How long can my hatchling go without food?

[Foxide]

I've had my 1.5 month old corn for two weeks now and he won't eat. I've tried leaving him alone with his pinkie in a seperate container, braining it, scenting with water from a can of tuna, wiggling it in front of him and scenting with chicken. But so far he just seems to be interested in hiding. When I'm not trying to feed him he's out and about, being curious. He's not skittish or nippy, really calm and sweet. I don't see any signs of shedding, either.

I'm starting to worry, though. He was due for a feeding the day after I got him so he's missed 3 meals already. What should I do? Just keep trying? Take him to the vet? Someone mentioned taking him to be force fed but from what I've heard you don't want to get into that until it's your last resort. Is there anything else I should try?

Thanks.

[Cattsy]

Have you left him overnight in his feeding container with the pinky?

[wasuslitherin]

First, Congrats on your first corn!! Second, I am sorry you have to deal with this problem so early on. I would leave him alone for several days. Then after about 6-8 days, try a defrosted and brained pinkie in a feeding bin overnight. Do you normally put him in a feeding bin? Or do you feed in his cage?
Also, this sounds crazy but I hear it works. Put him in a locked container, put him in the car and drive him around the block a couple times. As soon as you get back, put a warm pinkie in the container with him.
Hope this helps!! Good Luck!

[Tamberav]

Sounds like you are having a similar problem I had. My baby went 6 weeks before I got him to eat. I was worried sick but he wasn't any worse for wear (remained active the entire time). I tried everything you listed and more!

He ended up eating a cut in half pink inside his cage on in a favorite spot he likes to perch. He completely ignored the pinky before even brained ones left with him in a small deli cup over night! But suddenly he started taking pinkys instantly.

It may just be some snakes take longer to adjust than others, for mine I was thinking the first batch pinkys were to intimidating for him (they were larger than the day old pinks I have now).

I really hope you can get him to eat - some things you could try is getting dirty mouse bedding from a pet store and letting the pinky sit inside that to get a new mouse smell or scenting with a lizard tail.

Otherwise I would just handle him as little as possible until he gets on a good eating schedule and check your temps, if its too cold some snakes won't eat.

[sarae]

You might want to check on his temperatures really closely. My snake didn't eat for over 5 months simply because he was too warm and stressed out. Once I moved him to a properly-regulated, calmer environment, he started eating without a problem!

You might also try a smaller feeding container so he can't get too far away from the food. Sometimes I think mine eats the food just to get away from it and to get me to finally let him out of his cup :D

[Foxide]

So, I weighed him and he's 7 grams. Is this normal? I'm not sure exactly how long he is, though.

Thanks everyone, I'll just keep trying all of your suggestions.

[MysticExotics]

I have 3 hatchlings about the same age as yours, two are 6 grams, one is 11 grams. The two smaller ones have intermittent eating, one had a regurge two feedings ago, so she's on a special feeding plan now. The bigger one refused the first two meals, but has eaten every time since.