Reptile & Amphibian Forums

1. Heating
Under tank mat vs. heating lamp
Heating Lamp: 15, 25, 50, 75, or 100 watt bulb for a ten gallon tank?

2. Food
I want to feed him/her earthworms, can i get them like dead in a can, would he/she eat them? Would he/she eat them if i wiggled it to make it look alive, or would he/she eat it just in a bowl?

3. Substrate
Bark or moss or paper? I would probably prefer bark/woodchips because they look nice, what brand is best?

4. Tank
How much do you think a 10 gallon tank would cost, just a regular glass one with a screen top? Cheapest place to get it, a pet store, walmart, or something else?

Thanks for the info,
*~*elcheal*~*

>>1. Heating
>>Under tank mat vs. heating lamp
>>Heating Lamp: 15, 25, 50, 75, or 100 watt bulb for a ten gallon tank?

Probably a 50. I think I'm currently using a 60-watt on a 20 gallon (long) tank. Speaking of which, I'd go for a bigger tank than 10 gallons.

>>I want to feed him/her earthworms, can i get them like dead in a can, would he/she eat them? Would he/she eat them if i wiggled it to make it look alive, or would he/she eat it just in a bowl?

What's wrong with live nightcrawlers? Buy them at K-Mart and keep them in the fridge. I don't know of any place which intentionally sells dead worms, but garters have been known to eat roadkilled frogs, so dead worms shouldn't be a problem as far as appeal to the snake.

>>Bark or moss or paper? I would probably prefer bark/woodchips because they look nice, what brand is best?

I'm currently using CareFresh bedding. Over the years I've used all sorts of stuff, from paper to Lizard Litter to coconut fiber. I would use something that you can keep relatively dry to reduce the risk of blisters.

>>How much do you think a 10 gallon tank would cost, just a regular glass one with a screen top?

Tank alone, about 10 bucks. Top extra.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

You are gonna need vitamin supplements if you just feed worms. They eat fish, slugs, amphibians, and rodents (small ones). They will need to eat more often when eating worms only...

Hiya,

Don't use an Under Tank Mat with Garters. They burrow to escape the heat, and that would expose themselves to even more heat.

Worms: I haven't seen earthworms in a can in any of the shops around here. Find an area that doesn't use pesticides and harvest some nightcrawlers there. Don't buy nightcrawlers from a bait shop unless you know where they get them from.

Substrate: Don't use cedar, as it will poison them. A substrate with pieces that aren't so small that the snake swallows them every time it eats is best. Paper probably isn't the best idea for garters. They poop so often you'll be going through paper constantly. With bits of bark or shavings you can spot clean. You can also wash and reuse the bark, which makes sense ecologically

Tank: I'd recommend something bigger. 10 gallons is going to seem awfully small to a curious garter. Check the local classifieds. If you have the space you can get a larger used aquarium cheaper than you would the 10 gallon tank.

Cheers