I've thought about this more than once. There really doesn't seem to be a way around the parasite issue, but Xenopus and Cynops don't seem that toxic, especially not compared to some of the newts encountered in the wild. Then again, the composition would be different and foreign to all garters.

Any opinions on using feeder geckos or anoles instead? A few garter species include lizards in their diets, especially those from more arid regions.