Garter Snake Care
When I started selling captive-bred baby garter snakes in 2001, I wrote a care sheet for my customers and for people who were interested in learning how to take care of garter snakes. I handed copies out at my table at reptile shows, and I made electronic versions available on my personal web site.
The care sheet — we call homemade care manuals “care sheets” in this hobby — was seven pages long. Friends who read it had two reactions: it was the best care sheet they’d ever seen, and boy did I ever overdo it. I was accused of being the most anal-retentive breeder in the reptile biz.
I shrugged. I felt very strongly that pet garter snakes should get the best care possible. I also felt very strongly that many of the books about garter snake care had some of their facts wrong, so, I thought, I should try to do something about it.
Earlier this year, though, I thought that it was starting to need a bit of an update. I’ve started work on that, and the new version of “How to Take Care of Garter Snakes” is taking shape right here.
It’s not quite finished: while I’ve updated all the old sections and have added a new section on hibernation, I still have to write up the sections on breeding and raising baby garter snakes. Hopefully I’ll get that done soon, but past history suggests that I might take a while.
In the meantime, have a look through the completed sections. If you’re looking for detailed care information, you’ve come to the right place: the detail here borders on the obsessive. Sorry.
Once I’m all done, I’ll make PDF and hard-copy versions available as well.
Also be sure to check out garter snake care information in books and on other web sites. They might have the answer you’re looking for, if I don’t, and some of them are very good.
A Gathering of Garter Snakes
Garter and Water Snakes
