my new garter!

[setfree]

I found this large garter snake and brought it home and put it in my prepared aquarium tank. I think it's a female but not 100% sure. it is about to shed so it will look really good soon. After a day it readily accepted 3 or 4 worms. the next day I tried feeding it a large frozen mouse that had been thawed. it did not accept it and only ate worms. any comments on that? anyway the snake is really calm and likes the habitat. here are some pics...

[Natrix]

Try a pinkie mouse and small pieces of fish.

[chris-uk]

I found this large garter snake and brought it home and put it in my prepared aquarium tank. I think it's a female but not 100% sure. it is about to shed so it will look really good soon. After a day it readily accepted 3 or 4 worms. the next day I tried feeding it a large frozen mouse that had been thawed. it did not accept it and only ate worms. any comments on that? anyway the snake is really calm and likes the habitat. here are some pics...

They don't eat rodents naturally in the wild, I don't think there are many wild-caught garters that would readily accept mice after a day in captivity. The good news is that it is readily accepting worms, sometimes a garter can take weeks to start feeding after a change of home.
If you want to include pinkies in the diet (as part of a mixed diet) you need to scent the pinky with worms or fish. Try feeding it fish, there's a reasonable chance it will accept fish, and if it does fish is a better food to scent the pinkies with (worms don't have as strong a scent).

Enjoy, and ask if you need any more advice.

[EasternGirl]

Where are you located? I'm not sure of the species by looking at the pics....but it could have something to do with the type of species as to why it is only eating worms...might be what it is used to eating in the wild. You can try senting the mouse and fish with the worm...rub the worm on the mouse before feeding. You may also try cutting the pinky into smaller pieces. It was a pinky mouse?

[EasternGirl]

Oh...one more thing...this should help you in caring for your new snake: Garter Snake Forum - Garter Caresheet

And like Chris said, if you have any other questions...just ask.

[Selkielass]

Very nice! Yes, she will look bright and shiny after a shed.
If you can put up some shots of the underside of her tail and vent there are people here who are very good at identifying male vs female.

All my snakes started out with worms, and they still are a favorite, but all that I've had for a while come to adore frozen and thawed rodents- my small snakes will pick out chunks of rodent when they are mixed up with cut up worms. (Cut up the mice while still frozen, its much easier.)

[katach]

Congrats on the new addition! More pics please!

[setfree]

I believe it is a t. radix (plains garter snake). I got it in central Iowa. thanks for all the helpful information and interest. If I have anymore questions I won't hesitate to ask you guy's for help! I will try to post some pics soon!

[Light of Dae]

If you want to scent a mouse with worms I found it best to mince up a worm or two, basically like a mush. Then slather it all over the mouse. I feed out of a dish so I put the worm mush + thawed mouse chunks + a few larger pieces of worm. My snakes love the mixture. That is how I got my little Radix to eat both mouse and fish lol.

[Light of Dae]

OH and unlike boas or pythons Garter Snakes LOVE their food served cold, not frozen but not warm either. A nice Cool temp. meal is their favorite.