Taking in a wild garter?

[adamanteus]

Yes they do, KP. And as I say, we have a lot of members who keep Dekays......
We should be 'Thamnophis & Dekayii.com'!

[Slithers]

Gosh this was unexpected. Now I have to redo all of my research! Okay so...if you could answer them...a few more questions?
I was quickly reading some of the forums about dekay's, my snake's about 7-8 inches, that's adult size for them?
Also do they eat fish, or not so much? What about crickets? I read that they enjoy earth worms a lot, but what would be a good alternate when they're not easily dug up in the winter?
Thanks so much, sorry for all the questions

[adamanteus]

Forget the crickets... that's wrong. Basically their diet is earthworms and slugs (the small fawn coloured ones, not the big black monsters!) Feeding is always a problem in the winter.... brumation may be necessary.

[Slithers]

Thank you

[jitami]

I KNEW it!!! I didn't want to say anything, but I just had a feeling. Enjoy your little Dekay... they're a little fussier food wise, but those who keep them seem to really enjoy them.

[Slithers]

Haha, thanks X) I'm just worried about feeding him over the winter when there aren't worms and slugs about..

[anji1971]

You can keep enough worms and slugs going all winter for one little Dekay's without too much trouble. The slugs are super easy to breed and keep.
Get some big bins or empty fish tanks, and fill them halfway with soil. Throw worms in one, slugs in the other. Make sure you have a screen top for them, or you'll have slugs strolling about the house. I always keep mine in the basement where it stays relatively cool all winter. Keep them moist, and throw lettuce and other veggie scraps, as well as dead leaves, in regularly. The slugs especially need lots to eat. Top it up with a handful or two of fresh soil every so often, and you'll have a colony all winter. The slugs breed very quickly. When I had my Dekay's, I dumped a whole ton of them back into the garden in the spring, and I'd only started with about twenty big ones. Just don't let it dry out! And it will smell a wee bit, but it works. Really.

[jitami]

If you can get him to take worms they're cheap and usually easy to find sold as bait for fishermen. Just make sure you get nightcrawlers and not red wigglers. There are a few threads around here explaining the difference, but red wigglers are toxic and have little stripes going around their bodies. Nightcrawers can be chopped to size

[Cobra Kai]

Congrats Slithers! I had a Dekay as a kid. I love them. I found a neonate a couple of months ago. It was so small I thought it was a worm. I showed my 2 year old and let him go. Where's Dekaybrown when you need him?

[Slithers]

Thanks for the help! I may try keeping them like Anji said. Where can I find the slugs, though?

I read about the difference between red wigglers and nightcrawlers, and I thought about the baitshop, but are those stores open through the winter? We have a couple near by...

Thanks again!