New Acquisitions: 1.1 Puget Sound Blue Garters

[Pasodama]

Sure enough, they didn't care. They immediately scarfed down their unscented half-pinks.

Great news!

Hope your other pair, of Garters, do just as well.

 

[El Jefe]

Dean...nice pick up! I've wanted to get into garters for some time now but never really made the move. That being said, I've got a special garter project out on loan which is on the side burner that should produce some nice garters down the road and they'll be my first 'project' garters.

 

[NFS07]

Wow!!!! Dean I think you have added snakes to people wish list. I know you did mine. *shows list* Those guys are AMAZING!! So because now they are at the top of the list you are going to get a few questions thrown at you.

When feeding fish do you just put the fish in a water bowl?
How do you make these cubes you speak of?
Normally are they as good as eaters as these two are or does it take time to switch them over?
How often do you feed them?
Co-hab?
How would one go about switching from fish to mice?
If the switch was made could a fish be offered without fear of the snake not taking a mouse?


Ok, I think thats all for the moment.

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!

Again those two are amazing!! You got really lucky.

 

[Roy Munson]

Thanks Kim, Deb, and Jeff. :cheers:

Wow!!!! Dean I think you have added snakes to people wish list. I know you did mine. *shows list* Those guys are AMAZING!! So because now they are at the top of the list you are going to get a few questions thrown at you.

Thanks.

When feeding fish do you just put the fish in a water bowl?

You just have to find a small container such as the cap to a salad dressing bottle. Some may be a little pickier and require you to use a clear container so they can see the movement of the fish from the side. I wouldn't put them in the garter's water bowl. I don't have a lot of experience feeding them live fish (thankfully!).

How do you make these cubes you speak of?

I put a bunch of ruby red feeder fish in the bottom of a plastic cup with just enough water to cover them, and I froze it.

Normally are they as good as eaters as these two are or does it take time to switch them over?

I'm not the most experienced garter guy, so I can't really answer this question authoritatively. They're fairly omnivorous snakes, so I think that they are generally good feeders and convert to mice easily. Of course, there are species and subspecies that are less inclined to feed on certain prey items.

How often do you feed them?

There are different schedules depending on prey type. You'd have to feed fish or worms every couple of days. With rodents, you can extend that to once per week. I feed mine pinks (or pink halves) every 4-6 days.

Co-hab?

It is much less discouraged with these guys than with rat snakes and boids. They are less solitary. But I house them separately, and they've done great.

How would one go about switching from fish to mice?

Start off by placing pinky parts in with the live fish. Then you scent the pinks with fish after that.

If the switch was made could a fish be offered without fear of the snake not taking a mouse?

I wouldn't do it, but there are people out there who argue that since an exclusive rodent diet is probably not encountered in nature, that they should be given a more diverse diet. I don't believe that there is any hard science behind my opinion or theirs.

Ok, I think thats all for the moment.

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!

Again those two are amazing!! You got really lucky.

Thanks again. I hope my answers help.

 

[NFS07]

Those answers were great. I'm going to see what I can do about learning more about them before I jump into it. Plus I need to save money. But I think I just found what I new snake will be.

Thanks again!

 

[tricksterpup]

Thanks Kim, Deb, and Jeff. :cheers:

Thanks.

You just have to find a small container such as the cap to a salad dressing bottle. Some may be a little pickier and require you to use a clear container so they can see the movement of the fish from the side. I wouldn't put them in the garter's water bowl. I don't have a lot of experience feeding them live fish (thankfully!).

I used a clear bowl on my wild caught Garter. Someone at work gave it to me this last october. I have been feeding it guppies and yes, i would place them in the water bowl for a day or so and he would gobble them up. i would then wash the bowl. Here is a picture of the snake grabbing a garter from the Bowl.

I put a bunch of ruby red feeder fish in the bottom of a plastic cup with just enough water to cover them, and I froze it.

I asked dean the same question on a pm, he replied to me pretty quickly and did a variation on it. I mashed my fish in water and froze it and then use it the way he describes.

I'm not the most experienced garter guy, so I can't really answer this question authoritatively. They're fairly omnivorous snakes, so I think that they are generally good feeders and convert to mice easily. Of course, there are species and subspecies that are less inclined to feed on certain prey items.


Start off by placing pinky parts in with the live fish. Then you scent the pinks with fish after that.

Well as stated above I asked Dean for advice and what he did. This was a wild caught garter, an 07, and he readily took the pinky. I just had a pair of Hemostadts and swished it around like a fish and it caught the snake's attention and bam, lunch.

Now last night I fed him again, 4 days later, Sliced the pink and then scented it with my fish cube and then placed it on a piece of paper. He grabbed it readily. I gotta say that was the easiest snake to convert. Yes, I still have to scent but no live fish for him.

 

[Llewella]

Wow, very pretty garters!!!