New garter snake feeding questions

[JKTerrell]

Hi we just got a new garter snake ( Maya) ill try to get pics up soon we have had her for about 3 weeks and have been feeding her live Rosy red minnows 2 every other day she is about 20-22 inches long and no idea how old she is
She has no problem gulping the minnows down and looks like if we would give her more she would eat but i would like to know if there is better food for her to be eating or if we are feeding to much or not enough?
we would just like all the information we can get to be able to take care or her the best we can.
Thanks :lol:

 

[JKTerrell]

New Picks of Maya

 

[herpfreak]

What a cutie! I love the big eyes!

I don't have any experience with colubrids, just pythons, but I have read bits and pieces about them and I can try to help you.

Could the minnows be too large? For boids, prey should be the width of the snake's fattest point. I'm not sure if the same rule applies for garters.

I do know that garters require a wide variety of prey, including waxworms, earth worms, grubs, and leeches (I think). I imagine a worm would be easier to swallow than a fish. :? It's fine to collect earth worms from a garden, as long as there are no pesticides in your area. Wax worms and grubs are commercially available at most pet stores.

Congrats on the new snake! Is she your first?

Good luck!

~~
Maya

 

[JKTerrell]

Thanks for the information the minnows are small and she has no problem at all eating them but i was worried they may not provide all the nourishment she needs had not thought of wax worms ill try her on clean earth worms from a natural garden and some wax worms and no she is not my first snake i have had all sorts of snakes growing up just not this small iv had Rat snakes ball pythons and such so she is my first small snake :lol:

 

[nrich]

she'd probably also do well with pinky mice occasionally. You can also feed them small peices of raw fish that are dusted with calcium/vitamin powder.

Here's a good site for info.

http://www.gartersnake.info/care/feeding.phtml

 

[JKTerrell]

Well we got a huge surprise today.... we are making room and rearranging viv's today to make room for the red tail boa that I am rescuing this week and we do our daily check of critters to find... Maya multiplied x8 that I could count at a glance.. so far. We had no idea she was um with snake... We have only had her for about 4 weeks now and she eats minnows very well but we have gotten a frozen pinky to try some pinky parts on her as it seems to be the healthier choice all around from what I have been reading up on.

So now the new question is... anyone want a snake... joking but seriously how do I care for these very unexpected tiny bundles of joy! :shock: Any help would be appreciated I am now scouring the net for information... also, anyone know of an online store that sells frozen mice, rats and pinkies in bulk?

I will get pictures up of the babies soon after the shock wears off... :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[herpfreak]

Wow! What a surprise! Congrats!

Has she been bred? If not, she will lay infertile, which is not uncommon. Make sure temps are spot on and provide a nesting box. If you think she has been with a male garter, then you will need a incubator and a rack system to house all of the babies.

 

[JKTerrell]

LOL Garters give live birth we have 9 babies to our utter surprise :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[nrich]

very awesome! I have absolutely no experience with this, but I'm going to guess that they will have to be seperated pretty soon so they won't eat eachother.

 

[herpfreak]

Wow! Congrats!

I'd love to see pics!