my snake is sick

Thank you all so much for your help unfortunately Gulpy died shortly after arriving home from the vet. The vet said it did in deed seem to be something neurological. And he wasn't able to breath as well as he should. As everything else seemed to be normal. I will definitely be more careful with the diet of little Rosie (the garter). I have so many questions though. She is kinda small for pinky's yet, I think (only as big around as my finger, and about 12 in long ) but the fish thing seems like a good Idea. This may be a dumb question but do I have to cook the fish first? And I don't know what the silverside thing is. I also need to know where I can get the vitamin powder? And also red wigglers? I don't know the difference between those and Earth worms. How often would I feed her this new diet? And would alternating earthworms and the salmon be okay? Then adding the vitamins every third or forth feeding? I feel like I know nothing now that I know I have been doing it all wrong. I'm sorry if I'm bugging anyone it just seems you all know so much more then what I learned from the pet store. I also know my son will want another snake and before I get one I want to know more about them. He has wanted a ball python but I feel he is to young and I am slightly intimidated by them. He also wants a corn snake and I think that might be more my speed. But again I need to know more. Thank you again everyone for your help. It was so nice of everyone to be so supportive and not judgmental. xoxo

First of all, and most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to you and your son for your loss. It is always tough losing a pet, but sometimes, as weird as this sounds, losing some pets is harder than losing others, especially when you put so much effort into ensuring their survival.
Next, don't punish yourself over losing your snake. As has been stated both here and elsewhere, pet stores, for the most part, know very little about reptiles as pets and will say anything that sounds good as long as it results in a sale of their animal. Chances are very good your snake may have been sick even before you got him and the disease just went undetected to the point where, when it finally did become apparent something was wrong, it was just simply too late. Take comfort in the fact he is not suffering anymore.
As for diets, I am not well versed on diets for snakes such as your Garter so I won't even begin to try and tell you waht's right and what's wrong to feed it. However, in regards to getting a Ball Python for your son, in all actuality, these are probably the best snakes for your son to have, as well as you. I have found in my experiences with Corn, Milk, and Garter snakes that they seem to have wicked tempers at time and resort very easily to striking and biting. This can intimidate a young one and turn him or her off from even handling the reptile. Balls on the other hand are extremely forgiving, and I don't carer what anyone says, if you show them you care and are not there to hurt them, they will be one of the best pets you could ask for. I am finding that out already with the pair I have now. Plus, Balls don't need vitamin supplements and they are more easily fed, for the most part, than the other snakes you are considering. I would suggest getting a young Ball Python so it can grow with your son, as well as yourself. By doing so, both you, your son and the snake will grow up to know what to expect from eachother. It's just a suggestion, but I sincerely hope you put some serious thought into it.
Finally, no matter what type of snake you do decide on getting, please purchase one from a specialized breeder. The information, help and knowledge you will have access to will be immeasurable which can only result in positive results from your next husbandry attempt with a snake. I wish you all the best of luck and no matter what snake you decide to purchase, with your concersn there is no doubt it will have a happy, healthy home to live in for many years to come.

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Originally Posted by gulpysmom

Thank you all so much for your help unfortunately Gulpy died shortly after arriving home from the vet. The vet said it did in deed seem to be something neurological. And he wasn't able to breath as well as he should. As everything else seemed to be normal. I will definitely be more careful with the diet of little Rosie (the garter). I have so many questions though. She is kinda small for pinky's yet, I think (only as big around as my finger, and about 12 in long ) but the fish thing seems like a good Idea. This may be a dumb question but do I have to cook the fish first? And I don't know what the silverside thing is. I also need to know where I can get the vitamin powder? And also red wigglers? I don't know the difference between those and Earth worms. How often would I feed her this new diet? And would alternating earthworms and the salmon be okay? Then adding the vitamins every third or forth feeding? I feel like I know nothing now that I know I have been doing it all wrong. I'm sorry if I'm bugging anyone it just seems you all know so much more then what I learned from the pet store. I also know my son will want another snake and before I get one I want to know more about them. He has wanted a ball python but I feel he is to young and I am slightly intimidated by them. He also wants a corn snake and I think that might be more my speed. But again I need to know more. Thank you again everyone for your help. It was so nice of everyone to be so supportive and not judgmental. xoxo

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Small pinky mice should be fine. Thaw them out in a plastic baggie with some salmon or trout in it to marinate the scent in.

Silversides (smelt) can be bought by the bag at many places that specialize in selling tropical fish. Since they are whole, you wouldn't need to supplement them with any powders.

I am not an expert on earthworms - I buy mine from a bait shop that has assured me for years that they are not red wigglers. I tend to feed them lettuce and other veggies for about a week before I offer them to my snakes to clean out any gunk they may have in their systems.

Try the silversides. Thaw a couple out in tepid water until they are room temperature - you want to make sure that they are still not frozen. Offer them with a pair of feeding tongs. If they are too big, cut them into pieces.

If you can get him on silversides, feed him three weeks of the month on them and then try the pinky mice. The earthworms should be an occasional treat.

I think a corn snake is a great choice as a pet. As a rule they are generally docile, forgiving of small husbandry mistakes and disinclined to bite. As with any species, there are exceptions to the rule.............

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Originally Posted by grim reaper in NY

First of all, and most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to you and your son for your loss. It is always tough losing a pet, but sometimes, as weird as this sounds, losing some pets is harder than losing others, especially when you put so much effort into ensuring their survival.
Next, don't punish yourself over losing your snake. As has been stated both here and elsewhere, pet stores, for the most part, know very little about reptiles as pets and will say anything that sounds good as long as it results in a sale of their animal. Chances are very good your snake may have been sick even before you got him and the disease just went undetected to the point where, when it finally did become apparent something was wrong, it was just simply too late. Take comfort in the fact he is not suffering anymore.
As for diets, I am not well versed on diets for snakes such as your Garter so I won't even begin to try and tell you waht's right and what's wrong to feed it. However, in regards to getting a Ball Python for your son, in all actuality, these are probably the best snakes for your son to have, as well as you. I have found in my experiences with Corn, Milk, and Garter snakes that they seem to have wicked tempers at time and resort very easily to striking and biting. This can intimidate a young one and turn him or her off from even handling the reptile. Balls on the other hand are extremely forgiving, and I don't carer what anyone says, if you show them you care and are not there to hurt them, they will be one of the best pets you could ask for. I am finding that out already with the pair I have now. Plus, Balls don't need vitamin supplements and they are more easily fed, for the most part, than the other snakes you are considering. I would suggest getting a young Ball Python so it can grow with your son, as well as yourself. By doing so, both you, your son and the snake will grow up to know what to expect from eachother. It's just a suggestion, but I sincerely hope you put some serious thought into it.
Finally, no matter what type of snake you do decide on getting, please purchase one from a specialized breeder. The information, help and knowledge you will have access to will be immeasurable which can only result in positive results from your next husbandry attempt with a snake. I wish you all the best of luck and no matter what snake you decide to purchase, with your concersn there is no doubt it will have a happy, healthy home to live in for many years to come.

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Thank you so much for your kind words. It is nice to know others don't blame me as much as I do myself. My son was so upset he stayed home from school. He decorated a box for him and we burried him in the back yard.

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Originally Posted by gulpysmom

Thank you so much for your kind words. It is nice to know others don't blame me as much as I do myself. My son was so upset he stayed home from school. He decorated a box for him and we burried him in the back yard.

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I hope you are going to get a digital thermometer. There is no reason to not spend the 12$. Especially considering your vet said it was neurological, high heat can cause neurological symptoms.

Be smart, get a thermometer.

Although i don't know much about garters, it sounds like thiamin defecinacy. As for a ball python, they are not intimidating, they are often smaller in length than corns and very rarely bite. They don't need any extra vitamins and can be kept in a 20 gallon tank for a young one.
I am very sorry for you and your sons loss