Will she ever grow out of this?

[jinxie]

Jazz seems to only want to eat in this country crock butter tub after leaving the pinky, and her over night. will he grow out of this, or am I doing something wrong? she is about 4-6 months old I'm just worried about her.

[Nanci]

Are you making the pinky HOT? Maybe try slitting? But- at least feeding overnight is feeding. I predict she grows out of it.

[jinxie]

I've tried making the pinkie as hot as possible the dryer ride, the swim exercise, the car ride, she just likes to let her meal sit before she is good and ready to eat. I'm worried the mouse will start to decompose before she eats it, and will that cause her to develop necromantic tissue in her GI tract? I'm just mentally running the possible infections and risk this could have. i haven't tried live yet to make her eat right away cause she is at least eating.

[BSLMichael]

Well... I know that corn snakes are opprotunistic eaters. Im sure in the wild they would eat an animal that has been dead for 12+ hours if they come across it. Also you have to remember it sits in their stomache a really long time! It decomposes in there too... Ever have one regurge? Smells like rotting flesh... urgh

[bitsy]

I'm worried the mouse will start to decompose before she eats it, and will that cause her to develop necromantic tissue in her GI tract?
I've never had a problem with leaving a pinkie with a snake overnight. There's no saying when during the night she's eating - it could be just after you turn the lights out and go to bed. Maybe she's just one of those who doesn't like being looked at or bothered whilst she's eating. Have you tried feeding in a very quiet room, with the tub covered with an old towel or similar to make it dark, and no peeking/checking for a couple of hours?

the dryer ride, the swim exercise, the car ride
These tips and tricks you mention are for complete non-feeders, which isn't what you have on your hands. I'd advise not doing them any more - if she *is* one of those snakes that needs to be left alone, then they could actually be making the problem worse. At the moment, she could be associating you+food with being stressed and moved around at a time when (in the wild) they're vulnerable to predators.

As Nanci says, a Corn that feeds regularly - any which way at all - is absolutely fine! If she outgrows the current tub, just buy her something bigger. A sandwich tub from the dollar store, with a secure lid and some ait holes made in it will do. They do tend to outgrow the overnight feeding routine, although some of mine will occasionally lapse back into it for one or two feeds. Never worked out why, but as long as they're eating, I'm not too worried. Definitely don't switch to live.

Also you have to remember it sits in their stomache a really long time! It decomposes in there too...
Actually, it's digested inside the stomach and doesn't decompose. It will only decompose inside the snake if there's a problem such as the temperature being too cold for the digestion process to work properly. Regurges smell foul because the pinky is partially digested, not because it's decomposing.

[Nanci]

What time of day are you feeding? And, how big is the container compared to the snake? Any time I have a "problem" feeding snake I go down in feeding container size. Hatchlings are fed in deli cups the size of a small margarine container, not a BIG butter tub.

[Nanci]

And I agree with Bitsy- I wouldn't be doing any tricks beyond what I do for regular feedings- hot pinks, with slits through the head and down the back.

[jinxie]

if she stretches around the rim she would have her tail in her face and I've always feed her in the same tub i know it is past two hours cause i work nights and i offer at 9-10 at night on Mondays (usually I'm off)so ill check once at 1:30- 3 am maybe she is just an early snake gets the mouse kinda girl? LOL
I've never had a regurge yet... hopefully never but it will probably happen.
I try each thing once a week just to see if it would help, and then just put her, and her tub in her terrarium to find a full snake at 6am.
thank you guys for the reassurance; i was a mess worrying. :)

[bitsy]

Sounds absolutely fine. I'd just stick with the feeding tub routine that works for her. From my experience, one day you'll just find her chowing down as soon as she gets in there.

I actually quite like small feeding tubs where they have to be in contact with the mouse. Means they don't get distracted and forget about it.