Getting my enclosure ready, some general questions regarding supplies and husbandry

My tank is almost ready, I am getting ready to order supplies and I got a few questions.

Since I think the tank will be big enough for 2 full grown garters, I am planning on getting 2. Would there be any problems if I keep them together while they're growing, provided they're the same size, or should I separate them until they get big?

What kind of top heat should I get? (As is, UVB, UVA or CHE). And what wattage would be appropriate? Is it just trial and error to find one that works?

Do garters have issues with oak wood chips?

Should the water bowl be in the cold side or somewhere in the middle?

What kind of thermometer/hydrometer do you find most accurate?

Are red earthworms okay to feed to garters?

I can't get a smaller tank to put the snakes in first, would it be okay if I just used a divider until they grow?

I am going to diy most if not all of the hides and decorations, anything I should keep in mind?


That's it for now, thank you!

My personal preference is to keep them separate for a while when they are small so I can keep track of each individual's feeding, pooping, shedding, etc. But many people keep them together and they do fine as long as they're similarly sized.

I use a regular household lightbulb and a uvb 10.0 bulb above the enclosures.

Garters do ok on almost any bedding but seem to do best on a soil/sand mix.

I use very large water tubs that cover 30-40% of the floor space. They really enjoy going for swims.

I use infrared heat guns to check temps and I don't have any hygrometers in any enclosures but I have live plants and huge water tubs and never have issues.

Nightcrawlers are the best choice as far as works. I know that some of the others are bad for them.

Pvc pipe and fittings are great hides, tunnels, etc that are cheap

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Originally Posted by woody44

My personal preference is to keep them separate for a while when they are small so I can keep track of each individual's feeding, pooping, shedding, etc. But many people keep them together and they do fine as long as they're similarly sized.

I use a regular household lightbulb and a uvb 10.0 bulb above the enclosures.

Garters do ok on almost any bedding but seem to do best on a soil/sand mix.

I use very large water tubs that cover 30-40% of the floor space. They really enjoy going for swims.

I use infrared heat guns to check temps and I don't have any hygrometers in any enclosures but I have live plants and huge water tubs and never have issues.

Nightcrawlers are the best choice as far as works. I know that some of the others are bad for them.

Pvc pipe and fittings are great hides, tunnels, etc that are cheap

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Thank you for your answers!

Red wigglers can be toxic, idk if red earthworms is another name for those. Nightcrawlers/dew worms/lob worms are best option. You can keep them together no problem just keep an eye on them when feeding.

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Originally Posted by Zdravko092368

Red wigglers can be toxic, idk if red earthworms is another name for those. Nightcrawlers/dew worms/lob worms are best option. You can keep them together no problem just keep an eye on them when feeding.

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I'm not sure either, I was going to buy from this site Red Earthworms - Rainbow Mealworms
Do you know any site where I could get any of those other worms from? Anything close to europe maybe?

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Originally Posted by Veiren

I'm not sure either, I was going to buy from this site Red Earthworms - Rainbow Mealworms
Do you know any site where I could get any of those other worms from? Anything close to europe maybe?

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Look for fishing shops in your area, almost all of them have nightcrawlers/dew/lob worms used for fishing.

after looking, I found a shop that sells them. Thank you

Garters poop quite often so if you make any of your own hides be sure that they can be cleaned easily without getting ruined because they will get pooped on ;)
Also what is the height of the tank? Generally that has something to do with the wattage required to heat the basking area. Generally in the summer I switch to a 25 watt bulb because the house is warmer and in the winter go to a 50. I also use a cheap LED light that gives off no heat just to illuminate the cages better

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Originally Posted by Qwerty3159

Garters poop quite often so if you make any of your own hides be sure that they can be cleaned easily without getting ruined because they will get pooped on ;)
Also what is the height of the tank? Generally that has something to do with the wattage required to heat the basking area. Generally in the summer I switch to a 25 watt bulb because the house is warmer and in the winter go to a 50. I also use a cheap LED light that gives off no heat just to illuminate the cages better

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I hadn't thought of that! Do you know of any varnish-like substance I could cover them with that is also safe for snakes?

If I am not mistaken, the height of the tank is around 50cm