My first garter ?

[INTREPiiD]

I'm a teenager, and I love love love snakes. Always have. My brother used to have a cornsnake, but now that all my siblings are gone, and after much research, I've decided I want a garter snake. I always loved playing with them when I'd find them in the garden. I have a few questions though..

I have a 100-gallon aquarium to put him/her in. I want to use a 50/50 peat/sterile sand substrate. Is this acceptable ?

My step-dad is the one who will be helping me out the most with the snake. He's a vegetarian and really doesn't want to feed the snake pinkies, fuzzies, or any other mouse. What are some alternatives (he's not too big on the nightcrawlers, either, and neither am I, because that means feeding a LOT more often) to mice that we can use ?

Who is the best supplier of garters, in your own experience ?

Thanks so much. :]

[adamanteus]

Hi Michelle, and welcome to the forum.
Sometimes, if you're very good, we allow you to use BIG type here.

[Stefan-A]

Welcome aboard.

Unfortunately (?) snakes aren't vegetarians and they will need to eat animals. Garters probably do best on a mixed diet of mice, worms and fish. As far as alternatives go, there aren't really any that I could recommend.

[jeanette]

hello Intrepid and welcome.
diet for your garters is quite important, fish pinkies and earthworms are a good balanced diet for your garters. im sure someone here will give you a link to a caresheet. im still pretty new at garters myself.

[adamanteus]

Link to caresheet...
http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets...ake_Care_Sheet

I must agree with the others, variety is of the utmost importance. In captive Garters this would normally include pinkies, 'safe' fish and nightcrawlers.

[Zephyr]

Does he disapprove of using live or pinkies in general?
Frozen then thawed pinkies are available and are generally cheaper in bulk.

[adamanteus]

As Stefan says, Garters (all snakes) are carnivorous, and if we choose to keep them captive we must cater to their needs. I respect anyone's decision to be veggie or otherwise. I myself live on nothing but nicotine and alcohol (and a little houmous), but we cannot impose our beliefs on our animals. We must care for them in the correct manner.

[jeanette]

As Stefan says, Garters (all snakes) are carnivorous, and if we choose to keep them captive we must cater to their needs. I respect anyone's decision to be veggie or otherwise. I myself live on nothing but nicotine and alcohol (and a little houmous), but we cannot impose our beliefs on our animals. We must care for them in the correct manner.

only nicotine and alcohol? i cant get through the day if i dont get my coffee, nobody will talk to me unless i have at least had 1 cup of coffee. Im veggie too, still feed the family meat and the animals, cant push my views upon others.

[INTREPiiD]

Oh, no, no no no noo. I didn't mean that I wanted the garter to be vegetarian by any means. He's opposed to feeding it mice, is all. I guess I'm going to have to force him to get over it; I'm the one who is going to be feeding it, anyhow !

Any advice on the substrate ?

[INTREPiiD]

Link to caresheet...
http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets...ake_Care_Sheet

I must agree with the others, variety is of the utmost importance. In captive Garters this would normally include pinkies, 'safe' fish and nightcrawlers.

What types of fish are "safe" ?