Tiny hatchling, looks thin. Need help

[sweetdiego7]

So here is the run down....my bf and I went to a reptile convention and I happened to win a corn in a raffle (with my entry ticket)..hooray, I finally win in a raffle, except I didnt want another corn.
He's not a normal, I, not sure what he is...I plan to give h imto my friend once I get him eating...

So here is the problem, When I got my adult corn as a hatchling he was a good feeder, had already shed, and could easily eat small pinkies. This little guy is tiny, I mean, he's probably 8 inches long but thinner than a pencil, with his head probably bigger than the rest of his body.

Im not sure what to do, we have a friend who is a big breeder of snakes, (although not corns), and says he looks thin, and may not have ever eaten....

I got some advice that he may go for crickets, but he doesnt seem interested at all. I have 3 frozen pinks, but I dont think he could eat them.....but I guess I should try? (I havent opened to package, had to get them at Petco, dumb, but Im not buying a $50 order at a online store for him to not eat, and then die....but from feeling the package they seem too big)..... its only 2pm here, but I really dont want him spending any more time without food.

I have held him to his water dish and he drank last night, and then again when holding him to his dish he drank again....

I just want him eating!

Any ideas? Should I warm up a pink and see if he seems interested at all? I have nothing to 'scent' with, and it seems sad, but I know some just dont make it, which is ok, since I wasnt planning on getting another corn. He's active around his little cage, in my hand he moves around, and searches around his little lot... (its funny to see him in this little critter carrier, when my 2 year old corn is in this huge tank)

Any help would be great....I just cant afford putting a lot of money into this, to save a perhaps not that healthy of a corn, that I won....but if I can get him eating, I know my friend would LOVE to have him.

Thanks all!
-Day

[TheHated]

GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!! crickets are very bad they are a extreme nono. Use the pinks they can take them down. seriously they can. if it dosn't eat the pink then take a razor and expose the brain ( seriously do it ) If that dosn't do it use the soap trick were you wash the mouse with ivory soap but get the stuff that is non toxic. wash it with soapy water then rinse it down GOOD. Then put in the tank overnight

[BeckyG]

He could probably eat the pinkies if they are small. If you still are concerned, while it is still frozen, cut one of them in half and see if he can take them. If the half pinky still seems too big, you can try a mouse leg or the base of a rat's tail.

Don't try to feed it crickets. Corns can't digest them.

Good luck with it.

[sweetdiego7]

.....I know hatchlings seem to amaze people on how large of things they can swallow, the pinky seems like 3 times the size of his body, but I did put the pink in a little cardboard box, along with the unnamed babe, and he smelled it a bunch, and for the first time I saw him open his mouth....I left him in the box and put it back in his 'critter carrier'....I will check back on him later....At least he tried. And if he doesnt get it down, I will cut it down to a smaller portion.

Now what do I do with the 22 small crickets I have? ugh....dont have any pets that would eat them....

The pet count down for my boy and I personally (plus 2 LARGE dogs and a 21 yr old cat of his moms).....7 guinea pigs, 3 ferrets, a 1yr old cat, a 2yr old corn, and now a little female red tailed boa. (I've wanted one for years, was going to reward myself when I graduated college, but never did.....so I talked the boy into buying one (I live with him anyways)....instead of a burmese, or retic....yes still a very large full grown snake, but not AS big.

I still want my 'own' red tail, and perhaps we will still get another since then it would be feasible to buy frozen/thawed mice/rats in bulk, with the huge shipping costs they come along with. My boy likes to feed live, but we live in a little town, and finding mice/rats for a good price isnt possible, so Im going to try to talk him into it. I know the pros etc, but some people just have their beliefs, ya know?

[bill38112]

I can't emphasize this enough. You can't feed a stressed snake. After acquiring a new corn snake, especially a hatchling, put them in their viv and LEAVE THEM ALONE for a minimum of three days. Don't try to feed them, don't handle them, don't tap on the glass to get their attention. Leave them alone. Once the new arrival has had a chance to get over the trauma of being relocated to strange surroundings, give them a small meal. For such a small snake, I would put the snake in a small container with half a pinkie and leave them alone overnight...no peeking. Most snakes, once relaxed, will eat.

I realize this baby was foisted on you, but be patient and give it a chance to live. Good luck.

[chibitamalove]

Good luck with the poor snakey. It's good that he attempted to eat. That means he's interested, at least. So yes, if he doesn't keep the whole pinkie down, try a pinkie head 10 days later, and he'll probably keep it down. Half the time, the problem with non feeder corns is to just get them interested in feeding at all.

[sweetdiego7]

Well he DID eat the whole dang pinky. And he seems very happy, lol...I dont know how I know how he feels but I know i would be with a full belly. It also looks like he pooped a very small amount, so he may have been a tad constipated from the lack of water throughout the reptile expo.

As long as he keeps it down, then things look good.

Now that Ben (the bf) is home, and see's he's eating.....he wants to keep it!!! I already told my friend that if he eats she can have him, and NOW he wants to keep him (he always wants to keep every pet we have)

I dont know what to do, another corn means soon he will need to be switched to another tank. As or right now we have a 40 or 50 gallon tank with my adult corn in it (actually probably bigger than he needs, hes not that big, but the tank was left over from a previous snake Ben owned) His red tailed boa is in a 20gal long, but will obviously be outgrowing that, and then moved to the 40-50gal....And then we have the 'itty bitty pencil' snake....in just a large 'critter carrier'....Room is becoming a problem, that is all in our bedroom! So I guess its time to figure out a 'snake section' of our place. Which will be difficult.

In a while I will get a picture of the little one up, and you guys can help me decifer what he is....all I know for sure is he's male. lol My adult was VERY dark when I got him, basically dark brown (which is now bright red), and then tan (which is now orange.....This guys is more a reddish orange color for his darker areas, and then a pink for the lighter, with a light stomach, but you can see the look of the 'tiled' stomach, white, and a light gray.....I just dont know enough about morphs to know.

Im so happy he ate, crossing my figer he keeps it down.

[chibitamalove]

I'm rooting for him!

Normally, if it was a really healthy corn, I'd say that you friend should get it and not you guys, only because you promised her. However, in this case, since I think you guys have more experience (if it's the same, then I think your friend gets the corn), you guys maybe should keep him, since he's a bit sickly. You could get your friend another corn that's healthier. Or you could keep him for another couple of weeks, make sure he's fine, and then give him to your friend.

Good luck with everything!

[sweetdiego7]

Well I dont think she has had a snake ever, but she is a good pet 'mom'....we are/were both Animal Science majors, so we are definitely 'animal focused'...

Ben just wants EVERYTHING, and especially since he isnt a 'normal' corn...wants to keep it even more...as you can see by our pet list. Everything but my adult corn and cat have been within 10 months.... :sidestep:

And if I do get to get the boa I want....we just cant have that many snakes to care for, its not just the food that will ad up, but if we keep this little guy we will need 2 more cages, accessories....etc.


Oh, side question....I know this is asked a MILLION times, but I have never had Torque sexed, the breeder friend of ours confirmed this little one is male, but I have no idea what Torque is.

He's probably 3.5feet long now, what can I look for? (I can bring him to my firend to have him sexed, but I'd love to maybe guess)

Longer tail means...?
The look of the vent...?

Just wondering if anyone has some advice.

[chibitamalove]

Longer tail means female. Males have shoter tails that don't taper as much. You should get him probed.

[BeckyG]

Glad he ate for you. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for him.


Now what do I do with the 22 small crickets I have? ugh....dont have any pets that would eat them....



Go fishing...

[simple_minded]

Well... one way to do it is to hang on to the little guy for a couple of weeks and tell your friend that you're holding on to him for quarantine and making sure that he'll eat properly. Then after a couple of weeks tell her that you grew attached to the little guy (which you probably will.. so it's not really a lie) and if she's a good friend I'm sure she'll understand. :)

[chibitamalove]

But the thing is, SweetDiego wouldn't be too much of a great friend if SHE kept the snakie after promising her friend, now, would it?

[cornspot]

Go fishing...

I was thinking the same thing! or give the cats some toys?

Glad the baby ate for you. I would get it to feed another time or two before giving to your friend. Corns are a good 1st snake & your bf could always go visit