That is an Eastern garter, not a bulter, so relax. A butler garter has no "neck". It's head is the same size as it's body so it appears to not have a neck like most garters. And easterns are not a protected species. You can feed it small live tropical fish like guppies or rosey reds, or you can feed cut up frozen fish like trout (thaw it out first of course). Easterns will eat most anything: pinkies (you might have to scent them at first), fish, worms (not red wigglers, they are toxic). Mine will even eat chicken livers. Good luck!