Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is an issue that must have appeared before, but I couldn't find it:

Garter snakes are prone to get deficiency problems due to one-sided diets, unless you use supplements. This is something every source seems to agree on.

However, some sources say that it can be avoided by using a varied diet, while other sources say that mice contain enough of everything, and some even claim that supplements would be unnecessary if the snake is fed mice.

What are the actual facts? Do garters get everything they need from a diet of mice alone? What do they get from fish & worms, that they can't get from mice? Do they have some special needs that makes them different from, for example, rat snakes?

I'm looking for facts, not gut feelings and not "common sense".

You will get more opinions than facts.I don't think anyone has done any real research on it.I myself feed a rodent only diet once they are large enough to take pinks.

>>You will get more opinions than facts.I don't think anyone has done any real research on it.I myself feed a rodent only diet once they are large enough to take pinks.
>>
Probably, this isn't the first forum I've asked this question on.

I myself am considering it, at the very least during the winter months. Catching invertebrates is not an option this time of year, so it's basically a question of feeding it fish, rodents or both, anyway.
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0.0.1 T sirtalis sirtalis
2.5.24 Poecilia reticulata

STUNNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where did you get that snake from and how can I get some???
Damn nice snake!!!

The "facts" from my limited experience: I've had over 50% die when on a diet primarily of several different kinds of "red worms". I've had no problems with guppies, bait store minnows, or night crawlers. Other than that, I just have gut feelings and opinions.

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Jamie W.

(url)http://rosyboas.tripod.com(/url)

Do facts come from experience? To answer the question at hand, probably. Are they indisputable, nope.
Fact: Gartersnakes can be kept a long time, and bred successfully on a diet of mice. This seems to be true based on multiple peoples experience.

Assessment: What is the fact really based on? Trial and error basically. No one has done a garter specific study (that I know of) basically measuring what goes in, what's used, what's not used, and what comes out. Therefore, the above statement is true, though it cannot be said mice are a nutritionally complete diet for gartersnakes. While it likely is, it is not proven. A disproving scenerio might go like... The above mentioned snakes, although living a long time, were found to be dying prematurely due to nutritionally related organ failure while those living on a diet of xxxx were living on average another xxxyrs without signs of this organ problem.

See how asking for the facts without opinion can just screw with our heads

Ian

The problem too,is that once you get them on a rodent diet, you don't want to go back to fish (varied diet). The snake very well may not eat rodents again after going back to fish. So if you thinking of giving them a varied diet. This is not always possible or practical.

I've been switching back and forth between fish and mice without any problems.
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0.0.1 T sirtalis sirtalis
2.5.24 Poecilia reticulata

Well then. Let's ask a different question:
Is there anything you have noticed about growth rates with different diets?
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0.0.1 T sirtalis sirtalis
2.5.24 Poecilia reticulata

there was a study of Martin Hallmen feeding juvenile garters with fish or redents. Both groups had equal growth-rates.

best wishes
Udo

Thank's!