little blizzard corn

[little lacey]

I've had her since sept.16 she won't eat please help

[Blue32]

If i was you i would try to cut the top of the pinkies head, this will sometimes work. Also you can just look at other threads that have been posted about snakes not eating, they are very helpful. You can search these by clicking on the search button on the top. Hope she eats soon.

[little lacey]

I have tried putting her in the dark so she wouldn't be stressed out, I have tried putting her in a small container, I have tried braining, I have checked her temp. I have tried getting her mad so she would strike at it. She does not seem interested at all. I do not know what or even if she ate before I bought her. I have e-mailed the owner before me but of course no reply. Yet when i was inquiring about buying her I got quick e-mails back. The company is supposed to be reputible but not by me. I have waited for over a year to find a blizzard and I do not want to loose her. I do not know how to force feed and I have no reptile vets in my area. I am so worried about her .She acts very lively but she is living on borrowed time if I can't get her to eat. I have searched for hours through web sites and forums and I really cannot find a solution. I have tried everything(except force feeding). Anything you can think of to help would be greatly appreciated I don't want to loose her. Her name is little lacey. She does however have 2 dark spots on her underside and I have read this is to be a cause for concern but being that she is a little tranclucent anyway should I worry? thank you again

[dwyn127]

That's really not a long time to go without eating so I wouldn't worry too much just yet. If you got him from a reputable breeder and know he was eating before you got him, you may want to read up on the FAQ in Husbandry to make sure your giving the best care for minimal stress, best temps for thermoregulation and digestion with a warm and cool side, multiple hides, etc...

[little lacey]

thank you for the quick reply and I will do what you suggest right now but how long can she go without eating before this should become something I should worry about it has been three weeks.

[dwyn127]

I have a pair of hatchlings that went 2 months before eating for the 1st time. I finally got them to eat by sticking the f/t pinkies head inside an anoles mouth to get saliva on in and put a small piece of anole skin on the nose; both ate within 15 minutes. Only problem with this, is it's still the only way they'll eat a pinky so if you try it, be prepared to keep an anole in the freezer. I've used up the skin and am now using feet, so an anole will go along way.

There's also a thread here about washing the pinky with ivory soap; check it out too. Good luck.

[little lacey]

thank you again this is the first good news I have had since we've gotten her. I have heard about the anole but didn't quite know how it worked. Thank you I will try the anole as soon as I can get to the pet store and get one. I am taking it that these are alive when I get them. Do I have to kill them to get their scent or saliva> IF so my husband will have to do that. thank you again for the good news. I will keep you posted on her. I have read over some of the husbandry techniques and we have everything in order I have had one other baby corn before but I never had any problems with him. He is my youngest daughters snake(zippy is his name) we have had him for about a year now and he has gotten very long and is now starting to fill out sideways now. I hope that lacey has a future like this too and I will do what it takes to ensure this.

[dwyn127]

I just refrigerate the anole for about 20 minutes, then in the freezer he goes. Just thaw it every time you feed, then stick it back in the freezer.

I trust that you have seperate vivs for each snake.

[little lacey]

Yes I do have them in seperated cages. I have 5 corn snakes and I have them all in seperate cages except for a male and female I bought as a breeding pair. My husband will definantly have to do the anole thing. And great news I just heard from the prior owners and they said that she has eaten at least a dozen of times prior to her sale or they would not have sold her. He also gave me a tip to try that I haven't heard before. He said to take out the water bowl for two days and then try thawing a pinky in warm water without wiping the pinky off try feeding it to the snake . The water on the pinky might actually attract the snake to eating the pinky .I really appreciate all your help , you are a god send. I will keep you posted.

[bill38112]

Reading between the lines, it seems you have had a lot of contact with your new baby. I have a male amel stripe that went four weeks without eating (turns out he was being grumpy getting ready to shed) I think as a group, we newbies give our snakes way too much attention and we stress the hell out of them, especially the babies.

Try leaving him alone for a minimum of three days before attempting to feed him again. I also feed my snakes in their vivs because I believe it stresses the snakes less than taking them out of their vivs and putting them in a strange environment (there's a whole debate on the pros and cons of that in another thread). Put the pinkie on a saucer or in a shallow cereal bowl to protect against ingesting substrate. Then turn out the lights and give your boy a minimum of an hour to find the pinkie.

Don't get discouraged. You are far from exhausting all the remedies necessary before you try force feeding. :)

[little lacey]

thank you for your reply also and I will take heed on your note. I have become over obsessive about checking on her everyday afraid I will find her not alive from not eating. I have a few options and more hope after everyones help and I cannot thank all of you enough. With you help she has a much greater chance and I might actually get some sleep tonight.

[diamondlil]

I'd second the 'no unnecessary handling' for a non-feeder. I've learnt from when my snow was having her problems, and the newer hatchlings only get handled (briefly) on their feeding days. Good luck

[BeckyG]

I third the "no unnecessary handling" idea. Stress can be one of the biggest traumas for a young hatchling. Even though my Scarlett eats, since he has regurging problems, I don't hold her unless absolutely necessary. It does seem to help.

[little lacey]

I have removed her fake plastic tree because I have read sometimes that the smell from new plastic can throw off the scent of the food. She immediatly went into her log and acted comfortable for the first time since we brought her home. I haven't bothered her now for 1 full day and I am going to give it a couple of more days before trying to feed her. I also moved her viv away from the other vivs yesterday .I thought that if just looking at her too much can stress her out then maybe if she could see the other snakes moving in their vivs that this too could stress her out . I have put a blanket around the sides of her viv to block any disturbances so maybe this time she will eat.