Okay, this little beast is about 8-9 inches long. He seems pretty happy in his setup, and devours earthworms with great enthusiasm, and crickets with somewhat less enthusiasm. What I am wondering is, how often should he be fed? I know snakes aren't generally fed every day, but then they are generally fed more dense, difficult to digest prey than worms right? I mean, a mouse, with all the bones and fur has to stay in a snake's system a good deal longer than a worm right? All I know is the little beast seems hungry every day, but I don't want to overfeed him. Do young snakes need to eat more often because they are growing? Is half a large (bait sized) nightcrawler a day too much? Too little?
Reptile & Amphibian Forums
Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.
Feeding frequency for young garter snake
EdC
May 23, 2006 06:27 AM
Replies (3)
joeysgreen
May 23, 2006 10:45 AM
On the diet you're feeding, I wouldn't worry about over feeding your snake. Problems like obesity won't be a factor until mature, and again, are less likely on worms and crickets. Make sure your prey animals are healthy and gutloaded of course.
If any problems were to arise, you might see regurgitation from simply being over full. If you see this, don't feed for several days, and try a small morsel of cut worm to start up again.
Ian
EdC
May 23, 2006 05:41 PM
Thanks for the info 
Steve_Craig
May 23, 2006 07:36 PM
When a baby, I fed my Red-sided Garter every four days on pinkie parts, and then pinkies as she grew in size. I stick with the every four day routine until she gets to be almost adult size. I can't say how often to feed as far as a non-rodent diet, because mine took rodents the first time I ever fed her, and she has never looked back.
Steve
>>Okay, this little beast is about 8-9 inches long. He seems pretty happy in his setup, and devours earthworms with great enthusiasm, and crickets with somewhat less enthusiasm. What I am wondering is, how often should he be fed? I know snakes aren't generally fed every day, but then they are generally fed more dense, difficult to digest prey than worms right? I mean, a mouse, with all the bones and fur has to stay in a snake's system a good deal longer than a worm right? All I know is the little beast seems hungry every day, but I don't want to overfeed him. Do young snakes need to eat more often because they are growing? Is half a large (bait sized) nightcrawler a day too much? Too little?
