Questions about Eastern Garters

[Pareeeee]

So I've been considering catching and keeping a Garter this summer, not sure yet though. Need some questions answered first, since I don't know a whole lot about keeping them.

1. What quarantine procedures would I need to go through for a w/c Eastern Garter?

2. What foods do they eat? Can you keep them on a diet of f/t mice (fuzzies? pinkies?)

3. What size tank do you need? Same question for tub - what size? Which is better for garters - tank or tub?

4. What type of heating is best? Since they are a native snake, do I need much in the way of heating? (I don't have AC in the summer)

5. Brumation. Worried about this, since my apartment does not get colder than 19 deg C in the winter. This may be the deal-breaker.



**For anyone questioning the legality of capturing and keeping wild Garters in Ontario, I found this information, so peeplz don't get off topic:

Neither the Red-Sided nor Eastern Garter is listed in the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act as a Specially Protected Reptile. Therefore no authorization is required to possess them.

Under a different section of the FWCA (not the Wildlife in Captivity section), there is a part addressing 'hunting' of various things. A catch-all clause within that section includes garters and all other non-Specially Protected Reptiles (browns, red-bellies, ringnecks, ribbons) and this means that in order to legally collect (hunt) one, you would need a small game hunting license. Unlike fishing licenses, there is no exemption to this for kids. Farmers (as defined in the Act- if you have ANY doubt, you are not a farmer) are exempt from this requirement, as they do not need a small game license to hunt small game ON THEIR OWN LAND.

[infernalis]

1. What quarantine procedures would I need to go through for a w/c Eastern Garter?


Just keep one by itself, in any room unoocupied by your current herps.

2. What foods do they eat? Can you keep them on a diet of f/t mice (fuzzies? pinkies?)

They like earthworms, fish and amphibians. For obvious reasons we substitute pinky mice for amphibians because of the parasite load in frogs and newts. You may have to scent pinkies at first with fish.

3. What size tank do you need? Same question for tub - what size? Which is better for garters - tank or tub?

A standard 20 gallon long or larger is more than ideal. Tubs suck, since Garter snakes are a very active species, they are superb display snakes. Kinda like the guppies of the snake world.


4. What type of heating is best? Since they are a native snake, do I need much in the way of heating? (I don't have AC in the summer)

A small watt basking light over a flat rock is their favourite. no supplimental heat needed, these snakes live from Alaska to Florida and all points inbetween

5. Brumation. Worried about this, since my apartment does not get colder than 19 deg C in the winter. This may be the deal-breaker

Not needed, I only brumate females when I want to time ovulation cycles.

Most of my garters are active 365 days a year.

[Aaron_S]

To be honest Paris, to my knowledge you cannot legally own or capture any native reptiles or amphibians no matter what. I could be wrong though.

I will point you to the people I would ask to be sure of it because I find the Government sites to be a little more difficult.

www.scisnakes.com

The Hathaway's are great people who do a lot of education for Ontario reptiles. I'd e-mail them because to my knowledge they had to get permits to own their native animals and only were able to obtain one for educational purposes.

[Akuma223]

Its probably illegal to catch wild snakes/amphibians in your area, though that doesn't stop me. You should be careful just in-case, no sense in getting in trouble. It cant do any harm to catch a few garters and keep them safe and comfy in your home.

My little girl I caught myself and she acclimated perfectly. She eats pinkies, minnows, earthworms, and tadpoles without a fuss. She is in a 10 gallon tank with a basking spot of 90 degrees F, she is on eco-earth bedding and has a water dish big enough to soak in. She is really curious and active; I suggest a tank so you can watch her move about. Live and fake plants look real nice in there too. Mine climbs up and down her fake ivy to get to and from her basking spot.

Not all garters will acclimate well though, I caught another baby in September that wouldn't eat so I released her.

[bushsnake]

Wayne said that tubs suck...i have to disagree. Garter snakes need humidity and a tub with the lid helps maintain a higher humidity level and you wont have shedding problems cuz its seems to be an issue with Thamnophis kept in captivity. They dehydrate rather easily.
When i brumate my Thamnophis i use no substate, just straght water so they remain wet the whole time. It keeps them alive.
Aquariums are for fish.

[infernalis]

Yep Joe, lets go buy the prettiest snakes on earth, and stash them in an opaque tote.

Perfect, so the only time you can admire that beauty is when you disrupt it by opening up an opaque tub to look at it.

Do as you wish, but I like to watch my snakes, I like to observe my snakes.... Not hide them in a box.

[jarich]

Wayne said that tubs suck...i have to disagree. Garter snakes need humidity and a tub with the lid helps maintain a higher humidity level and you wont have shedding problems cuz its seems to be an issue with Thamnophis kept in captivity. They dehydrate rather easily.
When i brumate my Thamnophis i use no substate, just straght water so they remain wet the whole time. It keeps them alive.
Aquariums are for fish.

Please describe how a tub with a solid lid keeps humidity higher than a glass tank with a solid lid. The problem you are describing is a screen top, which has nothing to do with a 'fish tank'. The glass tank, on top of being an easier way to view your snake (and give them the opportunity to view the outside world as these curious snakes seem to like), is a much better insulator than plastic is also. This means temperatures fluctuate slower than in a plastic tub.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

If you give them a soil substrate,they can choose what humidity they need by digging tunnels-Without having to keep them in a sandwich box or spraying the viv constantly...

[Pareeeee]

Thanks all. If I do decide to do this, I will be making a naturalistic enclosure like my Crestie has, live plants, soil, moss, etc.

Infernalis: thanks for the detailed info - glad to know I don't need to brumate.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Thanks all. If I do decide to do this, I will be making a naturalistic enclosure like my Crestie has, live plants, soil, moss, etc.

Infernalis: thanks for the detailed info - glad to know I don't need to brumate.
Remember- They shouldnt be kept damp or theyll get scale rot and other problems.Try and keep the surface of the dirt and the rest of the setup quite dry as theyll have enough humidity from burrowing in the substrate :)

[Corey209]

Wayne said that tubs suck...i have to disagree. Garter snakes need humidity and a tub with the lid helps maintain a higher humidity level and you wont have shedding problems cuz its seems to be an issue with Thamnophis kept in captivity. They dehydrate rather easily.
When i brumate my Thamnophis i use no substate, just straght water so they remain wet the whole time. It keeps them alive.
Aquariums are for fish.

Terrariums, glass tanks which are specifically designed for reptiles aren't for fish.

[bushsnake]

Yep Joe, lets go buy the prettiest snakes on earth, and stash them in an opaque tote.

Perfect, so the only time you can admire that beauty is when you disrupt it by opening up an opaque tub to look at it.

Do as you wish, but I like to watch my snakes, I like to observe my snakes.... Not hide them in a box.
Thanks Wayne!! you go brother

[bushsnake]

i specialized in Eastern Garters for a few years, i know just a little about them so dont mind me Wayne knows alot more then i do

[infernalis]

That's real mature, have a different opinion and flip out.

Totes may work for you, but like I said, I like to watch.

You may specialise in breeding them, kudos for that....

What I do is a lot different than what you do, no need to go mental over it.