Fell In love with a backyard snake.. looking for advice!

[lauwersp]

Hey...

As far as your comment about not liking to be held as much, this could be a temporary thing. Remember when you found him he was weak... not as much energy to fight to get away... you've fixed that. He still may need some time to get used to you. I know my two have gotten calmer and calmer with being held the more I've done it. Many times, in fact, my male just curls up in my fingers and hangs out... like yours was doing on the top of his branch.

At any rate, looks like things are progressing well. It's really nice to find people who love and appreciate garter snakes... the people here have been very helpful to me, and it's nice to find someone else who likes and appreciates them as well. Snakes get SUCH a bad rap and no snake deserves that bad rap less than the garter.

[kibakiba]

I used to dust my worms with calcium, but they really don't need it all but maybe once per month if that. Worms do have calcium. I don't use my calcium sup. any more anyways, I feed my worms a high protein and calcium diet. Maybe you could do what I'm doing with Snap to tame your little one down. I give Snap 30 minutes to an hour and a half of my time, depending on whether or not she seems to enjoy having me hold her. I just hold her, I have a somewhat tight grip on her at first and as she calms down, I slowly lessen my grip on her to show her that I trust her, and she slows down and stays calm. It takes a while, though, Snap still doesn't trust me, but while I hold her she calms down and eventually enjoys a little neck massage.

[mustang]

oh wow thats a snake i can use (like checker)to girl charm using his apparent cuteness lol

[Ryachanira]

I might consider not using the calcium powder; I would like to get him on pinkies if at all possible anyway, since I know they are supposed to be best, with a few fish for treats. But those minnows are still untouched for now.

He calmed down a lot yesterday afternoon and I was able to hold him - as did my dad and my little sister. Then this morning he was crazy active again. I think maybe he is just more active in the morning/early afternoon. Is this normal? Either way, he seems to be doing really well!

A couple more question
1. I do not think the area on his head is retained shed, honestly... I think it is perhaps an injury. I say this because it really looks like it is indented down into his head, not on top? I could of course be wrong but that is what it maybe looks like. I am also concerned about one of his eyes. The left eye looks clear, orange with a nice black pupil. But the right eye is totally dark and murky, all black with a red streak across the middle. Could he have damaged this eye, and if so should I be doing something about it? I can possibly look into taking some eye pictures tonight.

2. About cage clean-up, do I clean up excrement when I see it, or do I leave it and change out entire substrate once a... however often I need to do that? Please let me know!

3. Finally, like I said I am interested in getting him on pinkies ASAP. I know that I should start by "scenting" them, but do I need to cut them up or feed whole? Also, do I simply place it in his cage like with worms or do I hand-feed using tongs?

Thanks so much for all of your help; without you all helping me I am not sure Silv would be doing as well as he is!

[kibakiba]

I don't like it when people say "pinkies are best" pinkies aren't the best, they aren't the magic food that makes your snakes 100% healthy. A big variety is healthier. My snakes are fed salmon, tilapia, worm with the occasional pinky parts. They are very healthy.

When your handling snakes to calm them down, the can take a few steps back. Its a part of their process of learning to trust you.

You need a reptile specialized vet to check his head and eye out. It does sound like its damaged. It doesn't sound like he'd be able to see out of his eye.

I use carefresh and just pick up bits of poop that I find and do a full clean every 2 months. The full clean includes washing the tank and scrubbing it down with 9 parts water and 1 part bleach.

Feeding whole or cut up depends on his size, if its a baby, you need to cut it up for him. If its smaller than his head I'm sure he'd be able to take it. Scenting should be done with his favourite food. What I did to get Mama to eat a pinky was cut up her favourite food, worms, and put them in a dish with a frozen/thawed pinky on top. I covered it in the worm blood so it'd smell like worm, not pinky. I find it easier to get them to eat if it's in a dish rather than on tongs, especially if they're used to eating food that's set inside their tank.
My babies won't eat from dishes or tongs, only from my fingers because that's how I've always fed them. My adults take them from tongs (tweezers for me) or from a dish. It's usually a fish since they don't eat pinkies often.

[Ryachanira]

I wish I had been able to take him to a good herp vet the first time around... she was really nice and helpful, but she did not specialize in reptiles and I don't think she knew everything. I did the best I could on short notice though. :\

Here are some shots of Silv's head:

Left eye and head injury:


Right eye (blurry, sorry):


Right eye again:


Basically, it seems to me that his right eye is very cloudy black, maybe occasionally I see a bit of red reflecting through it. His left eye seems more clear and orange with a black pupil. It looks to me like the head is an injury, not retained shed? But I will leave it up to you snake experts...

If he needs a vet how would you suggest I go about finding a good herp vet?

[kibakiba]

He definitely does look like he has a head injury. I'd put some neosporin on his head. perhaps look in the phone book and call the vets and ask them what they know about garters and if they can help you. I've never taken a snake to the vet, I have no way to afford it at all.

[ConcinusMan]

This injury looks old and already pretty much healed.

[guidofatherof5]

Definitely taken some kind of trauma to the head. There's a good chance his vision is very bad.
Keep him warm, watered and fed. That's all you can do at this point.
I'm not sure a Vet. can do anything for him but it never hurts to get an experts opinion(which I'm not).
To find a Vet. you might call a Zoo or contact a local college that offers Herpetology. They may be able to direct you. A pet shop that sells reptiles may also know of someone.
Best of luck and thanks once again for showing concern for this little one.

[infernalis]

Don't lose hope They are very resilient animals.

Steve can attest, sometimes folks here find wild snakes that have survived worse on their own while still in the wild.