Checkered garter not eating

[ObsidianDragon]

I didn't have snakes until 2014--I'm still pretty new at this, and have yet to brumate a snake ever, so in many respects I'm still pretty green. But, I still know to check my husbandry first. His temps were here I always keep them, 85 on the hot side. Nothing about his enclosure had changed lately--he has plenty of cover (3 plants, a cardboard tube, a reptile basics hide, a humid hide, and a ledge--he doesn't know what open space in his home IS). And he's been out and about (for his version of out and about) about as much as normal.

This particular garter came to me feeding on pinkie parts already--I'm not sure what other prey he'd eat, to be honest, as I've never offered him anything else either. I was going to try fish, but as it happens he took a pinkie mouse I left for him last night. Obviously that's not a full meal for him, but now I can think about offering the rat pinks I just received. Even if, to me, they look absolutely huge for my little shoestring snake. O.o

Anyway! Everyone ate last night yaaaaay.

[Albert Clark]

I didn't have snakes until 2014--I'm still pretty new at this, and have yet to brumate a snake ever, so in many respects I'm still pretty green. But, I still know to check my husbandry first. His temps were here I always keep them, 85 on the hot side. Nothing about his enclosure had changed lately--he has plenty of cover (3 plants, a cardboard tube, a reptile basics hide, a humid hide, and a ledge--he doesn't know what open space in his home IS). And he's been out and about (for his version of out and about) about as much as normal.

This particular garter came to me feeding on pinkie parts already--I'm not sure what other prey he'd eat, to be honest, as I've never offered him anything else either. I was going to try fish, but as it happens he took a pinkie mouse I left for him last night. Obviously that's not a full meal for him, but now I can think about offering the rat pinks I just received. Even if, to me, they look absolutely huge for my little shoestring snake. O.o

Anyway! Everyone ate last night yaaaaay.

Ok. That's great! For the future however, there is nothing dangerous about brumation! Nothing wrong with resetting a feeding clock in a otherwise non feeding snake. They (snakes) have been brumating for many years through evolution. Males typically will go off food if they are breeding or recently bred, if they have the desire to breed (smell or sense females in their area). Other reasons for non feeding I spoke about previously. Any time your snake refuses food over a two week period is time to start triple checking your husbandry and start playing detective bc it is something wrong. Congrats on him resuming his feedings. A varied diet is also best. As far as the rat pinks are concerned and you think they are too large. Cut them up and place the pink in a feeding dish of some kind before placing it into the enclosure.