How can I get my baby garter snake to eat?

Destroyer · 08-21-16, 04:41 PM

I have a garter snake that is about 20 days old who has not yet eaten and I'm beginning to get concerned. His mother was hit by a car and all the young were squished out, so he was probably born a little prematurely and he is paralyzed in the back 2/5 of his body, which might have something to do with why he won't eat. I have tried chopped earthworms and fish fillet, neither of which he will eat (he almost seems of afraid of the worms when they move). Does anyone have any suggestions?

Albert Clark · 08-21-16, 08:44 PM

Hey D, welcome to the forum! If he was a traumatic birth and suffered a paralyzing injury he should be evaluated by a exotic vet to determine first, a course of action to treat his injuries. Being so young we need to determine if he is even a candidate for a decent quality of life with such extensive injuries and you need a professional to determine that. Is the animal at least drinking water? He may need steroids and other medications to stabilize his condition.

**EL Ziggy** · 08-21-16, 09:50 PM

Welcome to the forum. It sounds like a very rough start for the little fella but best wishes with getting him to good health.

toddnbecka · 08-21-16, 10:36 PM

If the snake was born prematurely it may simply still be absorbing yolk. As already mentioned a vet really should be consulted though.

Albert Clark · 08-22-16, 12:42 PM

Destroyer, any update on the garter?

Destroyer · 08-22-16, 02:47 PM

He is drinking water and does appear to be doing well despite not eating, so I guess it would make sense if he was still living off of the yoke. I'll see about finding a vet that will work with snakes, though I'm not sure that there are any in my area.

Albert Clark · 08-22-16, 04:05 PM

Wow! That's great that he's drinking water. You can get some nutrition into him that way by mixing small pieces of fish and pinky mice into the water. Even the blood from either of those would leave trace nutritional byproducts in the water. Then once you're successful with that sprinkle a pinch of multivitamin/mineral supplementationi into the water. I still know the exotic vet will be your best asset though. Good luck and keep us posted.

infernalis · 08-22-16, 06:27 PM

Can you find tadpoles or tiny feeder fish? little feeder guppies swimming in a glass water dish (so the snake can see them) sometimes triggers a response. Tiny toadlets (If you can catch some) often trigger reluctant feeders to start.

macandchz · 08-22-16, 06:43 PM

hope everything goes well for the poor thing.

toddnbecka · 08-23-16, 12:03 AM

Toads have toxins in their skin, only North American snakes I know of that eat toads are hognose. I tried feeding a newt to a garter snake once, it started to eat it then spit it back out. Sometime later I learned that newts also have a bad taste as a defense mechanism. Feeder guppies in very shallow water would be a fair bet though.

marvelfreak · 08-23-16, 03:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toddnbecka

If the snake was born prematurely it may simply still be absorbing yolk. As already mentioned a vet really should be consulted though.

I had a baby SSTP go two day shy of seven month's before taking it first meal for me. Hasn't missed a meal since and is just as big as his clutch mates. It just amazing how long they can go with what they absorb from the yolk.

infernalis · 08-23-16, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toddnbecka

Toads have toxins in their skin, only North American snakes I know of that eat toads are hognose. I tried feeding a newt to a garter snake once, it started to eat it then spit it back out. Sometime later I learned that newts also have a bad taste as a defense mechanism. Feeder guppies in very shallow water would be a fair bet though.

Excuse me... Thamnophis eat toads. It's part of their natural diet.

Albert Clark · 08-23-16, 06:22 AM

@ infernalis: those are some hot pics! I bet all those garters were spiling some neurotoxin saliva into the toads too. Nice. Toads, frogs, tadpoles, froglets are all on the menu for wild garters.

toddnbecka · 08-24-16, 12:50 AM

I knew frogs were on the diet plan, but niot toads. I once ran across a small garter chasing along behind a much larger frog. Figured it smelled the frog but hadn't seen how big it was. Ironically, if/when the snake caught up with the frog neither one would be able to eat the other.

Destroyer · 09-05-16, 09:11 AM

I'm a bit late in posting this, but he died while on the way to the vet last Friday. They told me that he probably didn't have any chance of living, and while that wasn't much of a surprise, I guess I was kind of hoping a miracle would occur.