Please help me with my garter snake!

[amcutem]

Sorry if this a double post, but im getting desperate for proper advice.

5 days ago I caught a small garter snake. I think its called a Norther Red Ribbon garter snake. It has a red striPe and one white dot right on the head.

I have already made it a home using a 20-25 gallon aquarium bedded with some soil, and a little water pond surrounded by pebbles. I also cut out a small box to use as a hidding place and shed where the snake seems to favour and spend most its time in all curled up.

So far, my main worry is the feeding. I am totaly clueless and i am so worried that the snake will starve too death if i dont learn how to feed it Atleast thats what the petstore said when I tried to buy some food. They told me that what ever I do, it will never I eat.

But i didnt listen and I bought frozen mice, krikets,'meal worm, earth worms, and 3 small live fishes.

So far, I left two krikets in the habitat, and all three fishes in the water bowl. I also tried both worms but they end up going under the soil.

I havent tried feeding it themfrozen mice, but I doubt it'll eat it. Dont i have a better chance with live food.

Can someone please help me take care and love this baby.

I will post some pics soOn

[guidofatherof5]

A great place to start would be the care sheet.
Ditch the soil and crickets. Soil can cause many problems and garter snakes don't eat crickets.
You've got the right idea with the worms and the care sheet will be a big help.
It takes time for a new snake to settle in so not eating is rather normal especially for a wild caught snake.
Posting a photo will help get your snake identified and will also give a better look at the ideal foods for it.
You did the right thing by posting a separate thread. In someone else's thread your request might get lost.
Garter Snake Care Sheet - Caresheets

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Post some pictures? it will be a big help if we can tell you whether or not you have a ribbon snake. A ribbon snake will never touch worms, he will want fishes in his bowl... a garter snake, will eat worms or fish.

[mustang]

put the ribon snake in a safe container(like a big enough tuppleware box)
spray the bottom with water(try to find a container with ridges on the inside all along the edges and fill it like a little moute (but if you cant fing one just spre the bottom with a little water and make a small puddle on one end)
make sure you dont have a giant puddle, just a bunch of droplets and a small puddle,
OH or instead of a small pudddle you can put a big (big as in dimeter not height) lid and fill it with water, but still mist the bottom of the box a little, then waking sure air holes are in the lid (not to big or your snake will slither away and be a pain in the but to find) put the box on the shelf in a dark closet, put the worm(or two) halfway in the lids puddle, then put the snake in, close the lid, then close the door. it may take a while but the snake must feel safe before eating, check on him on a basis of 6-7 hour minimum time or once a day maximum time, re spray the box swap worms ect. the snake may have allready ingested food before being found so he may not eat for days or weeks. (or put fish in a little water bowl, make sure theres aenougfh water in it to kep them alive but not to much to where he cant hear splashing)

also try dangling the food above, and infront of the snake(wear a glove/sock if you fear getting bit) and see if it gets its attention, he may strike at it, or slowly come up and take it from you. but try the first plan to break him in for a while.
*no red wrigglers
*know how many of whatever food type you put in with him.
good luck

[Kantar]

what I've done in the past with my WC's was I cut up night crawlers in inch bits and let the snake get used to me feeding them with tongs. converted them quick to pinkies since they knew they were going to be fed with the tongs

[Mommy2many]

Welcome to the forum! Everyone so far has given you the most excellent advice. Good Luck!

[amcutem]

A great place to start would be the care sheet.
Ditch the soil and crickets. Soil can cause many problems and garter snakes don't eat crickets.
You've got the right idea with the worms and the care sheet will be a big help.
It takes time for a new snake to settle in so not eating is rather normal especially for a wild caught snake.
Posting a photo will help get your snake identified and will also give a better look at the ideal foods for it.
You did the right thing by posting a separate thread. In someone else's thread your request might get lost.
Garter Snake Care Sheet - Caresheets

Thank you. I will post photo soon.

[amcutem]

Well. For now can I describe her.

She's around 1feet long. She has a brown top with a single red stripe that runs along the middle; and where the red stripe stops on around her neck, theres one white dot, and its right on her head.

Then where her brown colour end on the side, the is another white stripe, one on each side of her body. Her bottom is yellowish white.

She's so beautiful.

Thank you so much for helping me.

[snakehill]

Can't wait to see pics!!!

[RedSidedSPR]

Does she look like this? It's a northwestern garter snake, with a red stripe, very awesome!