What Do Baby Garter Snakes Eat?

Despite the fact that few people are crazy enough to breed garter snakes and raise their young, many of us have been unexpectedly assigned the responsibility of caring for a significant number of newborn garter snakes. We’ll have received a rescued garter snake that turns out to be extremely, incredibly pregnant, which you discover one day with hundreds of her progeny crawling around her cage.

Snakes are often frowned upon, and only a few die-hard fans have chosen to keep them as pets. Garter snakes, on the other hand, are safe to keep as pets because they aren’t poisonous.

Garter snakes are one of the most prevalent snake species in the United States. They have a beautiful appearance and are active during the day, making them ideal pets for certain people. If you choose to obtain one, you’ll undoubtedly want to know what Garter snakes eat. Let’s take a look at some options.

What Do Baby Garter Snakes Eat?

The average length of a baby garter snake is 6 to 13 inches when it’s newborn. They may be no more than 6 inches long and as thin as a pencil when they’re born. Because they’re fussy eaters, getting them to consume food may be difficult for inexperienced owners.

Baby garter snakes will eat pinky parts and broken pieces of fish, as well as sliced earthworms. You may need to wiggle the prey in front of the snake’s face to encourage it to eat. Some youngsters are scared and want to be alone while eating their dinner.

Because garter snakes are so young at this age, feeding them is difficult because they aren’t old enough to eat regular snake meals. If you’re introducing your baby garters for the first time, expect them to be even more upset. Some juvenile garters may have difficulty determining what they are eating.

Baby garter snakes will consume guppies, as well as unsliced plain chicken or tilapia cut into pieces. Contrary to popular belief, they do not eat feeder crickets or other insects than worms. To make the garter snake food small enough for a very young baby, it may be necessary to cut it up. Pinkies or freshly born mice can be offered to older babies. Keep an eye on the temperature at all times.

What Do Baby Garter Snakes Eat As Pets?

Because baby garters are so young and innocent, they can be picky about what they eat, especially when you first bring them home. You may need to offer it tiny portions of fish, platies, earthworms, and feeder guppies.

Fish

Baby Garters will consume almost any kind of fish, however, fish owners must be cautious since many varieties contain high levels of thiaminase. Thiaminase is an enzyme that destroys vitamin B1 (thiamine) in mice.

Worms

If you’re trying to keep your baby garter from growing too big for the tiny garter, whole worms, such as bait-store nightcrawlers, will be too large. Smaller worms, such as those found in your garden, maybe the appropriate size, and many babies like them, especially if they’re still moving.

Mice

A mouse diet is sufficient for a garter snake baby. Feed your babies pinky tips as soon as possible. You may have to gradually convert your snakes to a rodent-based diet by occasionally feeding them fish and worms.

If your baby garter snake rejects pinky portions and prefers fish, scent the pinky parts with fish to entice it. After cutting up your garter snake, rub some fish juice or a piece of fish against the pinky.

If a fish-scented mouse meal doesn’t do the trick, try putting fish and pinky mice in front of your snake to pique its interest.

What Do Baby Garter Snakes Eat in The Wild?

Garter snakes feed on mice and other small rodents in the wild. They will also consume slugs, leeches, frogs, and newts, but these are not always available to snake keepers.

Pinkies are a lot easier to feed and take up less room than keeping an aquarium full of guppies or a plastic container filled with earthworms. When the garter snake is around three months old and larger, it can start eating bigger things like newborn mice or pinkies. Pinkies may be purchased live or frozen from pet shops.

Before feeding it to your snake, the pinky must be defrosted. If your pinky is frozen, you may need to cut it into sections small enough for a garter snakeling. To thaw frozen pinkies at room temperature, run them under warm water. Warm water aids in the quick thawing of frozen fingers.

Should We Provide Water To Baby Garter Snakes?

In the wild, baby garter snakes need to shed their skin and grow. Because of this, baby garter snakes should be kept in a humid environment at all times. Even adult snakes benefit from frequent moisture in the cage of a newborn snake. In the enclosure, make sure there is a bowl or at least a dish of water available. Water-spraying the inside of the container keeps it moist enough to keep the baby hydrated.

Garter snakes are quite eager to soak in their water bowls just before they shed, so don’t be alarmed if your baby garter snake is taking a bath. Water should be changed more than once a day when snakes are soaking since they will defecate in it. The ground beneath the water bowl should be replaced frequently as it may become damp.

Inside their tanks or enclosures, baby garter snakes require a damp hollow cave-like structure. These are also known as humid hides since the snake may conceal himself there. This may be a tiny plastic tub with a hole cut in the lid for the baby snake to crawl through. The inside of the tub should be moistened with moss or similar.

The baby snake will rehydrate fast in the humid hide if he or she gets too hot and dry. The hide should be kept in the middle of the heated end of the habitat.

How To Take Care of Baby Garter Snakes?

Setting Up The Enclosure

Garter snakes are sociable by nature, unlike most snake breeds. This lowers tension, especially in those born in captivity. Babies can survive alone, but they’re more comfortable when they’re among their own species.

A 5-gallon tank is required for baby garter snakes. This will accommodate all of the snakes. If you have only one baby snake, half the size. As the snakes get older, you’ll need to upgrade their tank.

Maintain a variety of hiding spaces for the snakes. This will make them feel at ease. One of these hiding places should be damp in order to assist with shedding. The rest of the enclosure should be fairly dry overall.

Keep at least 1 bowl of water on hand at all times, which must be changed every day. This isn’t just for drinking. To prevent drying out, stimulate shedding, and remove snake mites, the snakes will bathe in this water as well.

A basking lamp should be placed at the other end of the enclosure. This should reach temperatures of about 86 degrees Fahrenheit. The rest of the enclosure should be cooler. Garter snakes thrive in a temperature gradient of about 72 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you’d like to add additional branches and decorations, go right ahead. The snakes are unlikely to be affected. Garter snakes are not adapted to climbing trees. They prefer to hide rather than climb, thus your choice of the substrate should reflect this behavior.

Handling Your Pet Garter Snake

Garter snakes, particularly those who have been raised in confinement, are often docile. This implies that these snakes will accept being handled with ease. Garter snakes may even develop a liking for handling later in life if trained when they’re young.

You should start acclimating your baby snakes to being handled as soon as possible. It’s not just for the sake of it. You’ll have to handle your snakes at intervals. When their enclosure needs cleaning, the snakes will need to be relocated. At feeding time, baby garter snakes must be distinguished from one another.

Garter snakes are skittish and flighty, to say the least. The snake will most likely resist when you first begin to handle it. Garter snakes aren’t constrictors, so they won’t wrap around your hands or body. Instead, the snake may thrash about and attempt to flee.

This can be a tough situation since your snake may fall and get injured. Keep your hands away from each other and avoid letting them slip through your fingers. Recognize the symptoms of a nervous garter snake, such as musky scent and biting.

Once they have learned to trust you, most baby garter snakes will permit you to handle them. Some may persist skittish, however. If this is the case, don’t push the snake into handling against its will. When necessary, pick up a nervous snake only when absolutely necessary.

What Are The Natural Predators of Baby Garter Snakes?

Common garter snakes are preyed upon by a wide range of predators, which vary based on their location. Common garter snakes are eaten by large fish, snapping turtles, bullfrogs, milk snakes, hawks, American crows, great blue herons, foxes, raccoons, and squirrels.

They can also use any number of subterfuges to guard themselves, including hiding in water and avoiding predators on the ground. In grassy regions, their stripes make them difficult to detect and capture.

They shrink if they are unable to flee, forming a ball and making themselves appear larger. They can strike and bite when threatened. If seized, these snakes writhe and release a noxious liquid from their mouth; they will also urinate on the individual who grabbed them.

How Do Baby Garter Snakes Protect Themselves From Predators?

Garter snakes are reclusive creatures. They prefer to avoid human and animal contact and will generally flee rather than the approach you. If you have Garter snakes in your yard or garden, it’s probable that you won’t be aware of it.

Garter snakes are constantly on the move. They may be seen both at night and during the day. Garter snakes are generally ground-dwellers, but they may climb trees, shrubs, or vines to avoid predators if necessary.

Garter snakes are excellent swimmers in certain species. When a Garter snake is nervous, it releases an unpleasant-smelling musk. They use this scent to defend themselves against predators. Because the Garter snake has several predators, this musk comes in handy.

Are Baby Garter Snakes Poisonous?

Many people are leery of garter snakes since they are typically kept as pets, despite the fact that many people know that they aren’t poisonous. Technically, no, they aren’t. First, poisonous implies that if you consume something dangerous, you’ll become unwell.

Venom is a pathogen that comes from an animal, causing you to become ill. When the fangs of poisonous snakes bite into human skin, venom seeps from the snake’s modified saliva glands and enters the tissue or blood of their prey. A number of poisonous proteins and enzymes are present in this venom, which may induce severe reactions in their prey. However, only a few species of garter snakes have the potentially deadly neurotoxin required to induce these symptoms in people.

Although it is possible for certain species of garter snakes to be poisonous, the common garter snake, for example, has the required toxins in its saliva. Fortunately, however, even though these bites induce a little irritated area around the puncture wound, they produce little more than that.

Garter snakes are not known to produce an allergic reaction in most cases, but if you’ve ever had an allergy, the Mayo Clinic advises that you call 911 or your local medical emergency number if you experience symptoms of anaphylaxis, which includes hives, vomiting, nausea, and dizziness.

The most serious damage a garter snakebite can produce is an infection. If germs from the snake’s mouth get carried into your skin tissue or circulation, this may happen. Garter snakes are notorious for rapidly migrating towards warm water sources and drowning when trapped in these situations. Garter snake bites can also be more severe if they’re not treated appropriately following the instructions of Dr. Troy E. Madsen, MD from the University of Utah’s institution.

Garter snakes may bite if they are provoked or feel threatened, but it’s unlikely that these pests will choose to attack a person. When humans unintentionally trigger them, they usually strike out in anger. Just before attacking their victim, garter snakes might exude a noxious musk that is foul-smelling. This musk isn’t hazardous to humans, yet it may leave behind a skunk-like odor on the clothing, hair, and skin of its target.