New keeper (will be soon anyway)

[Morph]

I have finally decided to get a snake after 5 years of contemplating it. I have bought a viv and equipment necasary to look after one.

I have bought a male checkered garter snake who is 25cm long at present and he will be delivered to me in 8 days (next wednesday).

Because i havn't kept snakes before i want to do as much research as possible before he arrives. Thank god for the internet

In the viv i have a red basking lamp which heats the tank to 28C hot side to 24C cool side. Is this sufficient or should i change it in some way? or maybe add a heat mat?

Although i have done a lot of reading about garters on the net i have found a distinct lack of information about thier temprement and what to avoid doing that would potentially "spook" them. The store i am buying from has assured me that he is "tame" however pet stores rarely tell customers the truth.

Other than them questions i think i am ready. I have a viv, food for the next month, enough substrate to last a lifetime, a fish tank full to the brim with breeding guppies and an overwhelming excitement for my latest in a wierd and wonderfull colection of animals.

Thank you
Dan

[Lee]

Hi Dan and welcome to the forum. Glad to have another thats interested in these fun snakes! While I can't say much on temperature, as I don't heat my cages (yet) I can give you a few tips with temperment. Having rasied and tamed large wild caught garters since I was six years old, I've found it really isn't all that hard. If you get him and he happens to be a bit nippy, place your hand in the other end of the cage for awhile, let him crawl around on it and get used to it. Most times after doing this and other things that let him know your not going to hurt him he will settle down and let you handle him as garters are generally very docile snakes.
To avoid spooking your garter, don't run up to the cage really fast or make very drastic movements towards the cage mine always hide or jump back at this. Be slow and they won't mind as they know your comming/there!

[adamanteus]

Hi, Dan, and welcome to the forum. You will find all the information on temperatues and thermal gradients here:

http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets...ake_Care_Sheet

If you have any other specific questions please feel free to ask, we have a very knowledgable and friendly membership here, who are always happy to help.

[Stefan-A]

Welcome aboard, Dan.

[Thamnophis]

Welcome here Dan...