That's very useful information, because I've always liked the idea of having one, someday. I assume they prefer a viv as opposed to a tub. Do they like to burrow? Do they need a fairly moist habitat (like amphibians do, more or less)? Daylight bulbs? Do they cohab during non-breeding/hybernation time? I assume that "room temperatures" work well....
Hmmm... methinx I need to find a garter snake forum and do some reading
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Garters are easy to keep and easy to keep happy.
A long viv is best but they can do well in appropriate sized tubs.
They do not burrow (unless they wish to "sleep" under the water dish
).
Most of mine are not Co-habitated alhough it is, usually, not a problem if you Cohab a couple/few together. Not Cohabitating, except during breeding season (if you wish to breed), is probably best though.
That said, I do Cohab one pair, for just part of the year, and have another pair that are together year round.
If a pregnancy should happen to result (from a 1.1 pair that are kept together), I would remove the male before the babies are born (BTW Garters are live bearers, not egg layers).
If not any social problems, there could be other problems when Cohabitating. One example, of a problem that is (or could be) faced, is during feeding time (if done inside their vivs)... especially since Garters are more "aware"/"alert" than some other snakes. Each Garter will want the food you are offering off of tongs... this means that one needs to get the food, without the other getting it (you do not want a situation where both take an end of the food item), and then you offer something to the second Garter. If one eats faster, than the other, then you have to keep the fast eater's attention, on something else, while you feed the slower eater. If not fed off of tongs, you still do not want a situation where each Garter happens to grab the same food item.
Room heating (without bulbs, heat tape, etc.) is fine as long as the room is warm enough.
Having a basking spot, though, would be good if room/viv is not warm enough (for digestion, etc) and it is needed during pregnancy.
A moist environment would be detrimental. They need to be kept on a substrate like you would use for Corns, Kings, etc., etc. Water must be kept provided at all times. Some of mine just have water bowls but the others have large (dish sized) water "bowls" (such as the water catching bases of large flower pots) which they like to take a swim in once in a great while.
No matter the Garter species ...
All of my Garters eat mice (actually fuzzies, etc.).
I start my babies on live feeder fish (very little ones since Garter babies are rather tiny) placed in a bowl of water. After some feedings, I start adding pinkie parts (when they go after the fish, they, inevitably, grab pinkie parts, too, and eat them). Then start increasing pinkie parts and decreasing fish. Eventually, it is only pinkie parts/pieces... which are gradually increased, in size (with growth of babies), until they are on entire (uncut) pinkies.
With juveniles/adults (if new), who are eating fish, I use the same method (using entire pinkies) and, then, they come to readily accept pinks, peaches, fuzzies, etc... even off of tongs. Most of mine eat off of tongs.
