Food and bedding changes all at once...too much?

I wasn't sure whether to post this here or under feeding issues, but here's my issue. My corn, whom I've only had for three weeks, had been underfed previously. He'd been getting two fuzzies, but thanks to the advice here, I realized it was time to upgrade him. At the same time, due to not being able to see his waste, I changed him from eco-earth to aspen chips. He'd previously been fed in his viv, so I didn't change that when I got him. For my last two feeds, I took him out and held him for a bit, then passed him off to my husband so I could clean and change his water, etc, then place his dinner on a paper plate, then put him back in his viv. He always attacked his food within minutes. Tonight, though, I took out the eco-earth and replaced it with the aspen AND rather than give him his usual fuzzies, upgraded him to one hopper. He won't touch it. He's slithered over it at least a dozen times while checking out his new digs (including a new hide on his warm spot as opposed to the wood and plants that were there previously.) He sniffs the food, then ignores it and goes off exploring again. It's been about six hours now, which I know isn't an unreasonable length of time, but I'm wondering if I dropped too many changes on him all at once?

I will remove the food in the morning if he's not taken it, but then how many days should I wait to try again? Should I handle him between tries or just leave him alone to adjust to his new bedding and hide?

Any thoughts are appreciated.

One of the advantages of feeding in a container is the snake can't find something else to do and go off and forget about the food. I guess if it were me, I'd wait four days and feed him in a container. I don't see any reason not to handle him for short periods.

Thanks, Nanci. He didn't eat the mouse last night so I tossed it. I'll wait a few days like you suggested. I'd been feeding him in his viv because that was what he was used to prior to my purchasing him, so I wasn't sure if changing that would be a problem.

I always give my corns a few days to settle again, after renewing bedding or re-arranging their tank, before offering a feed, as I like to give them time to explore their new surroundings and to settle

I also use an empty tub to feed my corns in, no matter what they've previously been used to. If they are a good established feeder, then there is usually not a problem.

As Nanci said give him a few days and try again, if he still refuses, then wait till the next scheduled feeding day before offering again.

Hope that helps, best wishes,

Susielea said:

I always give my corns a few days to settle again, after renewing bedding or re-arranging their tank, before offering a feed, as I like to give them time to explore their new surroundings and to settle

I also use an empty tub to feed my corns in, no matter what they've previously been used to. If they are a good established feeder, then there is usually not a problem.

As Nanci said give him a few days and try again, if he still refuses, then wait till the next scheduled feeding day before offering again.

Hope that helps, best wishes,

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Thanks for that, Susielea....I figured the change and food AND bedding was probably just too much all at once. I'm hoping not to make my snake as neurotic as its owner! :uhoh:
I also need to get him a new heat pad, which we're off to do in a bit. I was using a regular human heating pad, but the low temp keeps it just below the ideal temperature and the med. keeps it a bit too warm. He also got a new hide, so there were a lot of changes in less than ideal temps. *sigh* I've got so much to learn. Funny that no matter how much I "thought" I'd researched this before actually getting a snake, I really just don't know what I'm doing, so I need to stop trying short cuts. I really appreciate all of you putting up with my adjustment to the learning curve. *hugs*

So don't forget that you need a thermostat or rheostat to control the heat mat, or it will get way over 100 degrees. You can find both things on line for way cheaper than a pet store, if you want to. I buy all kinds of reptile supplies on eBay.

Thanks, nanci....I wish I'd thought of that earlier. I actually wish I'd purchased it all before buying him, but I didn't want someone to buy him out from under me. Since it's only one snake that I have, I'm just going to go ahead and buy it now rather than waiting longer. I'll definitely keep that option in mind though when I figure out which type I want next...I love ebay, but I get in trouble there. The spouse has completely cut me off from aquabid, too!

Yay! He ate his first hopper! I snipped the skin like I've read in various posts, and it still took him a while to get around to it, but then he started to eat it and spit it out and moved on. I was just about to take the hopper out and take off the feet because it seemed like he was having trouble getting it down, but then he came back, attacked it vigorously and got him down. He's now hanging out in his new hide and seems quite content. Yay, Cornelius! I'm a happy snake mom tonight.

Glad he ate for you. Do you know why he 'spat it' back out though? Could he of been startled by anything?

My snake has only had a couple refusals, but always feeds within 2-3 days of a refusal. I've noticed if my snake isn't interested in the food item and it has been 5-10 minutes, if I feel the mouse it is slightly cold to the touch. I don't know about you, but I prefer my dinner slightly warmer than room temp.. Re-warming the mouse won't always work, but it's sometimes worth a shot. I'll refreeze a mouse one time, after that it gets thrown out. Hope that helps! A happy snake Mom is a good one, no doubt! =P