Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i have a wild caught garter that im feeding nightcrawlers but i know its not a good idea to keep it on worms forever so i want to switch it to either pinkies or fish. ive offered it fish but it seemed to have no interest. so wich would be the simplest to switch to?

also is it ok to feed my snake bait nightcrawlers?
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Jake Barney

snakes
1.1.1 ball pythons
0.2 corns
1.0 bcc
0.0.1 garter
0.0.1 baby snapping turetle

have a wild caught garter that im feeding nightcrawlers but i know its not a good idea to keep it on worms forever so i want to switch it to either pinkies or fish. ive offered it fish but it seemed to have no interest. so wich would be the simplest to switch to?

also is it ok to feed my snake bait nightcrawlers?
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Jake Barney

Jake,

Rub a pinky in w/ worms and try that. If that doesn't work, wash the pink off w/ soap and then scent w/ worms, that should do the trick. I would only use worms that you know are 100% pesticide/herbicide free (In other words from a n environment that is pristine in nature). Hope this helps.

Scott
www.albinogartersnake.com

Scenting does work very well! Especially when your snake loves worms. If you just slather a pinky or some fish in worm guts they will never know the difference!

thanks, ill try it.
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Jake Barney

snakes
1.1.1 ball pythons
0.2 corns
1.0 bcc
0.0.1 garter
0.0.1 baby snapping turtle

Bait nightcrawlers are perfectly fine. just don't use those little red trout/panfish worms, as those are entirely different and toxic. Actually, if you supplement with calcium and vitamins occasionally, a garter snake can do fine on just worms. Some species such as t. butleri are almost exclusively worm feeders, and those don't even recieve any supplements in the wild. A diet of thiaminase free fish, with worms and rodents thrown into the mix on occasion, as well as the occasional treat of frog legs, is how I feed and is the regimen I would recommend. You can't go wrong with a varied diet! Some people feed all rodents but since their natural diet consists primarily of fish, amphibians and earthworms I will not, because I prefer to feed what nature intended for them to digest. My snakes eat mainly silversides, which are thiaminase free and a whole-body (bones, organs, head, etc) food item. I don't really have anything against all-rodent feeders, but I feel that this diet could have unseen risks, because it's just so fatty and the makeup of a rodent is very different from a fish.

does the calcium suppliment i use on the worm need vitamin d3?
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Jake Barney

snakes
1.1.1 ball pythons
0.2 corns
1.0 bcc
0.0.1 garter
0.0.1 baby snapping turtle