Oregon red spotted garter

[Kettennatter]

My son bought an Oregaon red spotted garter snake at the Columbus reptile expo yesterday. It's an adult male, and we loved the yellow stripe, red dots and its blue belly. It's somewhat darty, but calms down quickly when held.

http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t416/kettennatter/garter.jpg

He just inhaled an f/t pinkie, and I am amazed at how active the snake is. He really seems to want to explore his surroundings. (This also makes it not so easy to take pictures.)

The online descriptions for ideal enclosures for garter snakes varied quite a bit, from what I could tell. What has worked out for you?

[infernalis]

I keep all of mine in aquariums with screen tops.

Here is the best care sheet ever made, should answer your questions.

Thamnophis.com Care Sheet (http://www.thamnophis.co/caresheet/index.html)

Welcome to the world of Thamnophis, I keep many myself, the active and inquisitive nature is what I like best about them.

Here is a few of mine. Garter Snakes (http://www.thamnophis.net/Gartersnakes/index.html)

[Kettennatter]

I keep all of mine in aquariums with screen tops.

Here is the best care sheet ever made, should answer your questions.

Thamnophis.com Care Sheet (http://www.thamnophis.co/caresheet/index.html)

Welcome to the world of Thamnophis, I keep many myself, the active and inquisitive nature is what I like best about them.

Here is a few of mine. Garter Snakes (http://www.thamnophis.net/Gartersnakes/index.html)

Thanks for the link to the caresheet. It is indeed very detailed. It pretty much confirmed what I had planned for food, but I may get a larger enclosure to allow the snake to roam more.

The pictures of your snakes made me smile. Not exactly sure why, but they seem so curious.

Oddly enough, I don't see garters offered all that much in pet shop and at local breeders. I always wanted one. I used to live in California and worked in Foster City. During lunch I would often take my lunch to a park by the canals, and I could just sit there and watch the garter snakes roam through the grass.

[infernalis]

Thanks for the link to the caresheet. It is indeed very detailed. It pretty much confirmed what I had planned for food, but I may get a larger enclosure to allow the snake to roam more.

The pictures of your snakes made me smile. Not exactly sure why, but they seem so curious.

Oddly enough, I don't see garters offered all that much in pet shop and at local breeders. I always wanted one. I used to live in California and worked in Foster City. During lunch I would often take my lunch to a park by the canals, and I could just sit there and watch the garter snakes roam through the grass.


Ironic, I just scored 4 more California Garter snakes (Thamnophis Infernalis)... I love the red and turquoise colours.

[Kettennatter]

Ironic, I just scored 4 more California Garter snakes (Thamnophis Infernalis)... I love the red and turquoise colours.

Congratulations, and the red side is indeed pretty. I should get some if I ever come across some infernalis, just for old times sake.

[Kettennatter]

Just got the snake into a new enclosure that I filled with my wife's pottery and a climbing implement I created from an IKEA wine rack. I should have gotten garter snakes sooner, they are just too much fun to watch. (Even though I have the suspicion that he enjoys watching me just as much.)

[Kettennatter]

Still surprised at how much the little guy can eat. 2 pinkies a week may not be enough, it seemed as if he was hiding to conserve energy.

[infernalis]

Garter snakes have fast metabolism, 3-4 pinks a week would be normal intake.

My larger adults take small mice, then I can get away with less feedings.

[Kettennatter]

Garter snakes have fast metabolism, 3-4 pinks a week would be normal intake.

My larger adults take small mice, then I can get away with less feedings.

That makes sense. I saw him become less active, but he wasn't going into shed, so I increased the number of pinkies.

Do the male garter snakes take small mice? Feeding small mice would be much easier and economical.