Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi. Hopefully one of my garter snakes will have babies again this year.... Is there something I can use to safely "mark" the babies to tell them appart?
Thanks

Also... I feed my snakes fish and worms... there is a controversy on feeding "goldfish" (though most of the gold fish arn't acctually gold) which is why I give worms as well.. but I'd like to add a vitomin sup... (on the worms) I use minor all for my bearded... can I use that for my snakes too? any other suggestions? (I won't feed mice btw I got the garters in the FIRST place because I wanted something I didn't have to feed mammles to) I've asked this b4 and didn't get an answer.

Thanks to any body that helps.
- Sharon

I have no clue on marking.I just keep them in seperate small shoeboxes.The reasoning behind not feeding gold fish is that asteady diet of them will cause thiamin defency.I go to the bait store and buy minnows.They are chaeper and closer to what they would naturaly find.

I'm always afraid to use minnows from my bait store because they keep them in that blue stuff to keep them from getting parasites. I forget what it's called. I always wondered if it was bad for garters to eat minnows kept in that stuff. Do they keep minnows in that blue stuff at the bait shop that you go to?
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James

No they don't.One bait store I went to did.When I got those home I would net them into a tank I had set up and would leave them in it overnite before feeding.

Cheaper then 9 cents a piece?
And... in the winter?

What nationaly known chain has bait... all year round? or should I just try to find a local ?
BTW I'm in colorado so if anyone reads this and they are in colorado and have an idea where I can go....
Also I'll pass this on to the pet store... maybe they can get some... There has to be a grand supplier to all thouse bait shops right? I mean a shop that SPECALIZES in reptiles (scales 'n tails) SHOULD know this.

Also... is there any PROOF? seriously... I want a vet to come on here and show me a study.... seriously. Because if it's true and I can get a study then maybe I can convence the petstore to carry other fish.
Btw... WHY would there be a difference between goldfish and minnows or guppys... they are all freshwater? why to *GOLDFISH* have the problem and not other freshwater fish? I'm serious here. I am skeptical of this whole thing but I don't want to hurt my snakes eather. (besides my largest snake whome I've raised from a baby has been on almost all goldfish diet for 4 years without problems... wouldn't I see something by now... yes I feed her worms too... more so now then b4)

- Sharon

Yes I pay $.69 a doz.If your pet store get nthe rosiered they suppusedly don't cause the thiamin problems.

(n/p)

Thanks.I wasn't aware

clark

I'd just use earthworms over the winter, and bait minnows in season. Earthworms are GOOD food items, there's really nothing in fish that they need that isn't in the worms, at least not to the best of my knowledge. Plus, no risk of thiamine deficiency, and reduced risk of parasites (goldfish are often parasite carriers, earthworms less of a risk).

Feeding your snakes nothing but rodents is a bad idea.you should definitely vary the snake's prey items.I have fed my neborns on rosy reds until they are large enough to take neborn pinks with no problems ever.I think the rosey reds are fine for the first three months or so then you should switch to pinks.Get them used to eating pinks for a couple of months so they get used to eating them.Then you should vary.I dont think you should feed pinks more than once a week.A lot of fat in rodents that garters don't need.other items such as fish,worms,frogs,etc. you should feed more frequently.
Tom