Healthy corn snake not eating....

[csclark0530]

I have a albino corn snake who is 10 months old and hasn't eaten for 7 weeks. No health problems or signs of starvation (lateral folds), active as you might expect, has been drinking. Any ideas, should I be concerned?

[bitsy]

He's a little young for a breeding season fast. What are the temps like on the warm and cool sides at floor level?

[csclark0530]

82 on the warm side, 76-78 on the cool, an even 72 at night. under the tank heater, no heat bulb but I do have a standard non heating viewing bulb.

[bitsy]

You need to have a warm spot at floor level in the mid-80s all the time. Could be that his digestion is being hampered by the regular night-time lower temp? In your place I'd try bumping the heater's thermostat up so that the warm side floor is mid-80s all the time and give him another go at food in a week.

[csclark0530]

I mis-typed, what I meant to say is its an even 82 at night because of the under tank heater.

[bitsy]

If there's no heat gradient at night you could have the opposite problem and it's too warm - that can cause digestive problems as well. He needs a range of low-70s to mid-80s, all the time.

The heater should be under about one-third of the tank floor, giving him a warm side and a cool side. There doesn't need to be a night/day difference.

[csclark0530]

the left side has the heater and it sits around 80-84, right side is 76-78 cool side, I have a therm in the center says 82 most of the time. Sorry, I should have been more detailed.

[Wyldrose]

What are you using to measure the temps? Those dial ones the petshops sell are known for being off. I use a combo of a digital with probe and an infared thermometer gun.

[csclark0530]

I'm using three of the aquarium stick on ones, two on either side and one in the middle, all at ground level.

[AliCat37]

That's probably your problem right there! He's probably being cooked. Those things (stick on thermometers) hardly even move when the temps are off. I've seen them not even budge when the heater is over 130 degrees. Go to walmart or lowes, etc and pick up a digital thermometer with a probe. Place the probe under the bedding, over the UTH. Place the probe for your thermostat right next to it.

[proileri]

How do you thaw the food, by the way? Some people have had problems if the scent has been washed away by being in contact with water.

[csclark0530]

So I took your advice and bought a thermometer with a probe and the temperature I thought was 85 was actually 96, I now have it set at an accurate 83-85 on the warm side and a 78 on the cool. Thanks

[VickyChaiTea]

How do you thaw the food, by the way? Some people have had problems if the scent has been washed away by being in contact with water.

If it's a mouse or small rat you just put it in super hot water. I like to use scalding hot water from the tap. Give it a squeeze, if it doesn't feel frozen in the center you're done! Some people put them in the fridge the day before and use a blow dryer to heat them up dry, or set them on heat lamp domes. I've never heard of anyone having problems with the scent being washed off... actually, sometimes with a difficult feeder you can wash a mouse off with soap and water and they're more inclined to take it.