"Taming" a wild caught garter

[nekura]

I was wondering what the best way would be to get my wild caught baby garters used to me. They're fine with moving around until I open their cage or put my hand in then they go into hiding mode. I've left them alone for about a week to let them cope, but when should I start handling them regularly and what is the best way to do so to make friends with them? They're very young.

[kibakiba]

When you open the top, that's where predators usually approach. One thing I have done with my two scardy concinnus is putting my hand in the tank and not moving. They will come sniff you and eventually they'll get used to your hand. Let them come to you, do not force interaction with them.

[infernalis]

Here's what I do, leave them alone except for feeding time.

As they grow up, they will calm down significantly.

[guidofatherof5]

I do as Chantel does. They are curious and want to know everything. After awhile you can offer some food when you hand is in there.
When you're starting out many times they will crawl right through you hand. They will test you to see what you are going to do.
It takes a while for them to trust the big giant things.
Then there are those that seem to trust immediately.

[Mrs N1ntndo]

This is my first time raising babies(eastern garter) and I only left them completly alone (23 of them) for 2 days. Then I released all but 7. From then on I would hold them. Let them wrap around my fingers and all that but I would slightly hold them so they couldnt jump. Thats just what I did and the 7 I had stayed calm or had gotten even calmer if they were more hyper. They are now some of the sweetest and coolest little things. They are almost 2 months old( wow time flies, seems like they wer just born) anyway, they are awesome. 3 of them now I let them slither around my fingers still and I dont have to hold them. I know they wont try to exscape. They used to jump when I would reach in there tank cause mine opens from the top also. Now when I open it if there awake they just look up at me. If they were sleeping when I did it that would be the only time they would jump and slither away but that doesnt happen much. They love to interact. There calm as calm can be and I love it. Thats just my opinion.

[d_virginiana]

I think hand feeding is probably my favorite way to make friends with a new snake. If they associate you with food they'll start watching for you to come in the room pretty quickly. Other than that, I mainly just do what Chantel said. Sometimes with my little one I would tap the end of her tail to get her moving (but not panicking) and get her to just crawl over my hand. idk if it made a difference or not, but she was letting me hold her after about 3 days.

[Serpico]

I have discovered, with a snake caught in the wild, not a garter, but one much more elusive and shy, that if I stay at his eye level I will be much less intimidating.
So his viv was placed high on a shelf, and the opening was in front of it, a bit like the viv I am using for my two garters.

It took 5 months, to trust me, at the beginning he spent all his time into hiding, exiting the cave only when no one was at home, then slowly, getting out a bit more often (I guess he grew bored....).

At the end, he went straight into my hand, the little fellow...

JUst try not to look like a predator and it will help a lot. Like Steve said, move very slowly, or not at all..

[nekura]

When you open the top, that's where predators usually approach. One thing I have done with my two scardy concinnus is putting my hand in the tank and not moving. They will come sniff you and eventually they'll get used to your hand. Let them come to you, do not force interaction with them.

This is the exact method I had used to tame a feral kitten (don't laugh, that thing tore through fingernails!). I just never thought a snake would go for the attention.


Thanks for all the input guys. Seems there's quite a different number of methods. As it is these girls aren't shy about coming out, only when the top is removed. I do handle them for cage cleaning, but that's about it. I may just keep my hand in their awhile and see what they do, though I think they're catching on that me=food.

[kibakiba]

Another thing I do with Snap (one of the scardy concinnus) is, when she calms down and lets me hold her, I keep some small bits of food with me. I usually keep food that she really likes, like salmon, and a little bit of worm pieces. I giver her these when she stays calm while holding, or if she's just being overall "good". Good for me is no biting, musking, hissing and trying to get away. IMO it's like positive reinforcement. Also, I only put her back in the tank if she's being good for the last 5 minutes of our little "sessions". I've had Snap for a year and she's still scared of me. She knows I give food, because I hand fed her for the first 4 months.

[RedSidedSPR]

I do all of the above. Interacting without touching is good, food always helps, and the one time I usually pick them up, is with food, and they'll see it as a good thing.