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 #1373567


Wtrsnk505
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 How’s this for a home for the new guy?

Hello all. I’m new to this Reti Zone. I found a water snake while fishing and I want to make sure I taking porper care of it. I put it in a 10 gallon tank. I have sand (from my yard) and water in it. The water and sand are about the same height in the tank, which is about 1 quarter of the way up the tank. I’ve put a few earth worms in yesterday and he ate them both. I put two more today but I don’t think he ate them. I thought I read in the care sheet that there should not be a lot of water in their tank. Attached is a photo, can anyone tell me if it’s ok? If not, what do I need to change? Also, what should I feed it besides earth worms? I thank you all in advance!! :)



One more thing, can anyone tell me what species of water snake he is?
07/25/07  01:44am

 #1373652


Gsr40
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   Message To: Wtrsnk505   In reference to Message Id: 1373567


 How’s this for a home for the new guy?

hey man wats up?

thats a really nice snake but a few things are wrong.

first off, thats not a water snake. it is a checkerd garter snake.

the first thing you should do is buy a 20 gallon long, with a hea pad and a hide on one side, and water dish and a hide on the other side.

after u have this tank setup, u can add fake plants, real plants and anything u want to make the cage look better.


garter snakes eat a veriety of food so first off i would try to give it minnows. NOT GOLD FISH , they cary parasites and i lost a few snakes to this.

if it eat the minnows good than move up to mice, prolly fuzzyz due to the size he is. and once he is eating mice he is relaly on the right track.



normally people would complain that u should let it go or watever, but in my opinion as long as it is eating and doing good in your hands that dont worry about it. most of the time when people start saying u should let it go, they ignore u and dont answer your question.


so if u have buy all the stuff i listed above that keep it. but if you cant the best thing to do is let it go were u found it :)

i hope this helps :)
07/25/07  04:03am

 #1373653


Gsr40
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   Message To: Gsr40   In reference to Message Id: 1373652


 How’s this for a home for the new guy?

actaully that cage loks alright for its size

sorry if im confusing u, i thought it would be bigger
07/25/07  04:05am

 #1373654


Gsr40
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   Message To: Gsr40   In reference to Message Id: 1373652


 How’s this for a home for the new guy?

actaully that cage loks alright for its size

sorry if im confusing u, i thought it would be bigger
07/25/07  04:06am

 #1373739


Wtrsnk505
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   Message To: Gsr40   In reference to Message Id: 1373654


 How’s this for a home for the new guy?

So what should I use as subtrate? It needs to be dryer right? Can I just use minnows and earth worms for feeders? What is the difference between water and garder snakes? It is just a baby, maybe about 12-14 inches in lenght and the diameter is as small as a pen. Why would someone say to return it to where I found it? because I caught it in the wild or because of the species of the snake? Thanks for your help!



07/25/07  08:34am

 #1374467


Gsr40
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   Message To: Wtrsnk505   In reference to Message Id: 1373739


 How’s this for a home for the new guy?

u can use any substrate u have. but not if your snake is a messy eater (he might eat the dirt) if he is than put him on reptibark so he cant swallow it as easy.

water snakes grow bigger and fatter than garter snakes and are much more aggresive. other than that im not quite sure wat the difference is lol

people would say let him go because you got him from the wild, not his species.
07/25/07  07:16pm

 #1374933


Ace13
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   Message To: Gsr40   In reference to Message Id: 1374467


 How’s this for a home for the new guy?

There are alot of good caresheets bud just look around

I would minimize your water in there...you could just put a large water dish in if you want him to have alot
07/26/07  02:26am

 #1375681


Gsr40
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   Message To: Ace13   In reference to Message Id: 1374933


 How’s this for a home for the new guy?

i thnk its my comp because i dont see any water in there....
07/26/07  04:02pm

 #1382058


Cool360
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   Message To: Wtrsnk505   In reference to Message Id: 1373567


 How’s this for a home for the new guy?

thats a checkerd garter snake
07/31/07  02:05pm

 #1395221


FROG BOY12
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   Message To: Wtrsnk505   In reference to Message Id: 1373567


 How’s this for a home for the new guy?

thats a grass snakse they thrive around water to i have one that had babys
08/08/07  11:49pm

 #1422411


LupusBeau
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   Message To: FROG BOY12   In reference to Message Id: 1395221


 How’s this for a home for the new guy?

You should have left it where you found it....
08/28/07  03:46am

 #1425813


King of sSNAKESs
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   Message To: LupusBeau   In reference to Message Id: 1422411


 How’s this for a home for the new guy?

Ok, first, yes thats a garter
Tank size is great.

OK, Ill post some pics of ideal tanks for that guy, but for now, here are requirements.

substrate- go with tree bark, the kind from a pet store, like reptile bark. try for exo-terra. this looks kinda like woodchips. MAKE SURE THAT IT IS MEANT FROM REPTILES, NOT HAMSTERS. AND, DO NOT GET CEDAR OR PINE, HESE OILS ARE HARMFUL TO SNAKES.

lighting and heat- get a single 25 watt heat lamp. This will do for a garter. Place it on one side of the tank.

get 2 hiding spots, like little caves, and place one on either end of the tank. Then get a fairly large waterbowl. keep it stocked with minnows, no guppies or goldfish, they have parasites, as previously mentioned. Get something for the snake to climb on, like a branch, and a couple of rocks. These will help your snake shed.

AS for food, I think it will eat guppies and worms, and maybe pinkie mice. offer a pinkie every sevven days, and a worm or two every 3.
keep minnows in bowl.



08/30/07  04:31pm

 #1425816


King of sSNAKESs
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   Message To: LupusBeau   In reference to Message Id: 1422411


 How’s this for a home for the new guy?

Just get a book on garters from a local store.
08/30/07  04:35pm

 #1428081


M4tt
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   Message To: King of sSNAKESs   In reference to Message Id: 1425816


 How’s this for a home for the new guy?

He alredy came to the Garter forum some time ago and I helped him with making a better set up. He has a good set up now.
09/01/07  01:00pm


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