Beginner needing advice

JustMe91 · 01-24-18, 12:40 PM

Hello,

First of all I want to thank everyone that is patient enough to read my english mistakes. I live in the netherlands and the dutch forum has not been able to activate my account for almost a week so I gave up. This forum just activates my account immediatly awesome.

I have never had a snake before. But i found these kinds. Thamnophis elegans , Thamnophis proximus, Thamnophis radix, Thamnophis sauritus en Thamnophis sirtalis.

I have an aquarium of 100x50x50 centimeters ( 39..4 inches by 19.7 inches by 19.7 inches) and i have found a place that can make the lid with the build in stuff for lights etc that will fit this aquarium. This is the max space i have for the snake in the future.

What i am looking for it a small snake that is happy if i feed him/her fish i will breed my self (i dont know if its the same in english. Guppy.) , chicken heart, chicken liver, wet quality cat food, fish food worms they sell in a fishing store. but mostly fish and chicken heart tho.

I thougt if i feed my snake some fish every time with a chicken heart or liver cut up and next to it, it should be enough? and every few months that i go buy some worms? is that okay? and once a week cat food?

I am looking for a calm snake that does not fly towards my face every time i touch the snake. just a calm one. and i had a hard time finding that. also i dont want to have a snake that eats mice. and i really love bright colours and round pupils. round pupils make them super cute. all other snake eyes just look scary to me (im sorry snake lovers i dont mean to offend you.. im also scared of spiders so yeah.) I am looking for a snake that does not get too big and is happy living in the cage i have for the snake after the lid and lights and everything is done.

I would love to have a snake with bright colours like bright blue and red and yellow and white. Im just getting 1. I learned you need experience to keep 2 together and that they dont need another snake but just tolerate each other.

Any tips on how i should arrange stuff in the snakes cage is welcome. I really dont know much yet. I know about a bowl of water and places to hide. What i should put on the ground. that i have to get fake plants (i dont like plants they bring bugs all over the house and i kill them every time. i can take care of animals but i forget about giving a flower some water). I know i need special lights. one thats like sunlight. one red light for the night. and one half of the cage warm with a rock where the snake can sit. and one half cold without warm lights. these things i know.

Thank you so much for reading this. I hope there are people here that can answer my questions and teach me. Im in no hurry because right now my hamster lives in the aquarium and she has at least 1.5 years to go(also why i want a fish eating snake i love rodents).
I hope i can get answers without too many typos or short cuts like idk is i dont know. because i have a hard time understanding those most of the time because i dont speak english in daily life.

DJC Reptiles · 01-25-18, 05:16 AM

Hi,

It's awesome your getting into keeping snakes! They are truly amazing! I understand you not wanting to feed rodents, because I love them too, however when it comes down to it, my snakes win. All of the species of garter snake you listed would be fine in that setup, the only thing I would recommend is a large water bowl, which could be made out of any plastic bowl. Garters are a semi-aquatic species and will definitely appreciate this. This is also where you will be putting your fish and worms, in order to feed the garter snake. When you first get your snake, be aware garters are very capable of musking a foul liquid that has quite a stench. Overtime, this behavior will die out with handling. It is unlikely that you will ever be bitten by a garter snake, but if you do, don't worry, it probably won't even break skin. These guys tame out pretty well with consistent handling, and they are very active and fun snakes to keep. Make sure to provide plenty of foliage, and logs, in which your snake can hide in. The lights should also be on a 12 hour cycle, off during the night, and on during the day. Garters like to bask under some foliage, so only some of the light gets through, this helps them feel secure. A basking spot for a garter should reach 85°F, and the warm side should be around 80°F, the cool side being around 75°F. Feeding garters cat food isn't necessary, I am not sure if they will eat it, but they will eat fish and night crawlers. You may have to cut up the worms for a baby though. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

JustMe91 · 01-25-18, 01:02 PM

i first have to look up a lot of words you wrote down haha. I will write it all down and see if i still have questions after that. thank you very much for your time !

can i keep 2 and put lots of fish in the bowl or when i feed something else cut it in pieces so they dont attack each other? I think having 2 would be awesome

DJC Reptiles · 01-25-18, 05:32 PM

Having two would be cool, but like I said in the previous thread, your going to need extra space. In the enclosure you have, it's only suitable for one adult garter snake.