Mouse Meat and activity cycle

[Light of Dae]

Interestingly, I held up her food dish as I was holding her tonight and she actually b-lined for it. Didn't eat anything of course, but the fact that she thought about eating while being held and shedding was cool. I have a feeling she'll be a little hoglet post-shed.

Mine eats any time regardless if she is blue or not, just offer food as normal. Some will eat around shedding time, some won't. Lol I like the 'little hoglet' lol that's cute.

[EasternGirl]

Right...Cee Cee would eat if she were in the middle of getting one of her injections and you offered her food! Cee Cee will always eat even if it's right before a shed...Hermes too. Seeley is the only one who won't eat before a shed. Cee Cee would eat while I was holding her...and I'm sure she would take food from my hand...I just wouldn't have much of a hand left when I was done...lol. My others will not eat when I am holding them. It is very cool if they will eat when you are holding them.

[aquamentus_11]

Well, I stirred her up this morning and took a look because I noticed some ragged flakes of skin on her last night. It looks like she has a few scrapes. I took a closer look and she decided that it was reason to paint my hands with her poop and thrash (something that she's never done). I held on gently though and she calmed down to her normal self pretty quickly. The lesions are clean and well-scabbed over without signs of infection and don't seem to bother her (she allowed me to probe around them and remove some of the old skin raised up around them). This is 100% my fault: I had that sharp piece of wood in there with her that Steve told me to take out and I did, but apparently too late. She wrapped around it as I lifted her out once earlier in the week and she must've gotten injured during that. I never saw any blood. Anyway, I was going to be a vet and am now a medical student, so I have a good handle on the situation, but I feel pretty stupid and negligent. No wonder she was hiding all the time; her stupid ogre of an owner hurts her.

I was wondering if this would affect her next shed at all. Small pieces are missing from this oldest layer so I'll have to watch.

[Light of Dae]

This is 100% my fault: I had that sharp piece of wood in there with her that Steve told me to take out and I did, but apparently too late. She wrapped around it as I lifted her out once earlier in the week and she must've gotten injured during that. I never saw any blood. Anyway, I was going to be a vet and am now a medical student, so I have a good handle on the situation, but I feel pretty stupid and negligent. No wonder she was hiding all the time; her stupid ogre of an owner hurts her.

I was wondering if this would affect her next shed at all. Small pieces are missing from this oldest layer so I'll have to watch.

Hey that's ok, at least your admitting you made a mistake, you're human, it's ok. You at lest know what to look for as far as signs of infection n all that jazz. As for her next shed I'd say when you see her eyes go blue, just start giving her a warm bath once a day or in a shed box once a day... Something like that to help it stay soft n moist, should help with her shed. I like the fact your honest about it, sign of a good ogre.. I mean owner (Don't mind me, I've got a very sarcastic soul, laughter makes everyone feel better)

[ConcinusMan]

It's not unusual for garters to be active at night or just for an early morning warm up and then again for an hour or three after dark, particularly if the temperatures are warm. During the warm summer days, garters in the wild tend to disappear after mid morning and come back out for the last couple of daylight hours. During very hot spells, they will usually become nocturnal. I've had albinos that avoid light altogether and only come out at night. Garters aren't strictly diurnal. In captivity, very cool nights (down to around 60 F or cooler throughout the tank) tends to increase their morning activity as they come out to bask and warm up. Once they've reached optimal temperature, and can maintain it while hiding, they will usually just hide unless they are very hungry and looking for food. Your snakes are being crupuscular or nocturnal simply because the temperatures at those times are warm enough for activity and darkness provides some security. I'm willing to bet that if the nights were colder, and daytime highs a bit lower, they would be more active during daylight hours.

Most UV bulbs put out much lower levels of UV than the sun does, and the UV only reaches about 18 inches from the bulb. I don't think your snake is hiding because of high UV levels. Garters don't actually need UV but I like to provide a little anyway unless they're albino. I think it has positive psychological effects on them, just like a sunny day does for a person.

As far as feeding goes, everyone's pretty much said it. Food should be neutral or cool to your touch. Sometimes they drop food items just because they don't like the mouth feel or texture. For example, I've had snakes that refuse to eat mice with hair and so will drop it. Those snakes will only eat mice that are naked. Try feeding pinkies while they are wet or dry, room temp or cooler, and see if your snake has a preference.

Most of my snakes will eat while opaque but will hide all the time during that stage and be very grouchy and easily spooked. Remember, if the eyes are cloudy, they are all but blind and therefore feeling vulnerable. After the eyes clear, but shed hasn't taken place yet, they will usually refuse food. A full belly can impede the shedding process.

[angrygamer]

A full belly can impede the shedding process.

How so?

[ConcinusMan]

By limiting movement/flexibility and by stretching the skin girth wise. Most snakes, when a shed is imminent, even if hungry, will wait until they shed, and then eat.

There's three times in the life of a snake when they are most vulnerable to attack. Right after eating a large meal, during the opaque phase when they can't see well, and while they are shedding. But a snake that has a large meal in it's belly and is shedding too, is a "sitting duck".

[Light of Dae]

After the eyes clear, but shed hasn't taken place yet, they will usually refuse food. A full belly can impede the shedding process.

lol My Babs don't know this, the last time she shed she had such a full belly because her feeding time just happened right after her eyes cleared up. She stuffed herself, basked for a few hours, then shed. But She's just one snake, every snake is different.

[ConcinusMan]

Sure, I'm speaking generally.

[aquamentus_11]

ok, great; i'll try the lower temps. her eyes were only slightly blue the other day, but were nice and clear yesterday, so maybe that's the case. thanks