How To Keep A Garter Snake As A Pet
Garter snakes are some of the almost familiar serpents in the United States. They're the first snake many youngsters ever have the chance to meet, and they're frequently seen crawling effectually local parks and backyards.
Many people even keep garter snakes equally pets – particularly beginners, who're just dipping their toe into the reptile-keeping waters. Simply garter snakes oftentimes elicit stiff feelings in their keepers; they make fantabulous pets for some, but they leave others disappointed and frustrated.
We'll attempt to help yous avoid becoming a fellow member of the latter group below, equally we outline the basics of garter serpent intendance and point out some of the things that make them popular with some keepers and reviled past others.
The Basics of Garter Snake Care
This isn't a intendance guide for garter snakes, merely we demand to embrace some of their basic needs that you'll have to meet while caring for these critters.
Housing
Garter snakes don't present any meaning challenges with regard to housing. In fact, this is one loonshit in which these snakes shine.
Yous can use a plastic storage box, commercially produced reptile tank or aquarium – likely the most pop pick – to business firm a garter ophidian. The habitat needn't be especially large, either. Small individuals and species will thrive in a habitat that provides about 1.5 to 2 square feet of space (roughly equal to a 10-gallon aquarium), while larger species and specimens may require virtually twice as much.
Temperatures and Lighting
Garter snakes hail from different portions of North America, and then their thermal requirements vary from one species to the next. Nevertheless, most will thrive when provided with ambient temperatures in the mid-70s and a basking site of 88 to 90 degrees.
Similar well-nigh other snakes, garter snakes require only ambient, indirect light. You lot may, however, install high-quality lighting to better display your pet.
Substrate and Furniture
A diverseness of substrates will piece of work well for garter snake maintenance, merely newspaper and cypress mulch (or commercial blends largely comprised of cypress mulch) are probable the two most popular choices.
You tin add together a number of types of cage furniture or decoration to a garter ophidian's habitat. Fortunately, they're non equally probable to move and rearrange cage furniture every bit some other snakes are. They may fifty-fifty climb a bit if provided with branches. However, y'all needn't provide whatever furniture you don't desire to include, bated from one or more hiding places (which are necessary for the vast majority of snake species).
Feeding
On one hand, garter snakes are ofttimes very easy to feed, as they will often accept several unlike prey sources. But on the other hand, many of these prey sources nowadays conquering or storage challenges.
Many keepers feed their garter ophidian minor, live fish, and some find that their serpent will fifty-fifty accept pre-killed fish. Others prefer to feed their garter snake invertebrates, such as worms or slugs, and some feed their garter snake frogs. A small number of garter snakes will even acquire to accept rodents.
Unless your snake is willing to accept pre-killed fish or rodents, you'll probable find it necessary to set up a dissever habitat for your feeders or to visit the pet store pretty frequently. This is particularly problematic for garter snakes, as they oftentimes thrive best when fed more often than many other snakes – some keepers even feed their garter snakes iii times a calendar week.
Garter Snakes as Pets: The Good and the Bad
As mentioned, garter snakes have some good traits and some non-so-awesome traits. Some keepers will find that the good outweighs the bad, but others will feel the contrary way. And while this is truthful of many serpent species, information technology is specially truthful for garter snakes.
We'll endeavour to help you lot figure out if these snakes are for you by discussing some of their best and worst traits below.
Positive Traits of Garter Snakes
- Garter snakes are relatively small, which makes them piece of cake to house. It also allows many beginning keepers to handle them more confidently, and information technology means they don't present whatsoever serious safe issues.
- Garter snakes are rarely irascible, and they're not as probable to bite every bit some other species.
- Garter snakes exercise not require rodents equally a nutrient source. Rodents are oft the nearly convenient casualty to offer a ophidian, but some keepers find the notion of doing so off-putting. Appropriately, garter snakes are oft a good selection for keepers who'd rather non feed rodents as casualty.
- It is often possible to establish circuitous, busy habitats for these snakes.
- Many garter snakes are very attractive, and some species are available in unusual forms, such every bit amelanistic (albino).
- Many garter ophidian species are very affordable. You may exist able to find pocket-size specimens for $10 at large pet expos.
- Given that in that location are more than 30 species and scads of subspecies, garter-snake keepers have a number of options bachelor to them.
- Garter snakes are livebearers, which means you won't accept to worry nigh incubating eggs if you determine to breed your pets.
- Garter snakes will oftentimes cohabitate peacefully with other members of their own species. Information technology is mostly not advisable for starting time keepers to house snakes together, but garter snakes rarely present many difficulties in this regard.
Negative Traits of Garter Snakes
- Garter snakes are technically venomous. Nosotros can't detect any reports of bites causing serious symptoms, but susceptible individuals may experience some minor symptoms, such as pain, itchiness or swelling if bitten.
- Though many individuals are disinclined to bite, many garter snakes will readily discharge musk, urates or feces when handled. Some cease doing so after some time; others continue to exercise this for many years.
- Because garter snakes demand to eat more frequently than many other snake species, they besides produce waste more than frequently. This ways you'll take to clean your garter snake's enclosure more than often than you would some other snakes.
- Although this is a scrap subjective, garter snake feces is regarded by many keepers every bit more foul-smelling than most.
- Most garter snakes offered for auction are likely wild-caught. Nonetheless, convict-bred individuals of some species are available, but you may have to pay more for these animals.
- Even garter snakes that aren't likely to bite or belch foul-smelling cloacal byproducts are normally very "wiggly" when held. Many keepers observe them less enjoyable to handle than some other species.
Putting This Information to Apply: Tips for Buying and Keeping Garter Snakes
If, after considering the information provided above, you believe a garter snake would be a good pick for you, try to implement the post-obit tips to have the best experience possible.
Buy a Captive-Bred Private
No matter what snake species you intend to buy, you should ever endeavour to select a captive-bred specimen. But this is peculiarly important for those who want to keep garter snakes.
Wild-defenseless garter snakes are not only more likely to act defensively, but they may also be more than challenging to feed. They're also far more likely (nearly guaranteed) to suffer from internal parasites. Further, the removal of garter snakes from their wild habitats tin can deplete wild populations.
Avert Very Pocket-size Individuals
Unless yous already have some experience caring for snakes, you should avert purchasing a very small or young individual. Smaller individuals are not only harder to handle, only they're also more than fragile and quicker to overheat or dehydrate. Instead, try to opt for a garter snake that is at least 1 year of age.
Even so, if you are unable to acquire a specimen that has already grown a bit, avoid handling it unnecessarily for the starting time few months. Y'all'll notice that larger individuals are not just easier and more enjoyable to handle, but they'll also rarely become equally stressed by handling sessions as smaller snakes will.
Handle a Couple of Garter Snakes Before Buying 1
Although garter snakes have a lot of traits that make them not bad pets, many keepers dread handling their garter snake. This is often the example because garter snakes aren't peculiarly calm, so it can require a flake of concentration to go along them from scooting off your hands and falling to the floor (which can obviously cause serious injuries).
Additionally, every bit mentioned, garter snakes are often quick to defecate or discharge musk when handled. This is not only gross and evil-smelling, just it'south too a hygiene consequence. You should wash your hands after handling whatever snake, but this is peculiarly important for those handling garter snakes.
But y'all may non mind any of this. So, information technology is simply wise to handle several garter snakes before purchasing i of your own. This way, y'all can brand an informed decision.
Don't Set Up an Elaborate Enclosure at the Beginning
While you will likely be able to ready a very complex, well-planted enclosure for your pet, it is wise to avoid doing so until you lot have a chip of experience under your belt. The more complicated your pet's habitat is, the more complicated his care regimen will be. You may also run into problems, which will require you to remove, replace or rearrange some of the items you add to the habitat.
Accordingly, it is a good idea to maintain a relatively spartan, "sterile" habitat for the kickoff 6 months or so, while yous learn the garter-snake-keeping ropes.
Consider the Prey Y'all Offering Very Carefully
While some keepers love the risk to select from a diversity of foods when feeding a garter snake, it is important to do so with care. In some cases, garter snakes will develop a "favorite" casualty source, which tin crusade them to turn down anything else in the hereafter. This shouldn't exist a trouble if your snake decides pre-killed mice are his preferred prey, but information technology may exist quite challenging if he begins demanding green tree frogs, or some other difficult-to-source prey.
Information technology's also important to note that some of the casualty items commonly offered to garter snakes can represent health hazards. Goldfish, for example, are frequently parasitized, as are frogs. You don't want to end upwards feeding your snake parasite-ridden casualty if you don't have to.
Similarly, it is important to ask with the breeder who produced the creature y'all intend to purchase almost the prey species the snake is eating. This volition assist yous avoid individuals that require difficult-to-source prey and instead find ane that is already accustomed to eating easily acquired prey.
Conclusion
Garter snakes certainly aren't a great choice for all keepers, simply they have a off-white number of devotees, who love working with these animals. Just endeavour to consider the consequence carefully – including all of the negative traits we discussed higher up – before deciding to add ane to your home. And if you practice decide a garter snake is the ideal pet for you, follow the advice we provided to requite yourself the best run a risk at success.
How To Keep A Garter Snake As A Pet,
Source: https://www.reptileadvisor.com/are-garter-snakes-good-pets/
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