Still wont eat

[Stormy]

So Foamy still wont eat. I got him in mid march and he has never eatten a meal with me. He acts interested in food then seems to get snake ADD and wanders off.
Things we have tried
-braining.
-leaving it in a bin in a quiet room for a few hours (all he did was musk the mouse then)
-scenting with tuna oil, again he acted interested in it then decided it wasnt for him.
-waiting both a week and two weeks between offerings.

His temps are right and he has no problem with having water or anything so im at a loss. I know males tend to not eat during breeding season but this is getting excessive. :headbang:

[Susan]

You have several other options to try before giving up:
1) Live pinky
2) Leave in small container with meal over-night, not just a few hours
3) Washing food item with Ivory soap
4) Tease feeding
5) Scening with chicken broth
6) Lizard-scenting or whole baby anole (live or F/T)

[ShenziSixaxis]

There is also force feeding if nothing works, or does and then doesn't, but I somehow do not think that if Susan's ideas don't work, your amel stripe will never really be healthy.

[Stormy]

i forgot to mention we did try a live pinky and also a live fuzzy. He struck out at them once then ignored them.

I'll try the chicken broth next week when I try again.

But why wash it with ivory soap? I have never heard of that one before.

[Caryl]

The Ivory soap just removes any potentially offensive or distracting scent. Some snakes go for it. Don't give up! Here are some additional tricks; bury the mouse for an hour or so before feeding in dirty bedding from pet birds like finches, or some other type of rodent (guinea pig, rat, gerbil, hamster, deer mouse, whatever). Most pet stores will supply some gently used bedding if you ask, though the employee may look at you oddly. You can also try withholding water for a day or two and offering a really wet mouse.

Believe me, I understand how frustrated and worried you are. Don't give up. Some babies are just programmed for different food items than what we're offering. It doesn't necessarily mean that they won't be healthy, or won't take mice further down the road. Just keep trying every 3 days or so, and minimize all stress on Foamy between feeding attempts.

Don't despair. We're all pulling for you and Foamy. (Please remind me how big Foamy is.)

[Stormy]

I should add. Foamy is not a baby corn snake but is almost 4 ft long and 292 grams. So I know he had to have been eating at some point but I know the previous owners were not taking care of him right at all.

[danielle]

Have you tried an adult mouse? Being he's full grown he may just want a big boy sized meal. Tease feeding has worked well for me with non feeders as well so maybe try an adult f/t or p/k dangling from tongs:)

[Stormy]

I was pretty tired when I made the first post so let me updated it with everything we have actually tried over the past few months.

Tease feeding.
Scent with tuna oil.
Leaving it with him in a dark quiet room for a few hours.
Live pinky and adult.
Live rat pup.
Braining
Waiting a week and two weeks between feedings.


I think, thats everything. Im still not sure on the ivory soap thing cause ivory soap is scented itself and its a pretty unnatural scent as it is.

Thanks for the other suggestions though.

[ShenziSixaxis]

Sounds like you have a horny adult male corn. He should start feeding again soon. Most males go off feed during the usual mating season. NOTHING to worry about what so ever unless he starts losing a lot of weight.

[Caryl]

Yeah, Foamy sounds like a guy who's looking for love. Many males - and an occasional female though it's rare - go on feeding strike during the spring and early summer. If they were off digesting a meal they might lose an opportunity to spread their genetics so they lose their appetite. An adult snake isn't a nonfeeder; he's just on spring hunger strike.

Keep offering one adult mouse (f/t) every 10 days unless you note that he's losing weight or looking ill. It's worrisome when they won't eat but it's actually perfectly normal and natural.

Oh - the Ivory soap does indeed have a scent, but oddly enough an Ivory wash often gets a baby nonfeeder going. Heck, it makes about as much sense as the well-known trick of tuna-scenting. When's the last time you saw a corn snake catch a tuna fish? :eek1:

[brandi83]

Hm, I hope Foamy is just on the hunt for love and starts eating soon.

If you're feeding him f/t'd mice, then leaving them in the tank with him overnight shouldn't be a problem if you want to try that. If you're feeding live, you may want to take into consideration that a live mouse can potentially hurt a snake if left alone with it. It's up to you and Foamy's temperment....I've done both.

My corn went through a phase years ago and didn't eat for several months. He's fine now so don't give up....