Finally!!

[unluckyseventeen]

After having my garter for a little over 2 months, me and my girlfriend have brought his weight up to about double what it was when we got him, he's starting to fill out like a garter should (he was about 3/8" wide when we got him, he's now about 3/4" after regular feeding regiments for two months).

Also, he just had his first shed, all complete in one peice, yesterday.

We bought him from a petstore about 2.5 months ago, and since then we've seen very significant improvement in his health. It makes me really happy!

First picture:


Most recent picture:


The most obvious difference is the scale separation in the new picture, to the point of where it should be. A more yellow "checkered" pattern SHOULD be showing on a garter just due to scale separation, if they are at the proper weight. When I got him I could barely see his yellow. You should also notice the size of his head in relation to his body in the first picture, and how much of a difference it is in the second picture, if you compare the two.

He's also got some scales missing on his tail from bad keeping at the pet store, and possibly from other garters getting a nip at him, and they are also starting to grow back.

It makes me very happy to know that I took him from that pet store and brought him to a much better home. He seems to be much happier too!

Just thought I'd share my happiness with some people that would appreciate it almost as much as I do.

[NMpyguy]

that is a great looking garter and i have to say that you have done a great job with him. good luck in the future.

[redtail1]

Nice lookin snake!! Great job w/ him/her.
RT1

[Pork Chops N' Corn Bread]

Nice, have you gotten him switched to rodents yet?

[unluckyseventeen]

No, I haven't. I've read around and a lot of experienced breeders/keepers say it's tough to get neonates/juveniles on rodents. Most adults will take them readily, for some reason. It's also hard to scent the mice with worms or whatever, mainly because it's near impossible to find any worms in Utah during the winter, and the one time I tried he didn't take it anyway.

[louise]

congrats. hw looks great. i still havent got mine on rodents either and he wont eat fish. worms so far and that is it. mine sheds like every 3 weeks.

[unluckyseventeen]

What fish have you tried, Louise?

[unluckyseventeen]

Check this out - http://www.gartersnake.info/articles...e_as_foo.phtml

From what I've seen their diet doesn't really include mice and VERY seldomly, fish. They sound like more of a pond/marsh/grassland garter. Leeches are a big staple of their diet, but what I've read states that their main bulk of diet is earthworms.

[louise]

yep earthworms are all mine will eat.but that isnt a good enough diet for them.

i have tried minnows and cod.