Hey. My cousin has had a garter sanke for about a year. i don't know what species of a garter snake it is though. it is green with two black stripes going down its back. anyway, what all does he need to supply for food for his snake. al lhe is using for the past year is earthworms that you buy at a gas station or fish tackle store. is there anything else he should be feeding it becuase it hasn't grown an inch since he got it. if is about 5" long and its been a year that he has had it. i don't know how old it is because he found it in his yard one day; so I was wondering what he should all have in the cage with him, how big he should be, what he should be eating, and what lights he should have. i am going up to my cousin's place on the 22nd and I will find out how big of an enclosure he has him in. i know that he just finished building him a new one and that his old one was just one of those cricket catcher things. not very big, about the quater of the size of a 5.5 gallon tank. thanks for the help.

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Chris Kerr.

2.0.0 Dogs-Taz and Sandy
0.2.0 Cats-Whiskers and Squirelly
0.0.1 Green Iguana-Spike

http://www.gartersnake******/care/ try that

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that likn doesn't work. but I got a caresheet anyway that I am going to send to him. but does anyone know if gartner snakes need uvb? like a flourescent bulb or something, cause I know that they don't need as much as lizards do but I don't kow if they need any at all. because on this caresheet it says that you don't but I am pretty sure u do. i will tell him to follow this caresheet and I will find out more about the lighting.

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Chris Kerr.

2.0.0 Dogs-Taz and Sandy
0.2.0 Cats-Whiskers and Squirelly
0.0.1 Green Iguana-Spike

read a few care sheets and take the info that is the same they get digest by basking so a Under Tank Heater and lamp will do

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Live for today Not tomorrow.

Whether or not garter snakes require UVB is questionable, though I don't think it's required. Unlike most snakes, they're not only diurnal but they rely heavily on invertebrate prey. They also feed on amphibians and fish though, and being snakes, I don't think UVB is necessary. Still, I provide mine with it just in case.

As for diet, do NOT feed on fish. Although fish make up a major part of their diet in the wild, they should only be fed sparingly in captivity. Goldfish are the worst among feeder fish, so I'd go with mollies if you do offer some as a treat. Fish contain the enzyme Thiaminase, which breaks down thiamine (vitamin B1). It's used in the nervous system, and a diet rich in fish will deplete the vitamin and the snake will go into seizures, retardation, and then die.

I personally recommend using scenting to train garters to accept mice (pinkies and fuzzies). They don't normally prey on mammals, so using fish, worms, and/or frogs to scent the mice will fool the snake into accepting them. Eventually the snake will get used to the concept of mice and the scenting won't be necessary. Along with the rodent diet, earthworms doused in calcium and vitamin supplements and the occasional fish will suit the snake well. Fish in the diet won't hurt as long as the snake gets enough vitamin B1 in the rest of its diet to counteract the fish.

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"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines." - John Benfield

cool, thanks for all of the replies, but what about humidity? i would think that the lights would evaporate the water and make it dry in his cage so what should his humidity level be at?

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Chris Kerr.

2.0.0 Dogs-Taz and Sandy
0.2.0 Cats-Whiskers and Squirelly
0.0.1 Green Iguana-Spike

The lights won't evaporate the water.I know a few people who keep water dragons with small ponds in their garden in the philippines but the water does not evaporate.Why?They change the water occasionally and there is alot of rain.If he's keeping the snake indoors he'll have to change the water everyday to maintain cleanliness and that way the water won't evaporate.

Aidan

Just to clarify,...the water WILL evaporate. It just won't go sucking up all at once!
You just have to top it off occassionally. Since you will have to change it daily that will take care of any evaporaton.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Garters are semi aquatic and will need a bowl big enough to swim around in when he feels the need, they like to soak and such and he will soil his water, so shouldnt get chance to evaporate as it will need changing often.

I managed to get my Garter onto mice and he did real well with them, but I started off with chopped up pinkies when he was very small, and a big difference in growth compared to one fed on amphibs and such,

Other than that temps are that the same as for a corn 80/85 hot end 70/75 cool end, just watch out for too much humidity as it makes them hide and not eat, I found that out when I changed from a glass tank to a plastic tank, I then changed him back to a bigger glass tank with more air and he was fine and fed great.

I am going to have to agree with everyone below. The scenting deal works real well. A guy I work with has a garter and he did the scenting trick it def. took a little bit and a few tries but his eats a fuzzy mouse 1 a week, it is only a baby. He also feeds goldfish as a treat and earthworms as a treat. He is About 10 inches. He's pretty long, but he def. isn't very old. Also what size is the enclosure?? I wouldn't keep it in a critter keeper..i know you said he built one so I am just curious.