newbie needing info

Hey, my kids and i just caught a small checkered garter snake and we would
like to keep it. I have been searching the web most of the night looking
for "snake cages" or "snake tanks" or any combination i thought would be
good to find out what kinds of cages there are and what too look for. I
will probably go somewhere local tomorrow and buy the cage and supplies
but i want to know what i'm looking for. Can someone give me some hints or
point me at some docs to read? Any help would be appreciated.

rich

"rich" <richard.witt.RemoveThis@ttuhsc.edu> wrote in message
news:pan.2003.07.31.05.12.44.813442@ttuhsc.edu...
> Hey, my kids and i just caught a small checkered garter snake and we would
> like to keep it. I have been searching the web most of the night looking
> for "snake cages" or "snake tanks" or any combination i thought would be
> good to find out what kinds of cages there are and what too look for. I
> will probably go somewhere local tomorrow and buy the cage and supplies
> but i want to know what i'm looking for. Can someone give me some hints or
> point me at some docs to read? Any help would be appreciated.
>
> rich

You would most likely be looking for an aquarium in the range of 10 to 20
gallons, depending on what you want to provide the snake. Use
www.google.com and search on garter snake.

As a note, wild snakes are packed with reptile paracites, bad for the snake,
not you and your family particularly. You may want to get the snake seen by
a vet, your call. Also, garter snakes don't have extrodinary life spans so
it will be dead while your kids are still kids, just so you will know.

Finally, and not to disuade you as I like garter, but did you commit a crime
in catching the wild snake. I some areas it is not legal to capture wild
animals without a hunters liscence, etc.

Lastly, if you do keep the snake just try to keep it well and enjoy the pet.

Chad T.