# Caught a Garter Snake!



## sinensispsyched (Jun 24, 2013)

Caught my first garter snake of the year. There's usually only one per year, but I'm determined to observe him closely. After the usual foul scent/crapping on my hand, I finally got him into a terrarium with paper towel lining, a water cource (rough dish w/ sterilized water) and a few roughly-barked branches for shedding. Yesterday, I gave it a green frog tadpole (I felt terrible afterward) which it gobbled up.

Anyway, I have a question. How do you sex these guys?


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## aNisip (Jun 24, 2013)

Usually with snakes gently stick your finger up (sterilize your hand well) its anus towards the tail and wether you feel something hard or not is a male or female....but garter snakes are smaller and a finger might be too big so usually you can use a sterile probe of somesort...and you can go to the pet store and get several feeder goldfish for $1 and put them in his water bowl and he should gobble those up also...chances are its a male... bc females are few and tons of males always surround them when they come out of hibernation...so this guy was probably out looking for a girl...but u might want to check the sex to make sure if you really want to know...


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## sinensispsyched (Jun 24, 2013)

AndrewNisip said:


> Usually with snakes gently stick your finger up (sterilize your hand well) its anus towards the tail and wether you feel something hard or not is a male or female....but garter snakes are smaller and a finger might be too big so usually you can use a sterile probe of somesort...and you can go to the pet store and get several feeder goldfish for $1 and put them in his water bowl and he should gobble those up also...chances are its a male... bc females are few and tons of males always surround them when they come out of hibernation...so this guy was probably out looking for a girl...but u might want to check the sex to make sure if you really want to know...


I heard that feeder goldfish are not nutritious enough. Plus, my mom's not willing to let me spend cash on a snake.


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## aNisip (Jun 24, 2013)

Earthworms and pinkies are better...but if your mom won't let u then let him back in the wild...


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## brancsikia339 (Jun 24, 2013)

I raise many garters a year. Use minnows, earthworms, pinkies, grubs, and really any small insects


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## hierodula (Jun 24, 2013)

garter snakes dont digest insects as well as other snakes. Goldfish have a certain chemical in their bodies that breaks down calcium and as a result, are bad for the snakes, but yes, minnows, pinkies, slugs, and earthworms (make sure they dont have red rings, the red ringed earthworms ooze a toxic substance that can make the snake sick). Good luck!


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## sinensispsyched (Jun 28, 2013)

hierodula said:


> garter snakes dont digest insects as well as other snakes. Goldfish have a certain chemical in their bodies that breaks down calcium and as a result, are bad for the snakes, but yes, minnows, pinkies, slugs, and earthworms (make sure they dont have red rings, the red ringed earthworms ooze a toxic substance that can make the snake sick). Good luck!


 Yeah, I've tried worms and slugs, but he only responds to larger prey. I need to get out and catch some minnows, soon.


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## Ranitomeya (Jun 28, 2013)

It's been found that prey choice can be locale specific in garter snakes. I've forgotten which study it was in, but it was found that some localities of garter snakes readily recognize slugs as prey through scent soon after hatching while others do not.


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## hierodula (Jun 28, 2013)

for now, nightcrawlers and pinky bits (after rubbing them with nightcrawlers for scent) would be the most efficient food source


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