That’s good news! Hopefully Houdini is going to have escaped serious injury. That’s a good escape to make!
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You may want to get a small storage bin, put a few small holes in it and feed it in there. You might need to leave it in for a few days to get use to it. This would by my process to make sure it is eating. Just a thought.
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Great idea!
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Well, Houdini is still with us and active as ever. I’m not really too worried about verifying if they’ve eaten yet, body condition and overall behaviour are still great. I’ve been extra diligent on making sure I have the bin above the garters properly replaced every time it has to be moved, and there have been no further incidents.
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That is good news.
I just want to throw an idea out there, Target sells Ezy Storage bins in several sizes. These have sturdy clips to hold the lid on and a gasket. Still see-through and east to put 1/4in holes in both the lid and sides. It might be worth looking into. There will be no way the can escape as long as the latches are closed.
Just a thought
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I have other bins, this just happens to be what I have them in at the moment. It isn’t an issue as long as I make sure everyone is stacked properly. Actually, the first bin I kept them in was gasketed with latches…And I accidentally shut Houdini’s head in that, which is why they’re not in one, now. I might, however, invest in some bulldog clips for the edges of the current bin.
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Well, rather unfortunately, it seems Houdini did have some lasting issues. Found him dead while cleaning enclosures, he was alive last night so sometime in the last 14 hours he passed. It’s a bummer, but it happens. I think it was a combination of both accidents combined, as they were half the size of their sibling. His clutch mate has been moved back in with the Checkered garters for company.
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Aww, I’m sorry Houdini didn’t make it. Hugs and prayers for you, Jess.
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Thank you. 
It was a bit of a sad find, but I always had a feeling that this one wasn’t going to make it to adulthood. The other three were so much larger even before this incident that I don’t think it would have taken much for Houdini to pass in the first place. They were 33g last weigh in (pre-accident) while their clutch mate was over 60g.
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I do know what you mean. Sometimes a little one just has troubles that it can’t overcome, no matter how we care for them. Houdini’s escapades may have hastened its end, but it’s possible that they had no effect. There no good way to know. RIP little Houdini.
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Oh I am very sorry about this! You did the best for him! He was just way too curious….
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That is one of the downsides of keeping animals like this in captivity, you can’t necessarily protect them from themselves and their natural behaviours. I will say, it is going to solve the problem of possible escapes, as I can move the remaining sibling as well as the Checkereds back into their original 110qt bin. Only reason I had moved them into two smaller, separate spaces was due to the sheer amount of poo that four snakes sharing one enclosure created. Guess I learned my lesson there.
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Well dear one, all I have to say is you can’t out guess them or out guess guess yourself. Without saying, Houdini did not succumb to neglect by any means! But you already know that. When we humans try to literally harness nature within our realm, we have to consider the consequences, basically as you say. But in the long run, he had a great home and a great life!
Caron 
Bless you!
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Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear it.
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It was quite the downer of a find. I will say, it was also a fascinating moment of learning. As I noted during the initial injury, there was a blue bruise. By the time I found Houdini, I noticed first that there was a problem because their entire body was just vibrant blue. Never seen such a thing in my life. I’m interested to know the mechanism behind it, though I assume it’s due to the lack of circulation.
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That is interesting. I would assume like you that it’s something cyanotic in nature, but it’s odd. That’s an unusual reaction to a local bruise, to say the least. Completely speculatively thinking, but perhaps the little guy had some congenital circulatory issues which played into his slower growth? 
You said it well. I’d submit that it’s also quite possible that Houdini would have gotten himself into trouble if he’d been out and about in the natural world. There’s no way to know, of course. You did your best for him and that’s all one can do.
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Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that. 
Sadly, sometimes these things just happen despite our best efforts. Doesn’t make it easy to deal with, but this definitely wasn’t your fault. Given Houdini’s small size compared to your other garters, I wonder if there was some congenital issue that was perhaps exacerbated by the relatively minor injury he suffered.
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Aw I am so sorry. You did what you could, and it sounds like he had a great time while he was with you, getting up to mischief.
We’ll never know if it was that or some congenital issue which caused his life to be so short, but you gave him best care.
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@caryl Apparently it has to do with the yellow compounds in the skin being more unstable, so they break down first, leaving a bright blue animal. Makes sense, as Houdini in life was a very blue leaning green.
@jawramik @athleticshoelace I do believe it was either a congenital issue or residual effects from the first incident that contributed to his demise. Very small and an extremely problem feeder at times. Lived a very spoiled, loved life, so I have no regrets with him. As I said, I had already figured I’d lose this one at some point, so I think that’s what is making it easier to deal with.
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I decided to move the remaining three garters today so there wouldn’t be any further issues. Everyone is now in a 20 long that has an incredibly secure lid complete with feeding door. It’s actually probably the best choice of enclosure since they tend to try and escape during feeding time. Don’t have to remove the entire lid anymore so perhaps they’ll feel more secure, as well.
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