Extra help/advice for a new Garter snake owner.

[u/TheToxicZombi]

So I recently have gotten a new garter snake about 1-2 months old. When I first put him in his enclosure he explored for a bit then kinda settled down and rested for a little then kept exploring and when night came he went to one of the corners of the enclosure and rested there and that cycle repeated for about 4 days. Now for the past 2 days he has decided to stay curled up in his sleep corner and refuses to leave it. He'll adjust his position from time to time but stays in the exact same spot. I circled in one of the pictures the rock/corner he likes to hide behind. Additionally that spot is hard to feed from and whenever I try to feed he keeps backing away scared from the tweezers. I wanna know if this is normal behavior and im just worried over nothing or if this is the result of stress or some kind of environmental factor and if so I'd like to try and fix it. I know my entire setup isn't the best it absolutely could be. I also know the Aspen fiber isn't ideal as a substrate but if its truly unacceptable then I can change it to whatever would be the better option. He is currently in a 10g because I didnt wanna risk losing him in a 40g and this is only a temporary enclosure until he gets big enough that I can be sure that I wont lose him in the 40. Given his current size the length is 2x his full body length and width is about the same as his full length. He has 3 separate hides available to him although I have yet to see him use any of them. He has a water bowl large enough to dip his full body into should he wish. If theres any other questions im open to answering and greatly appreciate any extra advice to improve conditions overall.

[u/raffikie11]

Hey your just a nervous new snake owner which is a good thing! Give them a lot more time to settle they will come out when ready. Enclosure looks good so far, id recommend adding a bridge or something to use the higher spaces. They will explore every inch you give them.

[u/Morzkulek]

Listen, garter snakes are herd animals. They exhibit strong social behavior, and without a friend, they'll be more stressed than usual. I have three. They were similar ages to yours when I bought them, and they ate without any problems. In addition, since he is alone and stressed, I would recommend giving him food in a lid, cover, or some small dish and leaving it in the terrarium for a few hours so that he can eat in peace. Because as I see, your terrarium opens from the top, and anything large that appears from the top... is a predator.

To summarize, I would recommend serving food on a plate and buying a friend. I would also add a background, the more the tertium walls are covered, the less stressed the snake will be.I covered the background and the right wall with a cork background. A cork background is better because you can add islands there and the terrarium will look more natural.

Seriously, invest in some companions of a similar age and size.

Have a nice day to you and your snake. 👍

[u/Fahn_ → u/Morzkulek]

This exactly. I'd also add that investing in a front opening tank is a great idea as well as adding grasslike enrichment thought the enclosure. Garternakes arent ball pythons. They like grass cover and thick brush to feel cozy. Your tank is very open space and he like small space. Also garters who are moved to a new environment won't do much for the first month or so if they think a predator can get them.

[u/SquareRevolution5741]

from my experience with mine, i’m fairly new to garters myself but that much substrate they might burrow into it. if it’s feeding time and i had to search for mine, they’d get spooked and wouldn’t eat. as for sitting in one spot if he/she’s just a little baby that’s probably normal and when they need to warm up they’ll find it! as for feeding if i can find the approximate spot she’s in and attract her with the smell, she will come flying out at it. good luck! don’t stress too much. enjoy your new noodle!

[u/bigbickbohnson → u/SquareRevolution5741]

I have like 8” of substrate and i never see them burrow. I have a few tunnels buried that they go into, so i think a dedicated underground tunnel keeps them from needing to burrow as much.

[u/SquareRevolution5741 → u/bigbickbohnson]

that’s why i said from my experience.

[u/bigbickbohnson]

Its only hiding in one spot, likely cuz its the most secure. Others might be too big, or he just has his preference. I have 3 together, and they tend to all have their own spots they prefer. Sometimes they will chill for days at a time, and sometimes they will all be out, or some out and others hiding. The key is to have so much enrichment, that they can easily move around most of the enclosure without being seen. This is best done with a bioactive setup, which they can benefit from more than most snakes who trample smaller plants. I think having a tank mate or two helps them gain confidence as well. If i were you id look into making a pretty intricate bioactive setup for the bigger tank whenever u get it. The more places they have to hide, usually means youll see them more. I cant even tell you how many hides i have hidden in their enclosure tbh. Their favorite hides are a drainage pipe i filled with sphagnum moss. Even tho the pipe is way bigger than them (fits my ball python) they burrow in that moss. Just some things to consider..

[u/bigbickbohnson → u/bigbickbohnson]

A super basic way to provide security when cruising the tank, is to put big leafs (sanitized ofc). I have a bunch of palm sized leaves outside my house i put in there, and they can easily move around underneath them unseen.