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 #1631989


Reptililian Boy
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 Garter diet

I have two snakes(Ribbon/garter) and I wanted to know what to feed them besides fish. I knowI could feed pinkies a little later on, but they seem very big for what I have witnessed my snakes eat. So, what else is necessary? I tried earthworms and red worms but niether eat them. Am I supposed to put them in a dish? Thanks, Alec
02/21/08  01:26pm

 #1631992


Reptililian Boy
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   Message To: Reptililian Boy   In reference to Message Id: 1631989


 Garter diet

Oh and how do I give them the vitamin supplements?



02/21/08  01:28pm

 #1633614


Reptilefreak23
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   Message To: Reptililian Boy   In reference to Message Id: 1631992


 Garter diet

I give mine fish, mice, and crickets dusted in calcium supplement. And every once in a while a give them a very small egg .
(like a bird or ’bantam chicken’ eggs)



02/22/08  03:36pm

 #1633621


Reptilefreak23
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   Message To: Reptililian Boy   In reference to Message Id: 1631992


 Garter diet

I give mine... fish, mice and crickets dusted in calcium supplement. And every once in a while I give them a very small egg.
(like a bird or bantam chicken’)
02/22/08  03:38pm

 #1634192


Reptililian Boy
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   Message To: Reptilefreak23   In reference to Message Id: 1633621


 Garter diet

How do you feed the mice and crickets? I tried crickets a while back and they didn’t touch them...maybe they were too small...and are crickets even that nutritious? Thanks, Alec
02/22/08  10:40pm

 #1634614


Reptilefreak23
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   Message To: Reptililian Boy   In reference to Message Id: 1634192


 Garter diet

Um i get them Large Crickets. Because they eat those nativly here. and also roaches. I forgot to say roaches.
02/23/08  11:59am

 #1635395


Reptililian Boy
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   Message To: Reptilefreak23   In reference to Message Id: 1634614


 Garter diet

What do you mean here? My Ribbon snake is from the East coast so if you mean where I live, you’re a bit off...anyway, should I try crickets in the cage? I have two cages by the way...one for my ribbon and the other for my Checkerd garter...
02/23/08  10:31pm

 #1636232


Reptilefreak23
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   Message To: Reptililian Boy   In reference to Message Id: 1635395


 Garter diet

Well I breed checkers and have ribbons (red stripe, yellow stripe, southern subspecies, red, and western) I even caught a eastern once.

But this is Texas.
But they eat roaches and crickets everywhere.
good luck with your snake!
02/24/08  03:44pm

 #1643602


Reptililian Boy
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   Message To: Reptilefreak23   In reference to Message Id: 1636232


 Garter diet

Should I try cricks? I guess I will because it won’t hurt...dusted right? do I just let them go in the cage?



03/01/08  12:37pm

 #1643640


Reptilefreak23
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   Message To: Reptililian Boy   In reference to Message Id: 1643602


 Garter diet

Or in the water bowl.
and if they dont know what to do... force feed em once then they will hunt them down.
03/01/08  01:17pm

 #1644831


Reptililian Boy
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   Message To: Reptilefreak23   In reference to Message Id: 1643640


 Garter diet

Won’t they drown? I have had bad memories with force feeding so...how? Thanks, Alec



03/02/08  01:58pm

 #1645523


Reptilefreak23
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   Message To: Reptililian Boy   In reference to Message Id: 1644831


 Garter diet

No, no, no

Imean like holding him up and putting a cricket in his mouth with a srynge



03/02/08  10:26pm

 #1645769


TIMSNAKR
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   Message To: Reptilefreak23   In reference to Message Id: 1645523


 Garter diet

Dust the minnows with reptivite or something similar, then you’re fine. Try pinkies later on
Don’t force feed, it’s dangerous to your snake’s health and it’ll probably regurge anyways later on



Tim
03/03/08  07:29am

 #1645867


Ameivaboy
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   Message To: TIMSNAKR   In reference to Message Id: 1645769


 Garter diet

Force feeding is terrible advice.Frankly so is feeding crickets. Most Thamnophis species wont bother with them.
I would work on feeding mice. most take to mice rather easily with them being scented with a fish. All my Garters have learned to take unscented mice with in 4-5 feeding of scenteds. T
03/03/08  09:51am

 #1646093


Reptililian Boy
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   Message To: Ameivaboy   In reference to Message Id: 1645867


 Garter diet

Will the snakes eat dead fish? Sorry for my confusion but if I dust them, I put them on a solid surface right? How can my snakes eat mice, they seem so small? What and how do you feed yours in a weekly schedule?
03/03/08  02:23pm

 #1646159


TIMSNAKR
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   Message To: Reptililian Boy   In reference to Message Id: 1646093


 Garter diet

Read the thread right below this one
03/03/08  03:16pm

 #1646985


Ameivaboy
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   Message To: TIMSNAKR   In reference to Message Id: 1646159


 Garter diet

Quote:

Will the snakes eat dead fish? Sorry for my confusion but if I dust them, I put them on a solid surface right? How can my snakes eat mice, they seem so small? What and how do you feed yours in a weekly schedule?



The majority of the year I feed my male (adult) Garters a fuzzie each one a week.
The females are fed mid sized hoppers once a week. Though if the animals are gravid or soon to go into brumation, or just coming out of brumation they are feed more often. Garters are gluttons and will eat a ton if you allow them to, but is not needed.

If your garters is too small to take a full on pinkie you could resort to feeding pinkie parts. just buy a frozen pinkie,cut it up,scent it and feed away.
03/03/08  11:17pm

 #1649448


Reptililian Boy
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   Message To: Ameivaboy   In reference to Message Id: 1646985


 Garter diet

Cool, thanks a lot!!! That saved me...I’ll tell you the results...do you dust the pinkie/parts?

Alec
03/05/08  06:39pm

 #1649871


Ameivaboy
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   Message To: Reptililian Boy   In reference to Message Id: 1649448


 Garter diet

a little bit occasionally wouldnt hurt.
03/05/08  11:08pm

 #1664088


Reptililian Boy
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   Message To: Ameivaboy   In reference to Message Id: 1649871


 Garter diet

I rubbed a pinkie and layed it one the bedding so I’m waiting until it’s gone...is this good? OR should I put it on a variety of different ledges in the cage? Thanks, Alec
03/17/08  12:19am

 #1664201


Aliceinwl
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   Message To: Reptililian Boy   In reference to Message Id: 1664088


 Garter diet

If your snake isn’t showing interest in the pinkie, it’ll probably be best to try a different approach (give him an hour and put it somewhere in the cage where you know the snake will come across it). If your snake is used to eating fish from the bowl, you can try putting one fish in the bowl and a very small pinkie, sometimes the snake will end up with the pinkie because it’s easier to catch. If he gets used to eating this way, eventually you won’t need to put the fish in the bowl too. I’ve also had success taking a dead pinkie and hollowing out the head of a dead goldfish and placing it over the pinkie’s head or putting the tail end of the fish in the mouth of the dead pinkie. If you have success with using the fish parts, you can continue this for a couple of feedings and then see if he’ll take scented and after a few scented feedings you can try unscented. I typically buy a dozen feeder fish and drain off the water and throw them in the freezer so that I have a supply to play around with. Make sure your snake is hungry before you try any of the pinkie techniques. I feed my garters weekly, when converting them to pinkies I’d try the scented (or whatever technique you’re using) and then if it was refused, give the weekly fish meal and try a different approach at the following week’s feeding.
03/17/08  01:54am

 #1666455


Reptililian Boy
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   Message To: Aliceinwl   In reference to Message Id: 1664201


 Garter diet

Fish parts? Nahh...my mum put the pinkie in the bowl and it ate it so maybe that was the trick. How many pinkies do you suggest a week? He eats like a pig and is about 3 or less feet long. My other snake is a little smaller so I can’t do much for now. Thanks, Alec
03/18/08  08:32pm


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