Scenting Pinkies

[adamanteus]

Don't panic yet! Looks in pretty good shape to me. Sorry, I must have misunderstood the earlier posts, I thought it was a baby!

[Edcase]

im glad to here that. Hopefully its just case of finding a food that it can eat. I can relax a little now. I think i worried by the size of the other garter i have which has a much larger girth and is longer but came from the same batch and is bout same age

[garterking]

Since we know it's not a new born, and a month is not a long time to go without food. Some will go 8 months during brumation, but I do understand your concern.

Maybe try a different approach. Since he's been in someone else's care for a couple weeks, then your brother's care for 2 weeks, and now in your care. He may be stressed out. What's his home like? Do you have a heat source? That helps get their digestive enzymes going. Do you have a hide on the cool side and one on the warm side so he can feel comfortable(Do you have a warm and cool side?)

Here's something you can try. Give him a warm and cool side with a hide on both. (80ish in the warm with some light, 65ish on the cool) Leave him alone for a few days and don't handle him. Let him come out when he feels like it. Every other day put out a food source (worms, fish, pinkies, or parts) Leave it for a couple hours, if he doesn't eat it then remove it. If he does eat, you found something he likes. Basically what I'm suggesting is let him get comfortable and feel safe in his surroundings, he'll do the rest from there and will eventually settle down and do what they do naturally.

Good luck, keep us posted. By the way, nice looking snake you have there.

Mike

[DEKAN]

I had the same problem, when I tried with pinkies she just appoach but then suddenly ran away...I guess because I didn't wash the pinkie before scenting, too bad here in Mexico you can find them but only alive so, I really hate to hear them crying...and I don't have the stomach to kill them

[Elliot]

You can just put them in the freezer, they won't feel any pain because their nerve endings haven't developed yet (or something along those lines.) You could always make a C02 chamber, too.

[ssssnakeluvr]

I'd stay away from cat food for garters....not sure thats real good for them...try putting rosies in the water dish and leave them there....moving the snake back and forth can stress one out and it could take a little time before it eats. that one looks healthy, snakes can for for long periods without food...just the way nature designed them