Quick & Easy Garter & Ribbon Snake Care by Philip Purser

Author:Philip Purser
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Snake
Publisher: TFH Publications
Published: 2005-04-30T22:00:00+00:00

Many garter and ribbon snakes feed heavily on amphibians—frogs and salamanders—in nature.

Because garter snakes normally dine on amphibian, fish, or invertebrate prey, they may need a little coaxing before taking a pinkie meal. Scenting is the act of rubbing a pinkie mouse against a pungent food item that your garter snakes already eats in order to trick the snake into eating the pinkie. Rub a slimy minnow, salamander, or earthworm against the pinkie mouse in order to transfer the scent just moments before offering the pinkie to your snake. If live prey items are unavailable for scenting, commercially manufactured scents may be purchased at your local pet shop. Simply spray or drip a small amount of the scent on the pinkie prior to presenting it to your garter snake.

Vitamin Supplements

While wild garter and ribbon snakes may take in all the necessary vitamins and minerals they need for growth, metabolism, and proper development, our captive friends seldom receive all the nutrients they need from their meals. Vitamin and mineral supplements, therefore, are a necessity of the captive diet. Most experts agree that dusting one meal a week with a reptile-specific multivitamin powder is sufficient. Vitamins should not be given too often, however, as vitamin toxicity may occur. Excess consumption of vitamin A can cause serious damage to the organs and nervous system of your garter snake.

Frozen Rodents

Pet stores that sell snakes often stock frozen rodents in a variety of sizes. If you choose to feed your garter snake pinkies, you should con-sider using frozen pinkies. They are convenient—you can buy a small supply and use them as needed—inexpensive, and more humane than feeding live mice. Before feeding, make sure the pinky is completely thawed out by setting it out on a plate for a few hours. Frozen pinkies will keep for about three months, so don’t purchase too large a supply.

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