Garter not eating

[toffee]

I know it's normal for them to sometimes go off their food, but my red sided garter seems to have suddenly become frightened of his

I changed him from pinkies to fuzzies and he was taking them well, but suddenly stopped. I tried to introduce the fuzzy gently with the forceps, but he would run away.

I have changed him onto pinkies now. At first, he seems interested and comes across to smell them (tongue going crazy), but he then loses interest and goes off. If I try to introduce it again, he heads for his hide. I know they're stimulated by movement, so I try to make it look like it's alive, but just gently, I don't shake it around. I even tried zombiefying one, but he rejected that one as well.

He ate about a month ago.

His viv is clean and he's in very good health and keeps coming out and inspecting the place and sits looking at us. I handle him occasionally, but not excessively as he doesn't like it as much as the cornsnake.

What should I do? I'm worried that he's gone off mice and I don't know what else to feed him.

[snake man]

Try something else I would say.

[toffee]

What would be best to try? We can't feed live food in the UK. Organic fish perhaps? What kind?

[Invisible Snake]

Try to feed him live fish like guppies and if he takes them, the next feeding you should scent the pinkies with guppies or another fish.

[kibakiba]

Also try earthworms or night crawlers from your yard, assuming no pstricides or herbicides are used... chemicals are a big no-no.

[guidofatherof5]

Most Red Sided gaters(T.s.parietalis) love their night crawlers.

[toffee]

What's a night crawler?

We can't buy guppies to feed snakes in the uk, it's illegal.

I could scent the pinkie mouse with some salmon, would that help?

[Invisible Snake]

I think you can scent the pinkie with the salmon, also if guppies aren't an option then take a look at the forums caresheet which lists other safe fish to feed your snakes.

And I think you guys across the pond call nightcrawlers lob worms, but don't quote me on that cause I'm not 100% sure.

[toffee]

Off to dig up worm now

[chris-uk]

I use decent Scottish salmon or trout. If you want to try worms go to a fishing shop and ask for a tub of lob worms.

BTW it's not strictly true that feeding live fish is illegal, what is illegal is causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. In the case of a carnivorous animal that will not take pre killed prey it's a grey area. Not feeding the snake would be causing unnecessary suffering to the snake, it naturally eats fish, so there is some defence. I don't believe a case has gone to court where the live food was necessary to prevent any animal from starving. More to the point though, you can't walk into a shop and buy feeder guppies...