Cohabbing garter snakes

I got a male albino checkered garter snake hatchling back in March and have since fallen in love with the genus. When I first got my lil Draco, he was 3g eating pinky thirds, and now just four months later is 12g eating whole pinkies like a champ. I got him pretty early on in the season and since garters do better in groups, fully intended to purchase 1-2 more males to cohab with him. Now that there are finally garter snake hatchlings available on morph market, however, I am concerned because of the size difference. I had no idea Draco would grow so fast. Would it be safe to house a small hatchling with him? If not, at what age/size would it be acceptable to do so? I understand there is always a small risk but seeing as garters are social, it’s a risk I’m willing to take (within reason, of course). If anyone has experience cohabbing garters I’d greatly appreciate some info. Thanks!

I've never kept garter snakes but I'd be afraid to house them together if there's much of a size difference. Even snakes that don't normally prey on other snakes
may sometimes just "be predators" & even kill a mate* (instead of breeding) in a captive situation. (*seen it with a pair of c.b. amel "black" rat snakes) I've seen
garters feeding, & like most other snakes, they get really wound up going after motion.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I've never kept garter snakes but I'd be afraid to house them together if there's much of a size difference.

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That’s what I was worried about. They’re very sexually dimorphic in terms of size so I wasn’t too concerned but seeing as mine is presumably 4x the size of a hatchling, I think I’m better off initially housing them separately. At what size (or size difference ratio) do you think it would be safe to introduce them?

I really don't know...you should wait for the input of others that have experience keeping them. This being a holiday, might be a while, lol.

Check out snake discovery on YouTube. She did a video on it and I want to say it’s addressed in it.

If there’s a large size difference, it’s best to house them separately. It shouldn’t take too long for them to be similar in size. If they’re close, just make sure you watch them while they’re eating. They’re like children and always want to eat what’s in the other guy’s mouth even if there’s a bowl full of food.


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Here’s a few I keep together https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d3273769e5.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...4191380927.jpg


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They look really cute snuggled together...but I know looks can be deceiving, when it comes to snakes...'safety first'!

I've never gotten around to keeping garter snakes, but not because they didn't appeal to me, just not enough hours in the days.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

They look really cute snuggled together...but I know looks can be deceiving, when it comes to snakes...'safety first'!

I've never gotten around to keeping garter snakes, but not because they didn't appeal to me, just not enough hours in the days.

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Garters are underrated. They’re one of the few types of snake where cohabbing is acceptable; in fact, many people say they do better when cohabbed rather than alone. They’re also diurnal and love to come out in the day and bask under a lamp. They also take a lot of different foods like nightcrawlers, fish and mice.


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Originally Posted by BPGator

Garters are underrated. They’re one of the few types of snake where cohabbing is acceptable; in fact, many people say they do better when cohabbed rather than alone. They’re also diurnal and love to come out in the day and bask under a lamp. They also take a lot of different foods like nightcrawlers, fish and mice.


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I love the more lively snakes anyway...BPs are not my thing (shh!), I've always been more into colubrids etc. (I've had BPs too though, in the past.)

Their diet was why I didn't get into them years ago...working full time with a house full of snakes + raising my own rodents, I didn't want to add any snakes that needed
a different diet that I had to go get from the store...my time was just too stretched as it was. But I think garters are adorable & I love finding them in my back yard now
& then. I love the toads too...