretty "clean" eater but it can't hurt.

2) In the wild, how do they deal with dirt/debris that they might ingest while picking up food off the ground?

3) So is he a garter or a ribbon?

4) I'd prefer not to handle him, and to be honest, I'm not really sure how to even start to "tame" him... never had a snake before.

[Invisible Snake]

3) So is he a garter or a ribbon?

He is definitely a garter snake, to me it looks like a checkered garter snake, but I'm not 100% sure.

[chris-uk]

Thanks!
1) I can definitely do the paper towel under the food thing... he's a pretty "clean" eater but it can't hurt.
2) In the wild, how do they deal with dirt/debris that they might ingest while picking up food off the ground?

They would injest the debris. Although they do have a technique where they spit out bits of debris if they feel it in their mouth. I don't know how to describe how they do it, but it's obviously better to prevent the substrate getting in the mouth.

3) So is he a garter or a ribbon?

4) I'd prefer not to handle him, and to be honest, I'm not really sure how to even start to "tame" him... never had a snake before.

Looks like a garter to me. I'm not sure it's a marcianus, the head and colour seem a bit wrong, so I'm going to suggest an Eastern and let Marnie (and anyone else) agree/disagree.

Most garters are tame already. Some people like to handle their snakes, others prefer to just watch, it's up to you what you do but the "taming" process is simply a matter of getting them accustomed to having you around until they are comfortable to sit in your hand.

[PhillyDude]

Some people like to handle their snakes, others prefer to just watch, it's up to you what you do but the "taming" process is simply a matter of getting them accustomed to having you around until they are comfortable to sit in your hand.

He's already a bit skittish (as I mentioned before) so maybe somewhere down the line as we get more comfortable with each other. Thanks!

[Didymus20X6]

I've had a couple I never could quite "tame". Scarlett, for example, always was extremely skittish and hostile, and loved to escape at every opportunity. Of all the snakes I've kept, only Little Dude ever became what I would call "tame". Of course, that's a grand total of 6 so far.

[EasternGirl]

That's an eastern garter...T.s.sirtalis...no doubt in my mind on this one. Looks like it could be Cee Cee's twin. And if you are in Philly, that is the species of garter that would be local to your area...you are 45 minutes north of me. Don't be offended if I ask you this, but are you afraid of handling him because you aren't used to snakes? It is a common fear. Garter snakes are not usually aggressive snakes. They usually don't bite...although they will sometimes. Easterns can be very skiddish...and wild caught snakes will be more skiddish than captive bred ones, but handling him and getting him used to you will help him to learn to trust you and become less skiddish. Cee Cee, my more fiesty eastern...at the most, false strikes at me....this is something garters often do. They will strike at you and look like they are going to bite you, but they don't actually open their mouths...they just bump you with their nose. You can begin by putting your hand in the tank and letting him just get used to your hand being in there. Then, let him come over to your hand and smell it...crawl on it if he will. Then you can try petting him. Do this all in little steps...a few days at a time...take it very slow. You will need to be able to handle him at some point...it's just a fact. If he does bite you at some point...it won't be that bad...my chihuahua bites worse than my snakes. Oh, and in the wild they do manage to get dirt off the food...but they don't have substrate to deal with either. Also, snakes die a lot in the wild from problems that we can avoid when we have them in captivity.

[PhillyDude]

That's an eastern garter...T.s.sirtalis...no doubt in my mind on this one. Looks like it could be Cee Cee's twin. And if you are in Philly, that is the species of garter that would be local to your area...you are 45 minutes north of me.

Actually, I caught him on the Eastern Shore in MD (Rock Hall) so definitely in your area.

Don't be offended if I ask you this, but are you afraid of handling him because you aren't used to snakes? It is a common fear. Garter snakes are not usually aggressive snakes. They usually don't bite...although they will sometimes. Easterns can be very skiddish...and wild caught snakes will be more skiddish than captive bred ones, but handling him and getting him used to you will help him to learn to trust you and become less skiddish. Cee Cee, my more fiesty eastern...at the most, false strikes at me....this is something garters often do. They will strike at you and look like they are going to bite you, but they don't actually open their mouths...they just bump you with their nose. You can begin by putting your hand in the tank and letting him just get used to your hand being in there. Then, let him come over to your hand and smell it...crawl on it if he will. Then you can try petting him. Do this all in little steps...a few days at a time...take it very slow. You will need to be able to handle him at some point...it's just a fact. If he does bite you at some point...it won't be that bad...my chihuahua bites worse than my snakes.

Yeah, that's definitely part of it... just not used to havng a snake around the house. When I stick my hand in the tank to change his water, he quickly retreats to his hiding spot. Even making eye contact when he is sticking his head out will cause him to pull it right back. As I said, we're still "new" to each other at this point. Time will tell...

[EasternGirl]

Sounds just like my skiddish easterns. He will get more trusting over time...but even after having mine for a year, my female is still very skiddish. I doubt he will act aggressive toward you though. Even when Cee Cee is trying to be tough, she is only being defensive because she is scared...and it never amounts to much. She bit me once because she thought I was someone else... and she barely broke the skin.

[PhillyDude]

Maybe he would react better to someone with more experience at first.

[guidofatherof5]

Maybe he would react better to someone with more experience at first.

It's a learning process for both of you.
Once your snake trusts you things will be different.

Snakes learn to trust on an individual basis. My snakes trust me more then the others in the family.
Strangers are offered little trust as they haven't earned it.