Please help me with my garter snake!

[ConcinusMan]

Even adults usually won't get obese unless they are fed a lot of fatty food such as fish. Slugs and worms are very low fat.

[amcutem]

Hi guys.

Another little update on Michaelangelo.

First, im still having a little difficulty trying to feed him anything other than slugs. Scenting seems to help, but is a little tricky.

I usually feed him every day or two some slugs and a couple of pieces of pinkie, but For some reason, i can't get him to eat enough so that there's a nice bulge in his belly.

I guess he must be health consious?

And another thing, he has shedded again today? I thought they didn't shed that often? Is he alright? Is this a good sign that he's growing?

[ConcinusMan]

Shedding often, as long as it goes well, which it sounds like he is shedding fine, is a good sign he's growing and healthy. There doesn't have to be a visible bulge if your snake is eating regularly and often like yours. Sounds like he's doing fine and getting enough to eat. We like to see a bulge in adult snakes that eat once or twice a week. Forget about that if your snake eats a little every day or two.

Sometimes scenting isn't enough. I told you about having to completely saturate a pinky head in slime to get one of my northwestern garters to eat it. The pinky head is about like a slug, and all slimed up, it fools her. Sometimes it's about mouth feel too. If it doesn't feel right, (too firm, too soft, too dry) they drop it.

Anyway, I don't think you have anything to worry about. Just keep doing what you're doing. You might want to start preparing for winter. If there's no food available to him, you'll have to either get a colony of them going somehow, (or collect slugs and keep them in the refrigerator before it freezes outside) or you'll have to have a place to brumate your snake.

[katach]

Sounds like he's doing great! That's good to hear! Have you tried offering an unscented pinkie? My NW started taking unscented after about the 3rd time scenting. They got used to the texture and they didn't care it didn't smell like salmon or worm, or in your case slug. You may want to try that so you have food for the winter.

[ConcinusMan]

They do tend to be "grazers". Instead of gorging on a large meal they tend to prefer eating a little, but often. Unless they're like that red striper, Miss Piggy. For her, it's a lot, often.

[amcutem]

Im not sure of what I did wrong, but last time i collected some slugs, they died after a couple days.

[kibakiba]

Too hot, too cold, too humid, too dry?

[ConcinusMan]

Im not sure of what I did wrong, but last time i collected some slugs, they died after a couple days.

I just put slugs in plastic container and give them a light mist to dampen them. I put only one or two very small holes in the lid so it won't dry out inside too fast. That is, almost no air circulation to the inside of the container.

Then I put them in the refrigerator and the temperature is around 5.5-6 degrees C. They just go dormant and stay alive for weeks. Too much moisture will kill them. Too dry will kill them. Just a little colder and they will die, just a little warmer and they will require food.

[kibakiba]

And if you leave them out in the weather we just had today, you get slug steak.

[ConcinusMan]

Slug Jerky in 5 minutes here. Day started around 68, rose to 85 by noon Was around 94 at around 5pm. Humidity is so low, and with the breeze, you could dry soaking wet blue jeans in the shade in less than an hour.

I know because I do it. Any opportunity to avoid using the drier ,which tends to shrink or misshape my pants, not to mention wasting electricity, is welcome.