Garters and Ribbons

[Wrath]

Is a ribbon snake a type of garter snake? I saw them at my local petstore and am curious. I really don't need another snake, but I'm so tempted to get one of these guys, they are so cute.

[Jeff_Favelle]

No. But they are in the same genus, Thamnophis.

[Wrath]

Oh ohoh. I think I'm gonna get the ribbon snakes I saw. They were so cute and inquisitive, poking their heads out everytime someone walked by. :- D I'm looking up some caresheets online. Is it okay to house more than one together?

Freakin ey I'm excited!! Although I am kinda concerned about my growing herp collection.

[Jeff_Favelle]

Is it okay to house more than one together?

No.

[snakehunter]

DONT feed them just gold fish, this will lead to an eventual thiamine deficiancy, and pinkies are too high in fat, only offer pinks as the occasional treat.

If you can find T-Rex's garter grub that is the best for them, OR you can make your own, there was a recipe on the web somewhere dont remember, but is along the lines of pure-ed trout mixed with jelatin and vitamin sup. then frozen. thaw when ready to feed and cut into adequate slices.
-Jacob

[zero&stich]

Garters and ribbons IMHO have almost identical care requirements. Any questions feel free to ask, but I'll quote someone already. Goldfish are noterious to be infested with internal paracites and have a poor protien content. Overall "feeder goldfish are horrible to feed to any animal.

However one BIG thing you should concider, if you haven't purchased it yet, if its legal to own in the state of California without a permit. Check with your local Game and Wildlife if this is so, cause the last thing you need to worry about is a big ol' fine.

Here, in the state, of Vermont anything that is native, you can not own at all, without a permit issue by the state and garters and ribbbons are high on that list, amough others. The fine is $75 when I checked 6 mos. ago. We cannot even keep the morphs legally now without a permit.

I have a sinking feeling, that your LPS might be selling an illegel animal, which unfortunatly does happan. Is it W.C. or C.H. ??? So check first if you can own such a species without a permit from the state.

Good luck.

[Wrath]

Thank you for being so helpful!! I will of course check. This petstore has been around for a long time, and I know that they get their dogs and cats from breeders, which means nothing when it comes to reptiles I know.

I will have many questions, because its hard to find much info about ribbon snakes online, most info is about garter snakes but you say they are the same husbandrywise.

My biggest question is about what kind of worms they eat and what percentage of their diet should consist of worms and fish. What kind of worms do they eat? I was planning on starting a worm bin for feeders and for compost, and I'm not sure what kind to get, nightcrawlers, or redworms. I also heard that I can keep both together because they live in different levels of the soil.

[seann]

I fed my Garter's night crawlers all the time they love them.