Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I found an eastern garter snake about 3 weeks ago. She is about a foot long with a head width of about 1/4". She hasn't eaten a thing, and I have offered her crickets, earthworms, and guppies. She swims in the water with the guppies. She is in a glass aquarium with a hiding spot, a rock, some branches to climb, a water bowl, and green carpet-like material from the pet store on the floor. She has a day/night cycle with lights. A friend of mine suggested she might be pregnant and that's why she's not eating. She's becoming tame, and I hold her every day. Any suggestions or advice short of letting her go?

Holding the snake every day might have something to do with it. Thamnophis as a general rule do not do well fresh out of the wild with handling. They are often nervous snakes. It is in a new environment with new things and holding probably does not help. Give it time to adjust and don't bother it as much. Or you could just let the snake go...Why not just buy a captive bred, feeding snake?
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Andy Maddox
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Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

"Some things will never change. They just stand there looking backwards. Half-unconsious from the pain. They may seem rearranged. In the backwater swirling. There is something that'll never change-The Meat Puppets"

You could try small frogs. If your snake takes frogs, consider keeping a pet frog and using your pet to scent other prey items. I have a pacific treefrog that I use to scent my T. sirtalis's pinkis.
-Alice