Garter colony?

[Hotchkiss]

Anyone ever kept a colony of garters? (Multiple garters in the same enclosure) I've been wanting to for a while and I've decided I'm going to do it. Tips? Thoughts?

[athms]

I want to do that to with a 40 gallon breeder with different morphs. But i have heard of people saying it reduces stress

[SSSSnakes]

I have. I fed in separate enclosures to prevent fighting over food. Always ended up with babies every year.

[Hotchkiss]

I love babies :3

[wrecker45]

I have 2 checkers together. The longer one stays in the plastic plants. The other one stays down on the substrate.

[ilovemysnake]

i has a couple garters in the same tank before. seperate when feeding so no fighting. lots of hides. and lots of fake plants. i had them in a retty big enclosure. with two water bowls.

you dont have to do it my way, im just saying what i did.

[Hotchkiss]

the enclosure my brother and I are building has a swimming pool. This is gonna be a lot of fun.

[ilovemysnake]

the enclosure my brother and I are building has a swimming pool. This is gonna be a lot of fun.

take pics! i would love to see. i want to build a decent size one.
my fiance is dying for a burmese. im terrified itll eat my kid. so who knows. plus with it being on the lacey act now, im not sure its even such a good idea.

[infernalis]

Yup...
my modest group

Garter Snakes (http://www.varanus.us/Gartersnakes/index.html)

[Hotchkiss]

Yup...
my modest group

Garter Snakes (http://www.varanus.us/Gartersnakes/index.html)
WOW! How many in total?

[infernalis]

However, I will point out that after several years of keeping them in groups, I have since separated them into individual cages.

accident 1. a female passed a bunch of infertile slugs, then another female began eating them, triggering a feeding response from the mother, one snake had the other half swallowed by the time I caught them, and had the tank not been in my living room, I never would have noticed it and likely lost both snakes.

accident 2. one snake regurgitated it's pinkie about an hour after it ate, then two others fought over it nearly killing one.

accident 3. (freakiest yet) the female ate the male, had him completely swallowed, I gave up, and suddenly the female puked, and the still living male came back out. The next day the female was dead, but the male survived it.

You may also wish to visit our sister forum.. Garter Snake Forum (http://www.thamnophis.com/)

[infernalis]

WOW! How many in total?

I forget without counting.

Over the years counting babies, I have probably without exaggerating worked with about a thousand

Also built a habitat out back around three acres.

One of my favourite species is thamnophis infernalis. Hence my screen handle here.

[Hotchkiss]

Now we work on getting my dad to let me keep a colony of garters...

[infernalis]

Please refer to post # 11

[Hotchkiss]

Please refer to post # 11
I understand that fighting and accidents can occur when keeping multiples of ANY animals in a single enclosure. (Lived on a farm my entire life rasing animals) But I'm still pretty set on having a colony... Please don't take this as disrespectful.

[Terranaut]

Very nice pics Wayne.
I do believe Wayne is trying to talk you out of the "colony" thing and not the garters themselves. Could you not just get many smaller enclosures to avoid things like post 11? Not knocking you for wanting it or anything. I think a tank full of many littke colourful snake would be great but given the risks above I would keep them seperate. Separating 2 snakes at feeding is a pain sometimes 10 -20 would be a lot of extra work. Not to mention you would need seperate enclosures for all of them to eat anyway. Again do as you do but personally I would keep them seperate.

[infernalis]

I understand that fighting and accidents can occur when keeping multiples of ANY animals in a single enclosure. (Lived on a farm my entire life rasing animals) But I'm still pretty set on having a colony... Please don't take this as disrespectful.

I don't take it a disrespectful at all. As long as you stay polite to myself and others, how is it disrespectful?.:)

I still know people who keep a few at a time in the same enclosure, I can share my experience, and you may feel free to do as you wish with the information. ;)

I noticed this morning you joined thamnophis.com, good for you ;)

Most all of the worlds leading thamnophis enthusiasts are there, it's a great forum.