Would like to buy a 2nd garter?

[RedSidedSPR]

I would like to buy a second garter. I currently have 1 male red-sided garter.
I don't have very much room for another 20gal tank.
That makes me think it would be easier to just put him in with my other snake.
It would be hard for me just go and buy a second tank, whether it's for a second snake or for quarantine, but I will if I need too.
As for quarantine:
1. Is it necessary?
2. How big would the quarantine tank have to be?
3. How long would I have to quarantine?

And if you can handle it, are there any snakes that should NOT be in the same tank with my other snake(red sided)?

Sorry. That was a lot of stuff to answer...

[mb90078]

The easiest thing to do would be to get a second captive bred male garter of similar size, and to be safe, one that isn't known for showing occasional cannibalism.

If you do that, you can probably skip quarantine, provided it is purchased from someone you trust. You can always get a small plastic box to use for a feeding tank, or as an emergency holding area if you ever need to separate them.

[guidofatherof5]

I feel quarantine period should be observed no matter who the seller is.
Second guessing a good quarantine policy can lead to disaster. Just my opinion.

Check out www.craigslist.com in your area for some usually cheap reptile supplies.

[RedSidedSPR]

All it is, is looking for signs of illness, right? So if you know he's healthy what is there that would be noticeable? Not excusing quarantine at all, just curious to what I would really be looking for...

I've looked at craigslist. They don't have anything cheaper then I'd find anywhere else.

[guidofatherof5]

All it is, is looking for signs of illness, right? So if you know he's healthy what is there that would be noticeable? Not excusing quarantine at all, just curious to what I would really be looking for...

I've looked at craigslist. They don't have anything cheaper then I'd find anywhere else.

Yes and no.
You're looking for signs of illness and any illness developing. Your watching stools to normality. Watching for parasites both internal and external. Watching for abnormal behavior.

There are many great breeders/friends on this forum and I trust them but I also have a very strict quarantine policy that applies to all.
No disrespect to any of them or their snakes.
Quarantine has to be a policy for all new snakes no matter what.

[Stefan-A]

Essentially, you're waiting to see if the new animal dies from any illness.

You don't know if the animal is healthy and you can't tell without testing, that's why you need the quarantine period to see whether it develops any symptoms. Only after you've had it long enough, that it should have already shown some if it were sick, is it safe to introduce it to the ones you have. The minimum recommended is 2-3 months.

[RedSidedSPR]

That just seems excessively long, but okay.... You make it seem like I'll kill my snake if I put a new one in there, so I guess I kind of have to. So I will. When I get one.
Does the quarantine tank have to be very big? What's recommended size?

And your saying that any snake that's not cannibalistic, I can put in with him. No wandering garters or whatever, but I can put, lets say, a black-necked garter in?

[guidofatherof5]

That just seems excessively long, but okay.... You make it seem like I'll kill my snake if I put a new one in there,

That is what quarantines are to hopefully keep from happening.

Same sex, same relative size.

[mb90078]

Let me clarify, I do highly recommend following a quarantine. Like anything, you can take a calculated risk, and minimize the risk as much as possible. But yes, a quarantine is a good idea.

A male black neck of similar size should be able to coexist with your male red sided.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

I once had a customer who bought about 7 snakes from me. He kept them for over a year and they were all perfectly healthy. He brought home a pair of gaboon vipers from a reptile show that he put in the same room with all his other snakes without being cautious he didn't know they had mites which spread some type of disease that killed his whole collection. I felt sorry when i heard the story so i gave him a new snake. You should always quarantine every new reptile. Problems don't always show up when you first examine a snake.