Force Feeding vs Assist Feeding

[brain]

So, just as a general rule here. How long would or could one let a young garter go with out food. I don’t yet have any (but hopefully this springJ) at this point.

I have teased, forced and waited out Corns and Kings with no ill after effects. And I have waited out my neo-nate rosy for as long as four weeks. And that was a tense month rosy being smaller thane the earlier.

Now to wait out a neo garter … hum could be rough on my nerves.

I’m here to learn before I jump in. What have I learned;

• feed on salmon, tilapia, and pinks
• Silver Sulfadiazine is your friend
• I can keep same sex species together
• brumation down to 50 degrees for three months
• Lighting ???? haven’t learned that yet. I guess it will be the same as the rest of my room where I don’t use any because there ample natural lighting.
• temperature ?? again under tank pad and maintain the room temp at 89 degrees should be good. Monitor snake individual temp with Rayteck adjust accordingly.
• substrate any thing other than cedar or pine (which I don’t use anyway) stay with the aspen and wood pellets.

Anything anyone else would suggest but be appreciated

Michael

[infernalis]

So, just as a general rule here. How long would or could one let a young garter go with out food. I don’t yet have any (but hopefully this springJ) at this point.

Now to wait out a neo garter … hum could be rough on my nerves.







I’m here to learn before I jump in. What have I learned;

• feed on salmon, tilapia, and pinks
• Silver Sulfadiazine is your friend
• I can keep same sex species together
• brumation down to 50 degrees for three months
• Lighting ???? haven’t learned that yet. I guess it will be the same as the rest of my room where I don’t use any because there ample natural lighting.
• temperature ?? again under tank pad and maintain the room temp at 89 degrees should be good. Monitor snake individual temp with Rayteck adjust accordingly.
• substrate any thing other than cedar or pine (which I don’t use anyway) stay with the aspen and wood pellets.

Anything anyone else would suggest but be appreciated

Michael

I’m here to learn before I jump in.

Very respectable to hear that statement!

For your feeding question, I have seen some neonate garters perish within a month of not feeding, and have seen several pull out of it and do fine later. Much depends on how much weight the snake has lost, when they get to the stage of "skin and bones" (emaciated) it is much more difficult to recover from.

Michael, Here is a link to a statement I just made to Stephanie regarding brumation.

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/gart...html#post93340

The diet can also include night crawlers, (lots of protein, and no fat in Night Crawlers.)

I keep my reptile room at a steady 80 degrees, the GARTERS have (for the most part) largely ignored auxiliary heat. (many mixed opinions on that)

For substrate, some folks like "carefresh" (I find it rather expensive with so many tanks) "Repti bark" and "Eco Earth" work well if kept humid.

Live guppies in the water bowl will often stimulate feeding in stubborn snakes, Rosie reds and Goldfish are a big no no due to thiaminaise that blocks thiamin absorption in the snakes system.

I'm sure I may have missed something

[brain]

Michael, Here is a link to a statement I just made to Stephanie regarding brumation.

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/gart...html#post93340

TY I'll look into

[drache]

• temperature ?? again under tank pad and maintain the room temp at 89 degrees should be good. Monitor snake individual temp with Rayteck adjust accordingly.

I'd say that's a bit warm for ambient temp

[infernalis]

[/list]I'd say that's a bit warm for ambient temp

I have to agree, Garter snakes prefer it just a tad cooler, On hot days they will seek shade and sometimes even go down gopher holes to escape the heat.


Our rep room is kept at 80 (heck the whole house usually is)

[Loren]

Our rep room is kept at 80 (heck the whole house usually is)

mine too. Average.

I keep it above 72 night, and 80-84 day. Seems to work well.

Some of the garters have flexwatt for a belly heat spot of 90 or so, others have ambient only. they all seem to do fine.

[mtolypetsupply]

mine too. Average.

I keep it above 72 night, and 80-84 day. Seems to work well.

Some of the garters have flexwatt for a belly heat spot of 90 or so, others have ambient only. they all seem to do fine.

Ok, what exactly is this flexwatt I've heard about? is it reptile specific or that stuff you use to keep pipes from freezing, etc.?

[brain]

[/list]I'd say that's a bit warm for ambient temp

You may have a point. Keeping the ambient temp high. I have noted with this room temp my boas enjoy a body temp of around 78 degrees. Do you feel this a bit too high for garters?

[mtolypetsupply]

I was so nervous, shaking and stuff. I was sad about Caramel passing away, and know we needed to get some food in these non-feeders, but dreaded "making" them eat.

Well, it was a success! We didn't get much into them, just a half pinky head each, but they swallowed on their own, and we didn't have to do more than put it far enough in their mouths. The one baby is only weighing in a 4 sad little grams, so I think something is better than nothing, right?

Anyway, I'm very happy, and though I shook like a leaf on the first feed, after that went well, I was a steady-handed PRO (well, it would have looked like it if you didn't know better) on the second one. And I have to say, my hubby was a Rock, being the Head-Holder-mouth-opener guy.

I'll try and get some pics of the cute little babies sometime soon.

[olive oil]

That is great news!