Obese checkered garters

Tori · 01-24-2007, 07:57 AM

Has anyone noticed that checkered garters, or at least albino checkereds, tend to become obese? I attend every reptile show in this area (to within 150 miles) and it seems every albino checkered garter I've seen, no matter what age, is extremely obese. I know that they are very strong eaters if mine are anything to go by, but obese? I saw one female that was no longer than 14 inches but had the girth of a large magic-marker. Her head was enormous for her size. My females are around 18 inches and are about half that one's thickness. Since then, I've seen at least 3 others at shows that were almost as fat. These are the first over-weight garters I've ever seen. Is it normal for checkereds?

ClosedCasket88 · 01-24-2007, 10:44 AM

yes, evry checkered garter ive come across at shows n whatnot are usualy obese. i cant answer your question but ive noticed that too .
and i noticed the majority of garters i hear about taking strips of meat n chicken hearts are usualy checkers too. coincidence? i dont know

Snaky · 01-24-2007, 03:28 PM

This is not a checkered problem, but it manifests itself more with a checkered garter because, like you said, they eat about anything and a lot if given the opportunity. But any snake that eats well is a good candidate to get fat.

Most of the time people just give to much food to their snakes, most pythons and boa's have way to much fat. Luckily for us, garters are quite active snakes, so they exercice a bit and most of them eat a rather amount of fish.

Tori · 01-24-2007, 08:19 PM

I've had one Eastern garter that would eat chicken hearts and gizzards, but she never became overly fat. I have to wonder if Snaky isn't right and it is how much they will eat, more than what they eat.

CrazyHedgehog · 01-25-2007, 07:03 AM

My Florida blues are huge and I am beginning to consider their diet!

ssssnakeluvr · 01-25-2007, 08:18 AM

checkereds are usually good eaters...any garter can get obese...they can and will overeat if given the opportunity. I feed my florida blue a mouse a week, i was giving her more, but she was getting real large. I cut her down so she would slim down a touch...don't want her to be too fat! The albino checkereds I had didn't get obese, the female got big but not too fat. My normal checkereds that I have now aren't fat.....

01-24-2007, 07:57 AM	#1 (permalink)
Tori Juvenile snake Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Holland, Michigan Posts: 181 Country:	Obese checkered garters Has anyone noticed that checkered garters, or at least albino checkereds, tend to become obese? I attend every reptile show in this area (to within 150 miles) and it seems every albino checkered garter I've seen, no matter what age, is extremely obese. I know that they are very strong eaters if mine are anything to go by, but obese? I saw one female that was no longer than 14 inches but had the girth of a large magic-marker. Her head was enormous for her size. My females are around 18 inches and are about half that one's thickness. Since then, I've seen at least 3 others at shows that were almost as fat. These are the first over-weight garters I've ever seen. Is it normal for checkereds?

01-24-2007, 10:44 AM	#2 (permalink)
ClosedCasket88 Juvenile snake Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: upper darby, PA (USA) Posts: 139 Country:	Re: Obese checkered garters yes, evry checkered garter ive come across at shows n whatnot are usualy obese. i cant answer your question but ive noticed that too . and i noticed the majority of garters i hear about taking strips of meat n chicken hearts are usualy checkers too. coincidence? i dont know

01-24-2007, 03:28 PM	#3 (permalink)
Snaky "PM Boots For Custom Title" Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,468 Country:	Re: Obese checkered garters This is not a checkered problem, but it manifests itself more with a checkered garter because, like you said, they eat about anything and a lot if given the opportunity. But any snake that eats well is a good candidate to get fat. Most of the time people just give to much food to their snakes, most pythons and boa's have way to much fat. Luckily for us, garters are quite active snakes, so they exercice a bit and most of them eat a rather amount of fish.

01-24-2007, 08:19 PM	#4 (permalink)
Tori Juvenile snake Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Holland, Michigan Posts: 181 Country:	Re: Obese checkered garters I've had one Eastern garter that would eat chicken hearts and gizzards, but she never became overly fat. I have to wonder if Snaky isn't right and it is how much they will eat, more than what they eat.

01-25-2007, 07:03 AM	#5 (permalink)
CrazyHedgehog "Preparing For Fourth shed" Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 719 Country:	Re: Obese checkered garters My Florida blues are huge and I am beginning to consider their diet!

01-25-2007, 08:18 AM	#6 (permalink)
ssssnakeluvr "PM Boots For Custom Title" Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 1,478 Country:	Re: Obese checkered garters checkereds are usually good eaters...any garter can get obese...they can and will overeat if given the opportunity. I feed my florida blue a mouse a week, i was giving her more, but she was getting real large. I cut her down so she would slim down a touch...don't want her to be too fat! The albino checkereds I had didn't get obese, the female got big but not too fat. My normal checkereds that I have now aren't fat.....

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