Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can it be done? Should it be done? I don't know. What I do know is that I have a gorgous healthy (for the time being)juven-
ile Garter Snake that has absolutely NO interest in my food of -
ferings! HELP.

Thank you.
Wade.

Have you tried small frogs? I've never had a garter refuse one. I personally like the little froggies so I try to avoid feeding them to a snake, but if you're desparate this would be much better than force feeding.

If it takes frogs, consider keeping a frog as a pet and using it to scent prey items. I have a treefrog I keep for this purpose. I scent pinkies with for my T. sirtalis. Initially I had to wash a frozen/thawed pinki and then rub it all over the frog. Now, however, I can rub a live pinki on the frog and he'll take it.

Also, keep a bowl of fish in the tank. When I introduce fish for the first time I like to put them in one of the little glass condiment bowls they sell at Walmart. The movement usually attracts the snake's attention. Because of the bowls's small size, however, you get a lot of suicides. So, once they start eating fish, I use one of the ceramic bowls they sell for cats. I keep it full of water and put in about 6-10 mosquito fish. You can also try occaisionally dropping a live fish in the tank. Most snakes will eventually start eating fish.

Force feeding is extremely stressful and should be a last resort. Snakes can easily go a few weeks without feeding so be patient.

-Alice

I re-read your intial post. If the guppies are considerably smaller than the diameter of your snake, he may not find them worth while prey. I usually feed fish about equal in diameter to my snake. Also what size bowl are you putting them in? For example, if you put one or two fish in a large bowl your snake may have trouble catching them and give up. Try to keep the density of fish fairly high so he can't miss them.

I have also found that my garters prefer the big night crawler type worms to the little red worms.

What are your temps like? If you don't have a heater (I like cobra heat pads) consider getting one. The warmer temperatures may help stimulate feeding.

-Alice

Do not force feed your snake.You will probally kill it.If you are in a cold part of the country your snake is trying to hibernate.You have to either let it go where you found it.Or cool it down to around 45 degrees for six weeks.After the six weeks take it out and warm it up slowly for the next 24hrs then feed it.
Tom

What species is it? What are you offering it for food? A few species can be more specialized in their diet. Most species should take either feeder fish or earthworms if their basic environmental needs are met. I would make sure the temperature is appropriate during the day and doesn't drop too low at night. You might also double check that it has a suitable hide as some snakes go off feed simply out of insecurity. You may want to make sure it is located in a low traffic area as well. If those issues are met you can keep trying either fish or earthworms. Garters are usually pretty adaptable to captive conditions and tolerant of the most basic husbandry. Personally I would not try to convert most Garters to pinkies until it is established on other food sources. I would also keep working with it and forgo “hibernating” it. Worst case scenario is that there is a pathological cause for its anorexia.

Randy
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Firehouse Herps

I didn't see any mention of that at all. They can go quite some time between meals, especially this time of year. The posts suggesting that your snake is already gearing up for hibernation are correct. This time of year, a snake from your area would NOT want to eat as it needs to empty out its system so as not to wind up with undigested food in its belly during brumation. Cool it for at least a few weeks. Darkness would be good also. Hopefully it will come out of hibernation hungry. I fed mine bait store minnows when they were little and now they eat pinks. Their mom was wild-caught and they still tend to go long periods between meals this time of year. If they go more than a couple of months without eating, I put them in the basement for a few weeks. Duffy

For my hatchling northern water snake, he wouldn't tkae guppies, only minnows. Also, what substrate? Mine will only eat on soil! (he was wc, I rescued him from boyscout camp)
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