Injured Garter Snake , How and What do I Feed It

sissyofone

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Too make a long stort short my a member of my feral cat colony brought home a baby I'm assuming, but anyways its about maybe 12 inches long Garter Snake. It had wounds on its tail end which are now healing thankfully. I have every intention of turning it loose when its healed and the weather permits. Its been here like 2 wks and I was told originally to feed it feeder fish or crickets because its so small. But apparently this one didn't eat the fish and I'm not sure about the crickets, they just disappeared. Lol. I got a frozen pinky a few min ago but it looks like it would be to big for it to eat. Any suggestion's Must I cut the pinky up? Yuck. Help Please
 

CourtneyG

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You can cut the pink eye up and use tweezers to feed, little bugs or frogs they love a lot as well.
 

sissyofone

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@ Cowboy_Ken and@ CourtneyG you mean like the big slugs you find outside? I put worms in the enclosure. But I've not seen it eat anything. I did get 12 little pin crickets they call them I guess because they are tiny, in there and after like a week they were all gone. But I read onlIne that they do not eat them. So I'm not sure what to think. I just didn't want it to die.
 

sissyofone

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Thank you muchly
@ Cowboy_Ken for helpIng
me out wIth thIs Info. Ive had snakes just never one wIth such a small mouth lol. Its lIttle head Is so lIttle. And Ok I will look tomorrow for some small slugs. . I know nothing about this type of snake, Would you have any idea how warm it needs to be for me to set it free. And its very dangerous around where I live, Wonder if it would be better to release it up around the San Antonio River?
 

Cowboy_Ken

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Is your yard secure? You could release it there and it wouldn't normally need to travel too far. Not sure on the temps. being a local snake, likely it has now warmed into an early spring being inside.
 

sissyofone

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My yard is secure but like I said I have a feral cat colony, plus I have two of my own. The cats don't bother the torts but they will get the snake again in my yard, no doubt. There's an elementary school across the street and streets on either side of my house . Poor thing is in a no win situation here :( The only body of water within 2 miles is the San Antonio River except a small Goldfish pond I have in my backyard. And so You think its best to do what? Release It in the coming Spring or? Thanks
 

Cowboy_Ken

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Release It in the coming Spring or? Thanks
Maybe see the school science teacher may want to keep it as a display animal? Garter snakes are so easy to care for, it could be a win situation all around. That, or yes, keep it till spring. As for your cats…make a large rock, rock pile in a corner with some bark chunks and other vegetation to create habitat for food, mixed with the rocks and it should be happy.
 

sissyofone

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Thank you very much for your help. I want to post pics but it won't be still. Its wirey id say, and quick as can be . Lol I don't mind snakes but the little wirey ones make me nervous. Lol. We had ball pythons and a Redtail before but they acted nothing like that. Thankfully. Going slug colkecting in am. :-D
Not sure if I've asked you before but what type tortoises do you have.? Sulcatas I know, but any other kind?
 

Harpy

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I have kept many garters...some wild caught, some captive bred (even have an albino Texas garter)..the wild ones will almost always take to nightcrawlers...you can cut up worms for little garters. Do NOT go for Red-wigglers..they are compost worms and will kill the garter... If you try fish, feeder guppies and rosy reds(albino minnows) work great. As for releasing...they come out in Oregon about March...and it is around 50-60 degrees.. I would assume garters from texas would want similar temps...after the threat of snow or frost...but before heat of spring/summer.

Hope this helps...
 

leigti

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You said that red wiggler worms will kill the snake because they are compost worms. What does that mean? How are they different from nightcrawler? Do they have any affect on a tortoise?
 

jaizei

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Harpy

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I've read articles (cant remember where) about gartersnakes puking themselves to death after eating the red-wigglers... has to do with the toxins from the compost. Earthworms and nightcrawlers are sometimes found in a compost pile but that is not their main diet...

And yes, Harpy Thyme is name of a book I read 20 some years ago..used name ever since

Billie
 

leigti

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I've read articles (cant remember where) about gartersnakes puking themselves to death after eating the red-wigglers... has to do with the toxins from the compost. Earthworms and nightcrawlers are sometimes found in a compost pile but that is not their main diet...

And yes, Harpy Thyme is name of a book I read 20 some years ago..used name ever since

Billie
So I am okay feeding my box turtle nightcrawlers as long as they are not kept in a compost pile. I have a bin with regular dirt in it and I put lettuce, apples etc. in it. But not too much. but I also have red wigglers in there too. Should I feed the red wigglers or should I just throw those out into my real compost pile out in the yard and forget about feeding them to my turtle?
 

Tortle10

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Too make a long stort short my a member of my feral cat colony brought home a baby I'm assuming, but anyways its about maybe 12 inches long Garter Snake. It had wounds on its tail end which are now healing thankfully. I have every intention of turning it loose when its healed and the weather permits. Its been here like 2 wks and I was told originally to feed it feeder fish or crickets because its so small. But apparently this one didn't eat the fish and I'm not sure about the crickets, they just disappeared. Lol. I got a frozen pinky a few min ago but it looks like it would be to big for it to eat. Any suggestion's Must I cut the pinky up? Yuck. Help Please


Hey Sissy, your Garter snake probably won't eat anything dead; your best bet is a small toad or frog. I have never known a Garter to turn down a toad. Do to the trauma this little guy has gone through he may not eat in which case it would be best to turn him back to the wild. Hopefully he is suffering from just the flesh wound and there is no damage to the vertebrae. Good luck.
 

sissyofone

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Thanks Tortle10. The little one never did eat the pinky or anything dead. I kept a few crickets the little pins as they call them in enclosure they'd disappear but I never seen the snake eat. I released it just the other day. The wound was healed and I've got my fingers crossed that it makes it to adulthood in the wild,Where it should be. Thanks to all who offered up advice. It was a great learning experience.
 
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