Baby corn feeding

[Morrigan]

I recently bought a baby albino okeetee corn snake from a pet store. I don't know how old he is, but he's smaller than a silver dollar when he's curled up.

In any case, he was live fed at the store, which I refuse to do (I'd get rid of him before I did something so inhumane)
He last ate 6 days ago, and has deficated, but is uninterested in a scented (t-rex mouse maker)prekilled morsel.

When should I be worried about him not eating, and is there anything I can do OTHER than live feeding to help him be interested?

It's not that I'm squemish, I'm just a rodent lover. It seems odd to have a snake, I know, but he's so beautiful
http://people.ucsc.edu/~morrigan/images/snakey.jpg

[Alicia]

If he was fed live it may take time to switch over to f/t. You may need to rethink your decision not to feed live for now or the snake may starve. I took in a baby Ball Python that would not eat f/t and it's owner would not feed live. It almost starved to death. In all my years of keeping snakes I have never seen a snake so thin. It's eating now and is gaining weight but will still only eat live. I feed live if that is the only way the snake will eat and then offer the f/t after they are feeding well and I feel comfortable letting them get real hungry. I hope you will reconsider and feed your new snake what it will eat, even if that is live pinkies.

Try putting the snake and the f/t pinkie in a paper bag secure the top and leave undisturbed overnight.

You can try braining(cutting open the head) the pinkie, this will sometimes get them to take it.

He's a pretty little snake:)

[kenalotia]

Try getting the pinkie warm, so it has a stronger smell and is a similar temp to what it would be alive. Then hold the pinkie with tweezers or tons and wiggle it in front of your snake. You may be able to trick your snake into thinking the pinkie is actually alive.

[Iris]

I was also a little hesitant about feeding my snakes live mice but I got my hatchlings to feed on f/t pinkies. When the pinkie is still frozen, snap of the head and try feeding just that. The smell of blood and brain juice might entice the hatchling to eat it.

[Simon]

Well it may take a little time for a snake to switch from live to f/t
but some will just take them with no problem at all

sinec you said that your snake ate 6 days ago, I wouldn't start worrying yet. I'd say that you have at least a month or two before you start to worry....sometimes even after a month or two you still don't have to worry...

here is what you can try before giving it another live pinky to eat.
1) F/T pinky room temperature
2) F/T pinky (thaw with warm water)
3) Brained F/T pinky with above two methods
4) chicken brothed f/t pinky
5) Put f/t pinky and snake into a brown paper bag and leave over night
6) Feed in deli cup over night
7) lizard scented f/t pinky (Do this only after the first 6 steps)

There are more options than this...but these are just some of them...

Remember, offer it food and if it doesn't take the food item it's okay. Leave him a lone for at least 3-4 days before trying to offer again.

If there is any other things you need to know or what to know, PLEASE come back!

Visit this site often and you'll gain a lot of experienced herper's knowledge....

[Morrigan]

I currently have him in a plastic deli cup with it, I'll check him tomorrow and see if he's taken it. I did warm it first with warm water.

I'm afraid if he doesn feed f/t then I'll have to find someone to take him. I simply can't feed live.

Would rubbing the pinky on a live rat help? I'm not positive I can handle doing that, but it is a possibility.

[Iris]

just a thought in hindsight..
If you plan on getting another corn, ask the person/place you're getting it from if it already feeds voluntarily on f/t mice.

[Morrigan]

I know, I did ask what he was eating, but a friend assured me he would be switched over easily. I don't plan on getting any more snakes though.

I hadn't planned to buy from a pet store, I planned to buy from a breeder, but they had the snake I've always dreamed of, so I lost my resolve not to buy from a pet store.

[kenalotia]

I really suggest you try wiggling the warmed pinky in front of the snake. Maybe touch the snake on the neck with the pinky. If he's eaten before, he's not exactly a problem feeder. He may just need to think it's still alive for the first few feedings. And don't try to feed him every day. Wait a few days between feeding attempts.

[Simon]

You are letting it go?
If it doesn't feed on f/t???????/
Where are you located?
I am more than happy to take him for you!!!!

[Morrigan]

I'm going to give it a few months to see if we can work it out.

I do know someone who would take him if necessary. I don't want to give him up, I'm totally in love with him, but I love being a humane individual more.

As a rodent lover, I can't even begin to get my mind around live feeding.

I'll keep trying with him though. Thanks for all the advice.

[Simon]

A lot of problem feeders will start to eat f/t once they get hungry enough....
don't worry too much about it

Hope that he eats for you soon!

Good Luck and Happy Herping!

[Anery]

Just a question. How is it inhumane to feed a snake live prey when they dont have freezer's in the wild? Granted frozen is better but if your going to be a snake owner you better have the guts to feed live just in case.

[wax32]

What's "a scented (t-rex mouse maker)prekilled morsel"? Is that some sort of substitute mouse?

Inhumane is really the wrong word for this context I think. You are squeamish about the idea of snake eating a live mouse. It's what they do. I actually prefer to feed frozen mice also, but not from a "loving rodents" standpoint.

I should mention that I have kept all manner of small mammals as pets, and loved them all: mice, rats, hamsters, gerbils, cavies, rabbits, ferrets.

BUT, snakes do what snakes do. Maybe a snake isn't for you?

I hope you get it worked out.

PS: if any of that sounded harsh, I wasn't trying to be...

[susang]

Guess what this thread is five years old. But we have fallen for old threads and brought them back to life.

[wax32]

Doggone! I usually catch that too. :headbang:

[wax32]

Well, she only posted 22 times, SO I am guessing she gave up on the snake thing.

[Anery]

Didnt see that either. I just dont get it when people get snakes and say its inhumane to feed them what they eat in the wild yet they will go to Mcdonalds and scarf themselves on beaten chickens and cows. It's either live or let live, whats your survival instinct?
:crazy02: