Hey guys, I'm currently attending college in Massachussetts(I live in California) and because I'm going through of a pet withdraw having left my two turtles, dog, and cat at home, I've been toying with the idea of getting a garter snake for our dorm(which allows small non-furry animals that can be housed in tanks).

I've worked out just about everything in my head, but the only thing that I'm unsure about is what to do during breaks. Before I think about getting the snake I know I need to have a plan for what I'm going to do with them during that time. We have three breaks: Winter(2 weeks), Spring(1 week) and Summer(3 months).

As far as spring and winter. I'm leaning towards leaving them there. I doubt a week would be a problem but I'm a bit uneasy about 2 weeks. I know garters eat more frequently than other snakes(unless of course they're on a rodent diet which I can't do ) so I'm kind of unsure. Do you think they would be fine for that amount of time, if so, what are some steps that I can take to make sure they have everything they need(extra water bowl? large meal before I leave, etc)

Now the real dilenma is what to do during summer. Everything has to be out of our dorms in the summer, so leaving him there, even if someone's supposedly caring for him, is not an option. Right now I'm leaning towards the overnight shipping route. FexEx him home in the beginning of summer then having him shipped back to me in the fall. Would that be too stressful on the snake to be shipped twice a year? If so what are some other options I could explore, or ideas for places where I could take him.

Sorry for the question overload! I just really need to get this straightened out, thanks in advance