Cannibalism in California redsided?

[Tori]

One of my baby cali's is trying to eat the other babies, so I've had to separate them. Is this normal for them? I've never had any other kind of garter trying to eat his siblings unless there was food in the cage which there isn't. It has only been 2 days since they were fed so it isn't like they are starving, so what is up with this little guy? I got him loose from one baby just to have him chasing another one! Good thing I was in here with them when he started. I did a head count and none are missing, so I was in time. Now he has a cage to his/her self. But in my experience baby garters do much better in a group. It would be the largest of the group though, naturally. I still think it might have killed him to eat one though, he isn't THAT much larger. Any ideas?

[zooplan]

Maybe it think it is a milksnake?

I know cannibalism only in two cases:
During feeding when even snall snake are fighting for food and everything is smelle like food.
Males that are not seperated while the female is giving birth.
Give your clutch a bath after feeding, that may help.

[Snaky]

I can add a third one. I've had terrestris attacking the other cagemate while preparing the food ( defrosting ) in the kitchen ( which is connected to their room ). So there wasn't even food present in their cage, but indeed the smallest smell can trigger the feeding response.

[Tori]

All good points but I wasn't preparing food and it wasn't the day to feed them. I'm just afraid that I am going to have to worry about this sort of thing with the other babies now. Are they all likely to start trying to eat each other? Should I separate all of them, not just the one trying to munch on them?

[Bay_area]

Maybe it think it is a milksnake?

or from Donner Pass...LOL!

[brandon0133]

my snakes have taken pinkies out of the mouth of other snakes in my tank,,lol,,never seen them try to eat each other though,,and i got babies and big snakes together

[Lori P]

Brandon, they will... they'll grab at the pinky and get their mouths around the other snake. Eek!!

[jewel-dragons]

i loose 2 marcianus adults by cannibalism.... the females ate them.... but they get food enough here.... so it's very sad....

[adamanteus]

Maybe some of the babies had got smeared with the scent of food from a previous feeding? It is very unusual, you're wise to seperate them, at least for now.

[brandon0133]

can i put my new green snake in with my garter snakes? remember its a 175 gallon tank,,so enough room to seperate if they dont like each other,,lol