Your Reptile and Amphibian Resource and Information Site

Back to Garter-Ribbon Snakes Forum   Forums   Home   Members Area  

Garter-Ribbon Snakes Forum

Clouddancer22   Gottee guy   Clouddancer22   Clouddancer22   Gottee guy  
 Member  Message

 #1869703


Clouddancer22
View Profile

 New gater snake owner!

We accidently got a garter snake when my boys left the front door open last fall. The snake was in the house all fall and winter. I know that b/c I found a fresh shed next to the open front door, then felt it on my bed during the night three times! Then it must have hibernated, then it was back and I actually caught it in the spring.

So we’ve had it in a 20g tank - mostly. Mostly, b/c it has gotten out numerous times!! But it is there now, and I have attempted to set up the tank properly and now have questions. The tank is about half dirt, and half aspen shavings. It has a large pond in it, b/c evidently this snake like to swim on occassion, or at least deficate in the pond. Erg! I put an UTH heater on one side, and a hide with the aspen shavings. The pond is in the middle, and the cool side has rocks and stuff.

He is still alive, so I must be doing something right, and he sheds all the time! Geez! He will only eat toads, but I am thinking that they will be out of season soon? I didn’t have to worry about this last year, since he just hibernated IN my home. This year, I have to wonder if he will still hibernate on his own, or not. What will I do when I can no longer find him toads?

I tried a f/t pinky on him, but no luck there. I have plenty of frozen rat pups, that is what my waterdragons eat. I raise all my own feeders - superworms, mealworms, crx, rat and mouse pinkies. I am not sure I could do live pinkies, my son would just freak out, he gets soooo attached, lol.

Any suggestions?
09/27/08  11:08pm

 #1869838


Gottee guy
View Profile



   Message To: Clouddancer22   In reference to Message Id: 1869703


 New gater snake owner!

i hate picky eaters lol.
i had one last year that would also only eat 1-3 centimeter toads.
if you feed them on one item exclusively,like toads,they get attached to only that prey and it’s hard to switch. but for some reason, the only picky eaters i had would only eat toads. there were no picky eaters to only fish,tadpoles, or worms.
when the toads went out of season(or were about to) i gathered as many as i could,without ruining the population, and put them in a 10 gallon with moist ecoearth. i fed them ants,termites,fruit flies,earwigs,and very small pinhead crickets.
i also gathered some large frogs in hope that they would mate to produce eggs,tadpoles,and small toads, with no success.(they probably sensed the season)so now i just raise wild tadpoles into frogs for fun, since the snake died(it wouldn’t eat the toads because they grew just a bit too big and could fight back).

also, you could scent a frozen/thawed pinkie mouse. you can do this by rubbing a toad onto a f/t pinkie or onto a fish, or earthworm. the toad’s scent will be on the pinkie and the ribbon might eat it.

if there are extremely few toads, then freeze one, thaw it, then try to scent a pinkie with it so you can do it over and over again.
have you tried tadpoles?
09/28/08  10:04am

 #1870634


Clouddancer22
View Profile



   Message To: Gottee guy   In reference to Message Id: 1869838


 New gater snake owner!

Thanks for your response! I will try scenting a f/t pinkie and see if he will go for it. Tadpoles are even harder for me to get. The toads are in our yard. Last year this was not a problem since he hibernated (loose in the house!) during the time there were no toads.

But this year he is in an enclosure, next to a window w/o direct sunlight. I have a heat pad under part of his tank - should I take that away now and hope that he hibernates? When do they usually hibernate anyway - I live in central California.
09/29/08  11:14am

 #1870636


Clouddancer22
View Profile



   Message To: Gottee guy   In reference to Message Id: 1869838


 New gater snake owner!

Thanks for your response! I will try scenting a f/t pinkie and see if he will go for it. Tadpoles are even harder for me to get. The toads are in our yard. Last year this was not a problem since he hibernated (loose in the house!) during the time there were no toads.

But this year he is in an enclosure, next to a window w/o direct sunlight. I have a heat pad under part of his tank - should I take that away now and hope that he hibernates? When do they usually hibernate anyway - I live in central California.
09/29/08  11:15am

 #1871622


Gottee guy
View Profile



   Message To: Clouddancer22   In reference to Message Id: 1870636


 New gater snake owner!

i don’t think it would hibernate in a 60-80 degree house,maybe eat less, but not hibernate.

i know reptilefreak knows something about hibernation and brumating.
i just don’t do it. it’s just too risky for me.

here’s something i got from another thread- credit to Rf23

Brumating: These snakes have no need to hibernate and I would never do so unless babies stop feeding and are not in shed. But if doing so 55 degrease is the optimum temperature of hibernation. When hibernating, place them in complete darkness, provide them with fresh water and check on them periodically. But If you just want to do it, fatten your snake up and then hibernate it. After a large feeding wait 3 or 4 weeks to let any urine or fecal matter come out. THEN you can put them under.
ONCE AGAIN I DO NOT RECOMMEND DOING THIS it can risk your snakes life. But some people like to do it as an experiment and this is the safest way to do it.


Good Luck!
09/30/08  03:51pm


Back to Garter-Ribbon Snakes Forum   Forums   Home   Members Area