Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a wandering Garter that was wild caught as a baby here in Oregon. The only food item that she has ever taken are earth worms, I've tried scenting pinkies and everything else. My question is about keeping the earth worms alive. I buy them from a bait shop and they only last a couple weeks. Lately, I've been adding coffee grounds to the container and they're thriving. I'm wondering if anyone has a thought on whether this will effect the snake? Could the caffiene that isn't metabolized by the worms hurt the garter? Thanks in advance for your help.

What I have been using is a worm food sold at wal mart
they stock it in sporting goods.

It provides good nutrition to the worms, and that will
in turn be healthier for the snake.

Small feeder fish (be VERY careful, as much as I disagree with the place, petco has the healthiest, cleanest rosy reds I can find.) simply place them in the water bowl.

Many keepers may disagree, but Garter snakes have a very strong digestive tract, they are slithering garbage cans.. trace parasites are digested or killed by the powerful acids produced inside the snake.

Any food item that looks sick, rancid or just not healthy should be avoided.

Have fun,
Wayne

Some of our snakes

-----
1.2.9 Storeria dekayi Casper, Xena, Athena, & Kids
0.0.2 Thamnophis marcianus - Checkered Garter Snakes
0.0.1 Thamnophis sirtalis - common Garter - Princess
0.1.10 Storeria occipitomaculata - Red Belly Racers
0.0.1 Amelanistic Corn Snake "CY" Juvinile CB
0.1.0. Pueblan Milk snake "Oreo" adult CB
0.1.0. Green Anole "Crystal" WC
1.0.0. K9 "ACE" Black Cockapoo
1.2.0. Feline"Felix" "Kaja" & "Silver"
0.1.0. calico RAT
2.4.?? Mice - Feeder farm

I have a wandering Garter that was wild caught here in eastern Oregon. S/he is afraid of earth worms. I've tried scenting pinkies with fish, sometimes they are eaten, but more often not.

Sometimes I feed bite sized pieces of beef, chicken, rabbit, or bluegill fish from the end of a bamboo skewer. The bluegill has been in the freezer so long that it is very freezer-burned, almost like freeze-dried. Usually this kabobie food is taken, but sometimes not.

My questions are 1) what thiaminase-free fish can I feed, and 2) what else can I feed? There are no pet stores in my town; the only pet stores with live fish are over 130 miles away.

I stopped raising mice, and have been raising rats for my wild caught Great Basin Gopher snake. (Though I may not be able to do that any longer.)

Thanks in advance for your help.

SnakeyLakey