BABY corn snake hasn't eaten one meal yet and is 3 months old - GREEN poo

[disgurlchar]

Hi Guys - I'm new here so please be patient.

Our female adult corn laid 11 eggs unexpectantly back in October 2012. 9 out of 11 eggs went full term but only 4 hatched. We learnt that we was apparently meant to slit them all open as soon as the first one hatched, so 5 of them drowned as they couldn't get out :(

Anyways, now we have 2 healthy baby corns and did have 2 non-eating corns until Coco died the other night after only eating 1 meal since birth. (all were born around 1st and 2nd January 2013)

Rosie, our baby snow corn will be 3 months old in a weeks time and has NEVER eaten anything since coming out from the egg. We have tried most things except from scenting the pinkie. we try to feed her every week or so but sometimes leaving longer periods for her to not get distressed. She has a water bowl and a toilet tube for a hide plus kitchen roll for bedding which is changed every day as she soaks it with the water from her bowl!

I'm getting really worried about her as her poo started to turn greeny a few weeks ago and this morning there was a mark on her bedding (no picture) which looked very green, a horrible bright dark green colour. Im guessing she has nothing else to poo out now so instead shes passing acids or some sort of bile.

My boyfriend wants to euthanise her by putting her in the freezer, I read here before about your mixed views on this. Our other snake Coco was practically dead and so we put him in the freezer just to put him out his misery although we couldnt see any heartbeat or movement so might have already died before this point but Rosie seemed quite lively this morning but not as active as usual. Also when I picked her up last night her body seems "squishy" and was almost making a "spongy" sound. I know she wont make it because she isnt eating but at 3 months old I dont think she is going to eat at all now. She appears to have black spots inside her body which at first I thought were just organs as also appeared in one of our healthy snakes (who is now bigger so you cant see it)

I know I've blabbed on quite a lot but this was our first clutch and as it stands we will probably not breed again as we feel like we have brought these snakes into the world and them dying on us just isn't a nice feeling.

I would appreciate any advice or thoughts on what we should do next?

[bitsy]

Firstly, it's not normal to slit Corn eggs. The fact that many died in the egg means that they were never destined to make it. As a result, you've "rescued" some which might have some developmental problems and I'm not surprised that some are non-eaters. I think you just had either a problem clutch or maybe the incubation conditions were slightly wrong. I'm so sorry you've had such a rocky experience. It's really heartbreaking when hatchlings seem so determined to die.

Freezing is viewed as inhumane by the British Vetrinary Association, as a study concluded that the snake remains conscious during the process. If you need to go that way then a vet can help. If you can't afford a vet, then a strong blow to the head which immediately destroys the brain, will cause instant death. I'm afraid it sounds very like your little one is reaching the end of its fight.

[gekosin]

Could you maybe explain in a bit more detail what you have tried feeding wise so we can maybe suggest a few other things?

[disgurlchar]

Thanks for both of your replies. Maybe the incubation temps were a bit high. We was using a lucky reptile viv with temps of 26, 28 and 30 degrees. We had it on 30 for the whole time which I guess was too high but after realising we didn't want to lower it in case it caused further issues. Coco - the one who died the other day had a spinal defect (two lumps on his back which grew further apart in time) but all the others "looked" fine but I understand they could have problems which are naked to the eye.

I dont think we could bring ourselves to destroying the snake's brain with a hammer or something - the thought makes me very upset. I too, think she is on her last legs. I shall call a vet and get a quote to have her put down as I feel really mean letting her die on her own.

We have tried feeding half a pinky (exposing brain and guts etc), leaving it for a few hours but no more as worried it would go off very quickly. Inside her hide allowing privacy and inside the tub on its own with nothing else inside. Hot and cold (and warm) also tried feeding tails of pinkys and tails of fluffs (which we feed our adult corn snakes). She doesnt even sniff any of them, its almost like she cant open her mouth. I have never seen her open her mouth -or drink anything. she just runs away from it and shuns it off. I have heard about force feeding but scared we would break her neck. The nearest herp vet is over 20 miles away so not like we can pop down the road with her either.

[disgurlchar]

Sorry - typo there. I meant Lucky Reptile Incubator - not viv

[gekosin]

All i can suggest further is tease feeding, i have never had to scent before... Wait a few days will the snake has calmed down then I usually find the smallest pinky (we prekill ours by gassing them) brain it by squishing the head till juices come out of the nose and then hold it in front of the snake, usually a few tongue flicks and i get a strike, if not i move the pinky back and forth from the snake till i get a strike... I have also never had to force feed so cant advise on that... good luck though hope you come right!

You say you have never seen it drink etc I usually look out for a tongue flick... In this case I take it out of its box and walk around to different rooms this would usually entice them to give a flick or two as they "smell" the air.

[disgurlchar]

Thanks Gekosin - I will try giving her a walk around later on, cant say I have ever seen a tongue flick but maybe I wasn't looking for that all this time as its so normal of a snake to do it. She has never struck at anything before. Even when accidentally I dropped the mouse on her back, she just slithered away. We buy our mice from the pet store and the smallest pinkys are even a little too big for our other baby corns so we slice them in half which i would assume gives out enough juices anyway. Everytime we feed her I always sit there for 5 or 10 mins waving it around and I just get nothing. Thanks for your advice - I will try again tonight but unfortunately I think shes come too far to attempt feeding now :(

[diamondlil]

Can you PM me, I'm in Kent and I may be able to help.

[disgurlchar]

Can you PM me, I'm in Kent and I may be able to help.

Have PM'd you, thank you :)

[diamond2906]

have you tried putting the snake in a tub with air holes put the snake & pinkie in the tub with a heat mat over the pinkie as one of mine only eats with the pinkie over the heat :)

[diamond2906]

sorry place the tub side with the pinkie over the heat mat* sorry about that

[disgurlchar]

Thanks diamond for your input. I havnt tried that no. The tub I have him/her in at the moment isnt that big so im sure she can easily smell the pinkie (as we half it down the middle so insides show) but its another idea I can try. I have some small tubs I can turn upside and put some holes it and I will put pinkie on hot side like you recommended but after 3 months of not even being interested I am very doubtful :(

[gsdbecca]

It's not about the tub being small enough for her to smell it. It's about being small enough that she feels safe. I've read on this cite that it is best that the baby be able to feel the sides of the container.

[disgurlchar]

It's not about the tub being small enough for her to smell it. It's about being small enough that she feels safe. I've read on this cite that it is best that the baby be able to feel the sides of the container.

Ahhh yeah I have read that somewhere too, now you mention it it does seem logical. Thanks for your advice :)

[disgurlchar]

This is for Diamondlil who asked to see a picture of our Rosie.

170733

170734

As you can see in one of the pics - her tail is very withered.

[disgurlchar]

Oh my - apologies for MASSIVE pics.

[diamondlil]

She looks to still have more muscle mass than Skooge (the non-feeder I rehabbed before). Skooge was so thin and weak she literally fell over to the sides rather than stay upright. I'll let you know when I can come up to collect her once I've spoken to Mick tonight and we'll take it from there. :)

[disgurlchar]

Thanks Janine - If you think she has hope then that's amazing! I'd love to see her grow up and become daddy's little angel (Snowy her dad is a snow corn as well and the only snow to come out of eggs). Some breeders probably don't think of their hatchlings as children of their adult snakes but we do lol! Yes if you could let me know that would be awesome! Did you say you were off work tomorrow? Hope you enjoyed your shift by the way :) x

[diamondlil]

Thanks Janine - If you think she has hope then that's amazing! I'd love to see her grow up and become daddy's little angel (Snowy her dad is a snow corn as well and the only snow to come out of eggs). Some breeders probably don't think of their hatchlings as children of their adult snakes but we do lol! Yes if you could let me know that would be awesome! Did you say you were off work tomorrow? Hope you enjoyed your shift by the way :) x
As I said in the PM, no guarantees, but I'll try to rehab her and keep you up to date every step of the way. Trust me, you'll get photos of everything, including her poops! We'll give her a chance with slow and careful syringe feeding and keep our fingers crossed.
(Edited to add, yep, I'm off work tomorrow so will be rampaging around the countryside with the dogs. And yep, work was satisfying but non-stop so my bed's calling me!)

[disgurlchar]

Yeah but shes got of a chance with you than she has with us. If she does end up going to snake heaven then at least I know that somebody tried to give her life :) haha cant wait to see normal poops if they happen :) Ahh ok lets hope the weather stays nice aye! So if you are busy tomorrow is it looking more like the Sat or Sun. Obviously I know you probably dont know yet and thats not a problem just curious :) Have a nice sleepies! x

[Amanda47]

That's awesome that you'll try to help out like that, Janine, hope it goes well!

[disgurlchar]

Isn't it just! If only there were more people in the world like her then maybe it wouldn't be such a bad place! :)

[Guruofchem]

Best of luck to both humans and hatchling - got my fingers crossed for you...

[disgurlchar]

Best of luck to both humans and hatchling - got my fingers crossed for you...

Thank you! That means alot to me - being the owner of our poor Rosie. This experience has put us off breeding our snakes as we have already lost a 2 and a half month old corn :(

[juliegarner]

aww hope all goes well for her. Good on you Janine hope you can help her xxx

[diamondlil]

I collected Rosie today. She's tiny but still active and unlike Skooge she's still able to move normally as she is stronger than she was. It was lovely to meet Charlotte but we were in a bit of a hurry as Mick's off out fishing overnight with his friends!
I weighed her in at just under 3g, so she got a puree'd day-old red head, just under 0.25 mls. She didn't swallow straight away, and started the backwards movement that usually means the carefully fed meal is coming out, paused, closed her mouth and then swallowed! As she's so tiny I'll feed her the same small amount in 4 days.

[disgurlchar]

I collected Rosie today. She's tiny but still active and unlike Skooge she's still able to move normally as she is stronger than she was. It was lovely to meet Charlotte but we were in a bit of a hurry as Mick's off out fishing overnight with his friends!
I weighed her in at just under 3g, so she got a puree'd day-old red head, just under 0.25 mls. She didn't swallow straight away, and started the backwards movement that usually means the carefully fed meal is coming out, paused, closed her mouth and then swallowed! As she's so tiny I'll feed her the same small amount in 4 days.

Awww she looks so happy! Cant thank you enough for coming to collect her and getting her feeding. I know its early days so not getting my hopes up that she will ever feed on her own but I have faith in her now that you have her. Was lovely to meet you and your partner, hope he enjoys his fishing! Thank you so much again, cant wait to see if her poop is looking any better haha! :) You're a diamond x

[Tara80]

What a cutie! J9, you're awesome! :)

[MysticExotics]

J9 is pretty awesome!

From what I have heard, green poo can be an indicator of kidney failure. I hope that J9 is able to rehab this little one!

[HermesMom]

What a great thing happening here :) I'm rooting for you Rosie.

[disgurlchar]

What a great thing happening here :) I'm rooting for you Rosie.

Aww that's very sweet of you. Can't wait to hopefully have her home home and healthy. Wouldn't it know what to do if I never signed up to this site and Janine hadn't of found me. Mummy lives you Rosie, see u soon sausage :) x

[disgurlchar]

Aww that's very sweet of you. Can't wait to hopefully have her home home and healthy. Wouldn't it know what to do if I never signed up to this site and Janine hadn't of found me. Mummy lives you Rosie, see u soon sausage :) x

Mummy loves *

[juliegarner]

Aww she is so sweet, i think we are all rooting for her xxx

[disgurlchar]

Aww she is so sweet, i think we are all rooting for her xxx

She is a cutie :) takes after her daddy who's also a snow.

[Snakeboy99]

We had a friend that asked us to help with some nonfeeders, my son (13) seems to have a knack for getting them to eat. He was able to get all of the nonfeeders to eat except 1, of course that's the one he decided to keep. He hand fed his little guy for months and finally he ate a live pinky on his own, he has recently started to eat frozen thawed pinkies. Funny thing is he will only eat inside a brown paper bag, we've tried everything you can imagine and the brown paper bag is his thing. We will put him and the pinky in a deli cup and leave them together for hours and he won't touch it, but as soon as we put him in a bag and drop the pinky in, he gobbles it right up! Good luck with your little Rosie!!

[disgurlchar]

We had a friend that asked us to help with some nonfeeders, my son (13) seems to have a knack for getting them to eat. He was able to get all of the nonfeeders to eat except 1, of course that's the one he decided to keep. He hand fed his little guy for months and finally he ate a live pinky on his own, he has recently started to eat frozen thawed pinkies. Funny thing is he will only eat inside a brown paper bag, we've tried everything you can imagine and the brown paper bag is his thing. We will put him and the pinky in a deli cup and leave them together for hours and he won't touch it, but as soon as we put him in a bag and drop the pinky in, he gobbles it right up! Good luck with your little Rosie!!

Aww that's a lovely story!! How sweet, ur son is obviously very patient and he must be very proud. Thank you for the luck, hope ur little snake goes up to be big and strong!!

[Nythain]

Kinda crazy how that brown paper bag trick works. Must be something about the smell or color or something, who knows.

[wildlifephotographer]

Hello- :) I hope everything works out for you and Rosie. I'm the friend of Snakeboy99. Her son is very patient and helped me a lot getting a few of my stubborn babies last year to eat. And he also kept one that didn't eat for the longest time but he is now. Just wishing you the best!

[diamondlil]

Rosie is curled up, digesting her meal. A great relief, even though I was so cautious to make it small enough I still wasn't sure she wouldn't regurge, but so far so good!

[disgurlchar]

Hello- :) I hope everything works out for you and Rosie. I'm the friend of Snakeboy99. Her son is very patient and helped me a lot getting a few of my stubborn babies last year to eat. And he also kept one that didn't eat for the longest time but he is now. Just wishing you the best!

Thank you very much for your kind wishes :) x

[disgurlchar]

Rosie is curled up, digesting her meal. A great relief, even though I was so cautious to make it small enough I still wasn't sure she wouldn't regurge, but so far so good!

Aww, I miss her. Looks wierd with only 2 tubs now :( such a relief that she took her first meal. I think things are looking up for my little sausage :) x

[kaypar2011]

Good luck Rosie. You are a lucky snake to have such great support.

[diamondlil]

Rosie was out exploring her little tub this morning, so time to chop and squish another pinky for her. Just under 1/2 a ml later and because she's a snow I could see the tiny food bolus pasing down inside her.

[disgurlchar]

Rosie was out exploring her little tub this morning, so time to chop and squish another pinky for her. Just under 1/2 a ml later and because she's a snow I could see the tiny food bolus pasing down inside her.

Awwww isn't my baby just super cute!! MISS her loads, feels weird not getting her out for cuddles. The other two we have are so moody and one of them is like a cobra and is starting to get teeth so I tend to let my boyfriend put his manly hands in and get nibbled! Thanks for keeping us posted, I cant imagine how shes feeling now shes got some food in her tummy! I hope you had a nice easter and thank you so much for what you are doing :D x

[gsdbecca]

Go Rosie, go! :)

[HermesMom]

Awe, what a cutie, especially in the pic where she needs a napkin ;) Great to hear she's keeping her meals down and that she's active and curious.

[diamondlil]

I got in from work this morning to find Rosie swimming in her water bowl and drinkng. No signs of a regurge so I'd say she's digesting her tiny syringe feeds just fine so far. Next feed will be on Saturday.

[disgurlchar]

I got in from work this morning to find Rosie swimming in her water bowl and drinkng. No signs of a regurge so I'd say she's digesting her tiny syringe feeds just fine so far. Next feed will be on Saturday.

Thanks Janine, hope she isn't getting in your way of anything. Cant wait to give her big kisses - that's if she doesn't hate me as I failed at being a mum to her lol. Never seen her drink before or go anywhere near her water bowl so really happy about that :)

[diamondlil]

Charlotte, she's no trouble at all! Syringing a tiny feed every few days literally takes half a minute.
(I've hand raised gerbil and zebra finch babies from when I used to breed them and also rehabbbed baby bluetits, pigeon squabs, starlings and blackbirds. Compared to hourly feedings of those, this is easy!)
I'm more hopeful for her chances, but still cautious. I'll be waiting until she's at least 10g before trying to see if I can get her to eat on her own. I can't see that being any sooner than 8 weeks or so away.
If you haven't seen this thread from when I first joined the forum, click on the link below

http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30056&highlight=saga

My epic battle to get my snow Lil feeding independently took 4 months, and then I had to wean her off of washed live pinkies to eating F/T! Skooge, my rehab snake took 2 months to get from 3g and being syringe fed to eating live pinks. I'd got the technique a lot more practised by then but she had a much stronger feeding response and never looked back from her first independent meal.
So I'm thinking Rosie will be back with you in June at the earliest, but I'll be updating you all the time. Still waiting for her first poo.........

[disgurlchar]

Charlotte, she's no trouble at all! Syringing a tiny feed every few days literally takes half a minute.
(I've hand raised gerbil and zebra finch babies from when I used to breed them and also rehabbbed baby bluetits, pigeon squabs, starlings and blackbirds. Compared to hourly feedings of those, this is easy!)
I'm more hopeful for her chances, but still cautious. I'll be waiting until she's at least 10g before trying to see if I can get her to eat on her own. I can't see that being any sooner than 8 weeks or so away.
If you haven't seen this thread from when I first joined the forum, click on the link below

http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30056&highlight=saga

My epic battle to get my snow Lil feeding independently took 4 months, and then I had to wean her off of washed live pinkies to eating F/T! Skooge, my rehab snake took 2 months to get from 3g and being syringe fed to eating live pinks. I'd got the technique a lot more practised by then but she had a much stronger feeding response and never looked back from her first independent meal.
So I'm thinking Rosie will be back with you in June at the earliest, but I'll be updating you all the time. Still waiting for her first poo.........

Gosh that's so far away!! But I know its for the best. Maybe sometime we could come visit her if you wouldn't mind? Be good to get to know you a bit more and see your little rascals :) Im hoping she will eventually have the taste for a mousey after feeding a few times, but I can see that being the hardest part (feeding on her own). Hopefully she will do a big poo soon and it wont look so green :D x

[diamondlil]

Gosh that's so far away!! But I know its for the best. Maybe sometime we could come visit her if you wouldn't mind? Be good to get to know you a bit more and see your little rascals :) Im hoping she will eventually have the taste for a mousey after feeding a few times, but I can see that being the hardest part (feeding on her own). Hopefully she will do a big poo soon and it wont look so green :D x
Of course you can visit!
I'm hoping to bypass the live pinky stage with Rosie by going straight to boiled F/T when she's big enough. It worked so well with last year's hatchlings that I didn't have to breed mice at all and I wish I'd known how well it works a few years ago. Live feeding is legal here, but even if you are just focussed on getting the snake to feed it's (for me) distressing.
That's in no way a criticism of people who routinely feed live pinks. It's standard practice for hatchlings in a lot of other countries and I'm convinced a lot of baby corns who fade away and die in the UK would eat without fuss if we could buy live pinkies

[disgurlchar]

Of course you can visit!
I'm hoping to bypass the live pinky stage with Rosie by going straight to boiled F/T when she's big enough. It worked so well with last year's hatchlings that I didn't have to breed mice at all and I wish I'd known how well it works a few years ago. Live feeding is legal here, but even if you are just focussed on getting the snake to feed it's (for me) distressing.
That's in no way a criticism of people who routinely feed live pinks. It's standard practice for hatchlings in a lot of other countries and I'm convinced a lot of baby corns who fade away and die in the UK would eat without fuss if we could buy live pinkies

I actually heard on this website that it was illegal but you apparently are allowed to feed live if its the only other solution - although im sure that isn't true because everybody would say "it was the only way". I at first thought it was a bit strange, personally I would feel a lot more comfortable feeding a live pinky/fluff to an older corn that knows how to attack prey but I guess everybody is different :D again - no criticism to those who do feed live :) Does F/T stand for frozen/thawed? dont laugh at me if it doesnt mean that haha! Rose has already been introduced to boiled pinky's so hopefully when she smells one again she will know its food this time, and not bring back back memories! You say your from Medway - is that Chatham area?

[diamondlil]

Yep, F/T is shorthnd for frozen/thawed. And yes, I'm afraid your little Rosie is very near to the home of chav! I shall do my best to prevent her getting huge gold earrings or Burberry handbags while she's here though

[disgurlchar]

Yep, F/T is shorthnd for frozen/thawed. And yes, I'm afraid your little Rosie is very near to the home of chav! I shall do my best to prevent her getting huge gold earrings or Burberry handbags while she's here though

Hahaha!! And if you could keep her from burning down cars and shoplifting that would be great lol :D I'm sure there's some nice places round there though :) its a bit like down here, luckily we live in a nice area but there's some rough ends down the road. I'll probably pop up with the fella in a few weeks if that's okay x

[juliegarner]

Way to go Rosie. Hope it all goes well for her now xxxxxx

[diamondlil]

We have poo! Third feeding. 1ml this time and some bad-taste flowers to celebrate! :cheers:

[Geminiluna]

Yay Rosie! You go, champ!

[DragonsDenSerpents]

Yay for poo! Keep it up, Rosie! :)

[juliegarner]

Atta girl. Way to go Rosie x

[HermesMom]

Wahoo Rosie!

[kc261]

I almost never post on this forum, but I lurk off and on and I've been following this story, and I just had to say: poo is awesome! WTG Rosie!

[Nythain]

I'll just leave this here...
0S8Z4xLSvu8

[disgurlchar]

Awwwhh my baby doing so well. That's quite a big poo as well :) I miss her lots, thank you to everyone on here that is wishing her well, and thanks for Janine for caring for her x

[LMS68]

I've been following the thread... Hurray for the eating :eatpointe & hurray for the massive poop! :dancer:

Well done guys!

[diamondlil]

Ok, hold on to your hats.............I thought Rosie looked more rounded in shape, but thought I might just be seeing what I wanted to. Well, she's a whole 5g! And that's after 2 big poops :dancer::dancer::dancer:
So another pulped pinky later and the little champ can rest and digest and hide under her flowers.

[disgurlchar]

Ohhh she does look rounder - like her mummy right here haha! Definately getting a fatty aint she :) She almost looks so different...

[diamondlil]

I couldn't get more photos as the camera needed to go on charge. Next feed will be on Sunday so I'll make sure I get more for you. :)

[disgurlchar]

Are you working at the weekend, I don't know what im doing yet but would love to pop over and see you feed her - it might make us change our mind about future breeding if it doesn't look so bad and too awful to do :) x

[diamondlil]

I think we're going fishing this weekend, Charlotte, next weekend would be better. I've got no problems in showing you how to syringe feed, but it's not something I do personally for my hatchlings. In the case of Lil, she is and always will be, a treasured pet. Skooge was also someone's pet, and I know you are a good and caring owner and love Rosie to pieces.
For the hatchlings I breed, it's a different matter. I want to sell trouble free, well started babies. Or want to keep healthy,well started future breeders. I can't sell force-fed babies without wondering if they have something not quite right with them that was the reason they wouldn't feed.

[EmmyGee]

Congratulations and best wishes for little Rosie! I hope for the best 8)

[Nanci]

When does she get to try a pinky head??

[diamondlil]

When does she get to try a pinky head??
She's active, alert, and gaining weight quicker than I thought she would! I'm going to get her to 6g before I try a boiled pink. I've managed to get the smallest reds I've ever seen after a fun half an hour picking through the freezer bags at the local pet store.

[diamondlil]

Still 5g despite a massive poop! Rosie was cruising her tub, ready for feeding. 1.5 mls of squished pinky. I'm not sure when she'll go into shed, and don't want to risk a regurge at this delicate stage, snows are still hard for me to tell when they are going blue. (Charlotte, can you remember when she shed before?)
I think next feed I shall try a tiny red, boiled. Rosie is so active and strong that she may be ready sooner than I'd thought she would be. The photo showing her 'looking for dinner', the syringe is in the foreground, it's not really that big!

[Nanci]

With my avalanches, if they are usually out, or at least in sight, and one day they are hidden away, this virtually always indicates they are blue. I also rely on weight if I just can't tell. I use a scale that weighs in tenths of grams. If there is a larger-than-expected weight gain, I suspect blue.

[diamondlil]

With my avalanches, if they are usually out, or at least in sight, and one day they are hidden away, this virtually always indicates they are blue. I also rely on weight if I just can't tell. I use a scale that weighs in tenths of grams. If there is a larger-than-expected weight gain, I suspect blue.
So far Rosie sems a very sociable little snakey, Nanci, so if she does hide that will be a good indication. I'm so happy she's doing so well. Trying to help your own snake is one thing, trying for someone else's loved pet is scary!

[disgurlchar]

OMG for some reason I havn't been getting notifications for this thread so I come on here and see all these new pictures of my baby!!

Janine - she has only ever shed once, and that was around 10 days after she came out the egg. Hasn't shed since so I thought she would of been in shed soon with those meals you feeding her!

Hope you enjoyed your weekend Janine - weather was lovely down here, good for fishing im assuming :) x

[Kaifyre]

Updatesville!!!

-- Kaifyre

[Brainmurk]

This has been a great encouragement for someone who's got a youngling that's been picky about eating. Super awesome feel-good story, and I'm totally rooting for little Rosie. You can do it, girl!

[diamondlil]

:dancer::dancer::dancer: Look at what Rosie did!

[hypnoctopus]

Great news!

[diamondlil]

So after the initial excitement, a quick check revealed it was an incomplete shed. Into the snake-o-bath with Rosie. She shed the bottom 2 thirds easily, then the very tail-tip needed gentle persuasion to come off with a piece of damp kitchen roll. I never measured Rosie, but I'm sure comparing these with her first photos she's growing in length now.
This is the first shed for her (after her post-hatching shed) so very good proof that she's starting to grow

[Guruofchem]

Nice - even with an incomplete shed this is good news. Keep us posted; aside from the random image thread, this is probably my favorite on the site...

[juliegarner]

Yay keep it up Rosie. Go girl xx

[gsdbecca]

She poops. She grows. She sheds. Now, just eat little girl! Eat! :)

[BooBoo18]

awe so nice to see her shed. I always check for updates to this thread when I come on. Rosie has a whole community of snake keepers rooting for her!!! GO ROSIE!!!

[Mogey]

She has a huge body of support from everyone reading. Like many others, I check this thread daily. Truly, an inspiration.

[diamondlil]

Rosie is coping well with her syringe-fed pinky puree, but I want her to get to 10g before I start trying her on independent feeding, so I'm upping both the quantity (2 whole mls!) and the frequency of her feeds. Back in the days when my snow Diamond Lil was driving me crazy and starving herself, it took washed live pinks to get her feeding. I'm not planning to breed mice unless I have to, but I've had a very generous offer from someone who does! So if little Rosie won't take f/t I have a back up plan....

[kc261]

Glad to hear little Rosie is doing well. How much does she weigh now?

I'm morbidly curious...just how do you make the pinkie puree anyway?

Another thought that just popped into my head... since so many corns seem to put on a growth spurt when they start eating more mature feeders, would it possibly promote faster growth if she was fed pureed fuzzies or hoppers or even adult mouse puree? Obviously you would still need to feed the appropriate amount. An interesting thought, but I don't think I recommend making Rosie the guinea pig to see how that would work out... I'm just curious what other people think of the idea.

[diamondlil]

Glad to hear little Rosie is doing well. How much does she weigh now?

I'm morbidly curious...just how do you make the pinkie puree anyway?

Another thought that just popped into my head... since so many corns seem to put on a growth spurt when they start eating more mature feeders, would it possibly promote faster growth if she was fed pureed fuzzies or hoppers or even adult mouse puree? Obviously you would still need to feed the appropriate amount. An interesting thought, but I don't think I recommend making Rosie the guinea pig to see how that would work out... I'm just curious what other people think of the idea.
5g on her last weigh-in.
I finely chop a pinky while it's still frozen with a small serrated edged knife, so I'm actually shaving off slivers rather than chopping, really.
With my former bad girl Lil, I did actually mince and then whizz in a blender hoppers and small adult mice for exactly that reason, but then she was well over the age that pinkies are usually fed. I then froze individual lumps of 'moussicle' to thaw for her feedings.
As Rosie is still so young, I'm using pinks with a nice fat 'milk tummy' at the moment.

[Pitbullgirl16]

I recently read through this whole thread. Such a pretty little girl! :) Goes to show there's hope in any situation. Go little Rosie!

[kc261]

5g on her last weigh-in.
I finely chop a pinky while it's still frozen with a small serrated edged knife, so I'm actually shaving off slivers rather than chopping, really.
With my former bad girl Lil, I did actually mince and then whizz in a blender hoppers and small adult mice for exactly that reason, but then she was well over the age that pinkies are usually fed. I then froze individual lumps of 'moussicle' to thaw for her feedings.
As Rosie is still so young, I'm using pinks with a nice fat 'milk tummy' at the moment.

Thanks for the info!

[disgurlchar]

Janine - She looks so big and long!! Bless my baby, cant wait to see her I miss not having a third tub to look into :(

Quick question, we started feeding whole 2g pinkys like you advised and the first time was great, both snakes pooped the next day and lump was gone. However 5 days later on the 2nd "whole pinky" feed they both took the pinky but Apricot hasn't pooed yet and that was last Friday we fed her, and it still seems like she has a small lump. Is there anything I can do to hurry up the digestion period and its unlike her to go this long without pooing it out. Especially when Rocky has done about 4 poos since.

[diamondlil]

I'd hold off feeding her and bump her heat up a little if it still looks like a feeding lump, but if it's just poop down near her tail I can't say I usually hold off on feeding. Getting her out for handling should shift it, especially if you let her crawl over something you don't want poo on! Obviously don't handle her if you think it's a feeding lump. Can you get a photo of her?
One thing you can also do to speed up digestion in the future is to slit the pink's skin a little before you feed it to her.
(The reason Rosie can digest bigber meals for her size is because I'm keeping her on the warmer en of the scale and of course her pink is all mushed up so digests quicker)

[disgurlchar]

Thanks - I will try and get a pic of her tonight. The trouble is that she is so hard to handle because all she wants to do is shoot out my hand and slither underneath something so I usually just let her slither through one of my hands to the other one and so forth. She seems to constantly be on her warm side so I reckon shes having trouble digesting it.

Another question - Dont spose you know about retained sperm in corn snakes?

[diamondlil]

I've only had slugs from an unbred female and one season I got a second clutch from retained sperm, never a repeat laying from a previously bred female the next year. You'll have to ask about it in the breeding section for others with more experience. This year I'm praying my bloodred Polly hasn't retained sperm because I want her to have this year off.

[disgurlchar]

Our female corn is so much more active and is behaving differently (all signs we had last time) and being breeding season im hoping that she isn't gravid or even thinking about it! Its too soon to go through this again, for her especially but for us also. Thanks for all your help Janine, please let us know when we can come visit :) x

[diamondlil]

Guess who weighs a whopping 6 grams! :dancer::dancer::dancer: Rosie has doubled her weight.
No photos this morning as I've just finished my night shift., just a quick weigh-in, tub clean and feed.

[disgurlchar]

Guess who weighs a whopping 6 grams! :dancer::dancer::dancer: Rosie has doubled her weight.
No photos this morning as I've just finished my night shift., just a quick weigh-in, tub clean and feed.

This is really great news - thanks Janine x

[diamondlil]

This is really great news - thanks Janine x
No worries Charlotte. She's doing great!

[juliegarner]

Way to go Rosie :):):)

[disgurlchar]

Any update? :) xx

[diamondlil]

Nothing new yet, yesterday a 2.5ml syringe full of gloop, today a fat, resting, digesting Rosie! She's very sweet natured and not objecting so much to the process now. I'll weigh her before her next feed and get photos for you. Waiting for trying her on a pinky is killing me!
How are the others doing?

[disgurlchar]

Aww bless her. Yeah she was never a problem Al the time we had her. Didn't mind being picked up and likes mooching about. Can't wait to see whether she will take a mouse herself. I hope she does!! Our little ones are okay, turns out Apricot was in shed when I said she wasn't pooing. As soon as I found the shed I found a massive poop too lol. We set up a little cage (kind of like a hamster cave but much much smaller and it's made for reptiles) with logs, trees, aspen and other fun stuff. Every now and again we pop on in at a time and they absolutely love it, or at least I think they do. They must get so bored in a small tub we thought we'd treat em! As for our big snakes, our male blows his load on you when we get him out the horny little bugger, and our female hides in her big tube unsocilably. How's ur snakes? You got eggs this year? X

[diamondlil]

3 clutches so far!

[disgurlchar]

3 clutches so far!

Aww how exciting!! What do you do with them all? No pet shops around here wanted ours before we knew how many we were having. After finding out we only had four we though Ahhh we just keep em lol.

[diamondlil]

Mine are pre-booked at an agreed price with a local reptile/pet shop. He mainly wants pretty normals and amels, so that's what I'm aiming for. I have one project clutch that won't be wholesaled though, they'll be offered to breeders.

[disgurlchar]

Ahhh that's cool, well I hope u get some pretty ones :)

[diamondlil]

7 grams now and another shed! A lovely complete skin this time, so I've saved it for you Charlotte.

[disgurlchar]

Aww she looks so fat and healthy :) And the shed look great too. Thanks Janine would love to keep the shed :) You still going to wait until shes 10g to see if she will take a real pinky? x

[diamondlil]

That's the plan still, remember this stage is all about getting her caught up a bit and strong enough that missing a meal or two to get her hungry isn't going to harm her. Next feeding I'll try force-feeding pinky heads or sections of mouse tail so she gets the idea of actively swallowing rather than passively getting food squirted down her throat.

[disgurlchar]

sounds like a good idea. Hopefully she takes it after nearly dying previously. Just hope she isn't going to be lazy and expect you to continue hand feeding her in a sense lol.

[diamondlil]

How are your other babies doing?

[disgurlchar]

Yeah they are doing really well thank you! Rosie is catching up with them really quickly. I weighed our two about 3 weeks ago and they weighed 9 grams so now we are feeding them the right amount im sure they will grow quicker. When Rocky sheds though, I can see the colour of him rubbed off on his shed, not sure why? He's still quite viscious though, we hate cleaning him out coz he likes to snap!

[Toboman]

Did everything turn out okay?