New Garter owner: food question?

[chris-uk]

Welcome aboard.

Several questions you had there, so I'll do my best not to miss any.

Feeding - tilapia alone won't have had enough calcium for a long-term diet. Getting some mouse tails into her is a good step, but I'd still want to do more. Either sprinkling a calcium+D3 supplement on the tilapia, or getting her to eat whole (chopped into pieces if necessary for size) pinkies mixed in with her tilapia.

Regards to sexing, most garters a relatively easy to sex visually. Search for forum for "sexing pictures" and you'll find a thread thread that shows examples of positive ID photos, if you post similar photos in a thread you'll get opinions from the collective wisdom of the forum.

Species of your garter snake - I'm assuming it's a Red-sided Garter (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) from Iowa? As there isn't an Iowa Red Sided Garter. Maybe a little pedantic, but there are times when knowing the correct common and scientific name will be important for you.

Garters can take weeks to adjust to a new environment sometimes, don't rush her and you'll have a lovely active snake.

Say hi in the welcome forum too.

[guidofatherof5]

Welcome aboard.

Several questions you had there, so I'll do my best not to miss any.

Feeding - tilapia alone won't have had enough calcium for a long-term diet. Getting some mouse tails into her is a good step, but I'd still want to do more. Either sprinkling a calcium+D3 supplement on the tilapia, or getting her to eat whole (chopped into pieces if necessary for size) pinkies mixed in with her tilapia.

Regards to sexing, most garters a relatively easy to sex visually. Search for forum for "sexing pictures" and you'll find a thread thread that shows examples of positive ID photos, if you post similar photos in a thread you'll get opinions from the collective wisdom of the forum.

Species of your garter snake - I'm assuming it's a Red-sided Garter (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) from Iowa? As there isn't an Iowa Red Sided Garter. Maybe a little pedantic, but there are times when knowing the correct common and scientific name will be important for you.

Garters can take weeks to adjust to a new environment sometimes, don't rush her and you'll have a lovely active snake.

Say hi in the welcome forum too.

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/bree...xing-pics.html