Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello, my name is Nathan, and I am very interested in garter snakes, particularly the Red Sided. I just have a few noob qustions before I commit to buying one. First, I hate crickets, and rodents, is there anywaye to get around not feeding them ever? Or at least less frequently then recommended? Also, I have room for a 29 gallon tank(30" by 12.5" by 17" will that be big enough for two? Or should I stick to one for now? I want to have three hides in the tank. One on the warm side, a longer more thin one in the middle, and one on the cool side. Is this overkill? Should I take one or two out to give more room for the water bowl, and space to squirm around?

For heating, I want to get an under the tank heat pad, and hook it up to a thermostat. I will tape the probe of the thermostat to the bottom of the tank, and set it at 90F, then cover it in substrate, and place one hide over that. That way, even if the snake were to borrow all the way to the bottom of the tank, it would still only be 90F. I also want to get a ceramic heat emitter, and hook it up to it's own thermostat. I will tape the probe of this thermostat to the top of the "hot hide" and set it at 87F to 88F. And to light the tank, just a regular old florescent strip light. Another qustion, I will have a timer to turn off the florescent light at night, but should I also turn off the heat emitters, and let the whole tank drop to 70F? Or should I keep the under tank heat pad on? Or the heat emitter? Or both?

Well thanks for your time, and I am sure I will have more qustions!

Thanks again,

Nathan.

There are some great care sheets out there, here is one: http://www.gartersnake.info/care/

Just a few points: red-sided eat the same as other garters, earthworms, fish, and toads/frogs when they can get them. Not crickets, some will take pinkies and other small mice but many will not. Garters are highly active snakes and need to be fed regularly.

The 29 gallon tank is probably fine for two, but your heating sounds like overkill and 90 degrees Fahrenheit is too hot. Keep the heat spectrum from low 70s to mid 80s and you will be fine.

If feeding things like fish etc. you'll need to feed frequently. If you switch over to mice, you can feed weekly (my four all do great getting one appropraitely sized mouse per week). Getting most species to switch over is pretty straight forward and once they switch, they become enthusiastice rodent eaters. Using frozen-thawed mice is a super easy way to go.

Thank you both very much for your answers. Yes, I have seen that care sheet, along with 6 others. I like to know exactly what I am getting into, before I get into it. After reading all those sheets, those where the qustions I had. I really didn't want to get into mice, but it looks like there is no safe alternative. That is something I will have to think over before purchasing one, or two. I will keep the temps set at 85F. Thanks for the warning! It is grate to hear that two can live in a 29 gallon for life!!

Thanks again for your time!

Nathan.

P.S. Do any of you know if I should be heating the tank at night? Or just turn everything off? Thanks.

I don't see any reason you couldn't shut it all down at night if you want, depending on RT but assuming 68-80, they just wouldn't digest as fast, you might just at least leave UTH on. I have mine on heat tape on one end 24/7 in a rack, the lazy way, but as long as there is a heat gradient they can choose what temp is comfort.
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1.1 heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
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Ok, thanks. I will leave the under tank heat pad on 24/7 at a lower temp, like 82F to 83F. The timer will turn on and off the heat emitter(set at a higher temp, like 84F to 85F), and light on a 12 hour on, 12 hour off cycle.

Thanks again,

Nathan.

Garters are the most widespread snake for a reason--they are pretty easy to keep! I've kept them for years on earhworms for food and an overhead sun-spectrum bulb like ReptiBrite for heat. I had the benefit of always having local garters and had a pretty clear idea what they faced in the wild, so I could coordinate their care accordingly.

Wow, really? Is that the only thing you included in their diet? And if so how often did you feed? And how much?

Thanks,

Nathan.

Not quite the only thing, minnows and guppies once in awhile, but small terrestrial garters living in urban areas are probably living mostly on earthworms and that was the bulk of what I fed, a few a week, as many as the snake wanted.

Ok, so I am still thinking the easiest it the frozen/thawed mice. I mean, I only had to feed once a week right? And that means they will only poop once a week right? So that will be nice. I am still going to hate the whole mouse thing, but it is only once a week right?

Thanks for all the suggestions,

Nathan Radle.