Raising a wild garter and have questions.

[ConcinusMan]

I got it just over a month ago (you should have seen how small it was then!) and haven't actually measured it yet (too scared to get that close) but I have been watching it and the growth is noticeable.

Eating and growing are always good signs. I have no frame of reference in the photos to judge his size but there are other cues that indicate to me that he is probably only about 2 months old and pretty small. If he hasn't shed for you yet he's probably only grown about an inch but that's still pretty good. If another month passes without a shed I would start to be concerned that he isn't growing at a healthy pace.

If you can't get him some supplemental heat very soon he is at risk of getting an R.I. (respiratory infection). Without a tank big enough to provide a temperature gradient (low 70's air temp (23 C) w/ localized spot in the low to upper 80's (30 C)and night temps no lower than upper 60's(20 C) ) he can't thermoregulate properly and this will stress/weaken his immune system and stunt his growth. I can't stress how important it is that you do this sooner rather than later. In addition to the problems I already mentioned, without heat his instincts might tell him it's time to brumate and he might stop eating. If that happens he will need to be kept at a constant 10 C in order to survive the winter without losing too much weight.

Until you get this set up for him, try to put him in a warm place that stays around 26-28 C. Sometimes a closet/area with a water heater can provide that but make sure there is good fresh air/ventilation if it's a natural gas heater. I've incubated reptile eggs successfully by placing them near water heaters.

I'm very serious don't wait too long. Last guy that had a red sided and ignored this need for 2 months ended up with a very sick snake on his hands.

[alihauck]

I have placed him in a large hex tank. He can span the bottom 3 times over. I also have climbing areas for him. I have placed a small under tank heater in one area. He has water areas, in one of which I places several small minnows. He has already hunted and caught 4 of them. It was amazing to watch!! He has a place that he can go into (a rock) and I filled it with shredded paper towel. I sure hope he likes it. I could not find any proper worms for him, but I purchased some very small pinkie mice. Will try to feed those in about a week. I know they'll be too big for him, do I cut them length wise or just feed him the extremities first?

[alihauck]

I have placed him in a large hex tank. He can span the bottom 3 times over. I also have climbing areas for him. I have placed a small under tank heater in one area. He has water areas, in one of which I places several small minnows. He has already hunted and caught 4 of them. It was amazing to watch!! He has a place that he can go into (a rock) and I filled it with shredded paper towel. I sure hope he likes it. I could not find any proper worms for him, but I purchased some very small pinkie mice. Will try to feed those in about a week. I know they'll be too big for him, do I cut them length wise or just feed him the extremities first? I also have the tank in an area that stays fairly warm, about 72.

[ConcinusMan]

1 immediate concern I think you should know about is that (especially small) snakes can get their bodies wet and use the surface tension to climb glass like spiderman climbs buildings. Same principle that allows a slug to climb glass. I would hate to find out he went missing! Always have a tight fitting screen to prevent escape no matter how tall the tank is. Speaking from experience here. Trust me, he can get out of that tank if the top is open. Just a matter of time before he figures out how.

Rocks... can be dangerous. Never place them on top of substrate. snakes can get under, shift the substrate and get pinned or crushed. Even if placed directly on the bottom, snakes are strong and can tilt, tip etc and get pinned/crushed.

72 F is a good air temp. If you have an undertank heater and the surface of the substrate or glass above it gets 86F to 95F I would say he will do well with that. (lay a meat thermometer or probe on the surface) provide a hide near the warrm spot but also far away from it. Watch his behavior. If he tends to stay away from the heat it's probably too warm.

Minnows contain thiaminase. (an enzyme that can cause thiamine deficiency) a few won't hurt as part of the diet just don't make them a major component of the diet. http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/husb...fish-list.html

Keep in mind the fish doesn't have to be live or even whole. He will likely eat fillet of Trout, Tilapia, salmon which are good choices. Once you find "dead food" that he likes or night crawlers, I would cut the pinkies while frozen, smother them in his favorite food so it smells like fish or worms, whatever, and offer him up a worm and/or fish w/pinky platter! (make sure all food is completely thawed and room temp. swallowing partially frozen food has the potential to be fatal)

Sounds like you've made some changes and are well on your way to many happy years with your snake. Just keep in mind the things I've said so that doesn't get cut short.

[guidofatherof5]

I have placed him in a large hex tank. He can span the bottom 3 times over. I also have climbing areas for him. I have placed a small under tank heater in one area. He has water areas, in one of which I places several small minnows. He has already hunted and caught 4 of them. It was amazing to watch!! He has a place that he can go into (a rock) and I filled it with shredded paper towel. I sure hope he likes it. I could not find any proper worms for him, but I purchased some very small pinkie mice. Will try to feed those in about a week. I know they'll be too big for him, do I cut them length wise or just feed him the extremities first? I also have the tank in an area that stays fairly warm, about 72.

That's not fairly warm to a garter snake. They like to thermoregulate(get hot, cool down) their body temps above that temp.

[ConcinusMan]

That's not fairly warm to a garter snake. They like to thermoregulate(get hot, cool down) their body temps above that temp.

Yeah it's a common misconception. These snakes live in cold climates so the must be cold hearty, so 72 must be "fairly warm".

Grumpy-Cat-Says-No.jpg

Ignore highs and lows for the climate they come from. Ignore the fact you found your snake on a 60 degree day wallowing in a swamp. If you are to keep a garter healthy and strong in captivity the rules are different than you would expect. 72 F is fine for a daytime or even night air temp. But do not ignore their need to warm their body into the 80's or even approaching 90 F. Also not a good idea to allow a 30 degree swing between night and day or to allow a swampy or wet environment. Think dry and clean and always allow a snake to choose a body temp of 72F or 86-90F on any given day. The only exception would be brumating in which case it's safe to keep them a constant 48-52 F for a couple of months so long as they are not ill or underweight.

Attempts to replicate outdoor conditions/environment will usually end in disaster and a sick or dead snake.

Learned that lesson by the time I was 10. Just because I found my first concinnus hanging in reeds above a creek, I put him in a bucket full of water with twigs for him to climb on. big mistake.

[guidofatherof5]

That's not fairly warm to a garter snake. They like to thermoregulate(get hot, cool down) their body temps above that temp.

Let me correct my previous statement. "They like to thermoregulate (get hot, cool down) their body temps above that temp"

[ConcinusMan]

And I'll say again that a temperature gradient allowing the snake to thermoregulate on it's own is very, very important. Must be able to cool into the low 70's or warm up as high as at least 88 F (as they choose) on any given day is important. You don't have to leave the heat on all night though. Dropping the temperature down to no lower than 65 F for 8-10 hours a night is fine. 70 F at night is what I would recommend. I only leave heat on at night if they've just eaten a large meal or are healing an injury.

If they are kept without a gradient temporarily then put them somewhere around 78-80 F

[alihauck]

I have found him on the under tank heater a few times, but not always. He burrows a little so I am thinking he is trying to get closer to the heat source. Should I buy a larger one, because I had just gotten a small one and placed it near the front of the tank. I found him when the temp was about 54 degrees outside. The rest of the tank is just ambient room tempature, around 72-75 degrees, but that fluctuates, right now it is at 75 degrees.
The top is completely enclosed, I have the origional glass tank top and used half of that, then I screened in the rest. There is no small holes at all and he cannot get out unless some one leaves it open. I had to pad the screen edges so that he couldn't rub on them and cut himself.
The rock is not a solid rock, it is a store bought half rock that is hollow and filled with shredded paper towel.

[alihauck]

Just did a temp check and the substrate is at 90 degrees on top of the heat pad. What can I do to lower this? There is no adjusting the heat on this thing.