What to Feed Newborn Garter Snakes

A garter snake is the snake a child is most likely to bring home as a pet because they are abundant throughout much of the United States. These harmless snakes are highly adaptable and are often found in gardens, hence the nickname "garden snake." Though they have big appetites, newborn garter snakes can be picky about what they eat.

  1. Description

    • Newborn garter snakes are 5 to 10 inches long and are similar in appearance to adults. Garters vary in color, but usually bear three light stripes that run the length of their bodies against a black, brown, gray or olive background. The stripes can be white, yellow, blue, greenish or brown. Sometimes the stripes are absent or poorly defined. Garters generally live 3 to 10 years and grow up to 3 feet long, remaining slender throughout their lives.

    Feeding Habits

    • Newborn garter snakes are independent from birth and usually begin to eat within two days if they recognize that they are being offered food. Born in the spring, they need to eat mass amounts of food to fatten up before the winter hibernation. Feed them enough that you see a small bulge, but don't overfeed. Babies can eat more frequently than adults, sometimes as often as every other day. Leave young garter snakes alone to eat; if you have a litter, separate them at feeding time.

    Worms and Fish

    • Worms and fish are the primary diet of garter snakes in captivity. Earthworms from the garden or night crawlers from a bait store are suitable. Rinse earthworms before feeding them to a snake. Chop the worms into pieces for newborn garters. Babies can eat the equivalent of two to three small earthworms per feeding. Some newborn garters will prefer chopped up fresh or frozen fish. Pieces of whole fish are preferable to fillets because the newborn can more easily recognize it as food.

    Mice

    • Although mice are not naturally part of a garter snake's diet in the wild, many people feed captive snakes a diet of mice because it is convenient and nutritionally complete. Nutritional supplements need to be provided to snakes that eat a diet of worms or fish alone. Some baby garter snakes will eat newborn "pinky" mice from birth. Frozen mice are available online or in specialty stores. You will have to chop the mice into small pieces while still frozen and thaw them before you feed them to a newborn garter.