my snake won't eat

[emilyruth]

I caught a 2ft garter snake about 2.5 weeks ago. after biting me once and smelling bad twice, she has become very calm and gentle. I would like to keep her for the rest of the summer before letting her go (I have a mini petting zoo, and it's nice to show the kids, and I like holding her) but I don't think she has eaten since I got her. First, I put a little dish with minnows in her tank, but she would spill the water and the fish would die and smell and she didn'e eat them, so after 5 days I took them out. I went to the pet store, and put her in with a mouse, and she didn't express interest, so the guy told me she probably wasn't hungry and to come back in 5 days. so I did, and I bought a mouse and brought it home. I offered it to her several times in her tank, but still no interest. I put some worms in, and she hasn't eaten them. can anyone tell me what i'm doing wrong and how I can get her to eat? should I just let her go now(I'd really rather not but I don't want her to die)?

[ssssnakeluvr]

takes time for them to adjust to captivity....2 weeks is common....give her another 2 weeks, she won't die that fast, but if she hasn't eaten then, release her.....

[adamanteus]

As Don says, they often take a while to settle into captivity, so nothing to worry about there. I would suggest that handling her before she has settled in might not be such a good idea. I would give her some peace and some privacy, plenty of hiding opportunities and just keep offering food every couple of days.

[Snake lover 3-25]

you can also try some pieces of fish fillet... salmon trout or talapia all work great.... but like the others said don't worry, snakes are reptiles they can go a long time without food...

[Thamnophis Man]

Have tried Salimanders that you would find under a rotting log or even a frog? I've never seen a wild Garter turn down the scent of them.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Have tried Salimanders that you would find under a rotting log or even a frog? I've never seen a wild Garter turn down the scent of them.

I second that one. Just make sure to look up the species so that you don't accidentally feed your snake a poisonous or endangered species!

Basically, refrain from handling her at all. Give her plenty of places to hide and climb. Give her a basking light... they loooove those. If she is spilling her water bowl, it's too small. Give her a larger, heavier one that's big enough for her to take a little swim. Offer her nightcrawlers, fishes, (NO goldfish) or salmanders/frogs as a first meal. Do not offer live mice... especially to a newly WC garter. They are generally unfamiliar with a live mouse and cannot defend themselves against it's bites. For a garter, I recommend frozen thawed mice only... none of my garters will even touch a freshly killed mouse... it has to be f/t. And preferrably wet. They like 'em wet!!

[Millinex]

I've had mine for a few days now, they take time to get used to everything and they do come around eventually, and when they get eating they are very hardy eaters, give her time, and keep offering, when she is hungry she will eat.

[KITKAT]

Safe foods to offer as a first meal:

slugs
nightcrawlers
strips of salmon
strips of tilapia
strips of trout
frozen/thawed tadoles
frozen/thawed frogs
guppies in a water dish
a frozen/thawed pinky that has been rolled in chopped fish from this list



UNSAFE foods to offer as a first meal:

minnows/rosey reds
other fish containing thiaminase



Foods that garters won't eat:

pinky mice without scenting (some will learn to eat them after awhile)
crickets, mealworms, any kind of insect


Give your snake another week, and if she is still not eating, find a herp vet and check her stool for parasites.

[DrKate]

I beg to differ on the unscented pinkies, KitKat! Or at least, I wouldn't just dismiss them without trying. If you've got frozen pinkies on hand, emilyruth (or can get them easily) you could try cutting one in half before thawing it, or at least cutting it open to expose the guts. Now, my Puget Sound garters are still babies, so it's possible there's a difference with wild adults who have already developed preferences. I wasn't expecting them to be interested in pre-killed prey, but mine went for quartered (lengthwise) pinkies with GUSTO, no scenting required. They seemed especially interested in the smell of the guts. So that may be something worth trying if it's hard for you to keep live worms, slugs, guppies, etc. on hand.

Oh, also, emilyruth... You said you caught a snake - how sure are you it's a garter snake? Because that could obviously affect what she will or won't eat. If you're not sure, you could post a picture and give your location or region of the country, and knowledgeable folks on this forum could probably help out with an ID.

[GartersRock]

KitKat, I have had plenty of freshly WC adults take f/t unscented pinks first try!