Hi All,

New here. New to snakes!

A few days ago my six year old daughter and I caught a garter near my home in Lafayette, CO. After much research, I am pretty sure it is a Western Terrestrial. She (I am referring to her as a she until I know better) has pale yellow lateral stripes and one deep orange stripe down her ridge. She is roughly 18" (guessing, haven't measured her yet) and very pretty.

I have set up her home in a 10Gal with a large water bowl, aspen bedding (which she enthusiastically burrows), a hidey spot, under cage warming mat. For lighting I have a dual socket exo-terra canopy with exo-terra 2.0 and exo-terra 5.0 CFL bulbs. I started out with just the 2.0 + an incandescent day-glo, but found excessive heat build-up with the incandescent and really no discernable temperature gradient from one side to the other.

So I have the following questions:

1) I am not seeing any significant (air) temperature gradient from one side to the other. Is this even possible with a 10Gal or did I screw up and should have gotten the longer 20? The warming mat is on one end of the cage as recommended, with the 2.0 on that side and the 5.0 on the "cool" side.

2) She readily accepts handling and only slimed us when we first caught her. She has so far shown no interest in any of the food offered. I have tried worms and some small fish I caught in the nearby creek. I am thinking that she may have no interest in food for any or all of the following:

A) She is stressed from the new environment and handling and needs some time to adjust.
B) She recently ate and is not hungry.
C) I haven't hit on what she has been eating in the wild so will have to stimulater her to eat what I offer.

I have purchased some frozen pinkies, but am not sure when to try offering them.

Any comments on this? I have read not to be too concerned as they can go weeks without eating.

3) How much should I be handling her? I have read it should be limited to 2-15 mins a few times a week at first. My daughter wants to handle her all the time, but I know that can't be good.

Thanks and salutations!

Kurt