feedin backwards

[dragar]

hi guys i just got my new corn snake (2 mnths old) this morning and fed it its first pinky this evening... except sammy ate the pinky tail first, i thought that corns could only eat the pinky head first, does this mean that he will regurgutate it? im hoping not as he tried so hard to eat it and seems to enjoy it, can anyone shed some light onto this for me please :shrugs:

[snakemom1961]

I just fed my baby 2 pinkies for the first time today. Before now it was eating 1 pink but after 24 hours there was no lump. Anyway, it decided to eat the first one butt first, the second head first. I'm by far no expert, but from what i've read on here in different threads, it isn't unusual for babies to eat pinks butt first. From what I've read it is because the pinks are really shaped pretty much the same the whole length of thier bodies. It isn't until they grow a little that the snake is more apt to care about taking it head first. Hope this helps.

[connord94]

He'll be fine, dont worry about him, Monty did it PLENTY of times when he ate pinks.

[dragar]

well it put my mind at rest slightly knowing that, since putin this thread up i did read a few corn doing that and phew i dont want him to regurge after the first feed lol

however any knowledge on him eating substrate as well?

[Lore]

He'll be fine. Some snakes are just "butt munchers" one of our members "jazzgeek" has a ton of "butt muncher" snakes ;)

Even I have a few :grin01: :cheers:

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/silentlore/gdfeed4.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/silentlore/New_05_Okeetee0007.jpg

In all seriousness, its no big deal, just happens sometimes ;) Some eat the pizza crust first, some dont :shrugs: :wavey:

[Lore]

however any knowledge on him eating substrate as well?

Don't feed your snake in its enclosure on the substrate, injesting substrate could cause life threatening blockages. It is best to feed in a seperate container, or place the meal on a large piece of card board in the enclosure at the very least, I have a few that will not eat out of their enclosure, therfore they eat on a large piece of cardboard which works out fine too... I just may to that with all my snakes at some point for convience sake. :cheers:

[Nanci]

The way a snake tells which end is which is by feeling the direction of hair growth and feeling for the hard skull. A pink is bald, and its skull is usually pretty mushy, so it's no wonder pinks get eaten tail first.

Nanci

[Weebonilass]

hi guys i just got my new corn snake (2 mnths old) this morning and fed it its first pinky this evening... except sammy ate the pinky tail first, i thought that corns could only eat the pinky head first, does this mean that he will regurgutate it? im hoping not as he tried so hard to eat it and seems to enjoy it, can anyone shed some light onto this for me please :shrugs:


Well, if it comes back up it won't be because the corn ate it butt first, but more likely because you fed it the same day you brought it home instead of giving it some time to settle from the stress of relocating.

[dragar]

oooooooooh i didnt know you were supposed to take it out of the viv first, and the relocation might eplain why it was burying itself under the chippings and also wouldnt let me pick him up, although was cute, before he ate the pinky i think he was tired coz he yawned lol was soooo cute

[Lore]

Well, if it comes back up it won't be because the corn ate it butt first, but more likely because you fed it the same day you brought it home instead of giving it some time to settle from the stress of relocating.

Not always true... Often if I recieve a new snake on or near feeding day, I will feed it right away so it can be in the same schedule as like size snakes, I have never had an issue with any regurge from feeding the day I've recived a snake, rather than waiting several days to a week to work them in.

That's my 2 cents from my experience thus far. :cheers:

The new snakes I got yesterday infact pounded a pink right away (face first :rolleyes: ) yesterday evening when I fed other hatchlings, upon checking them today the meal has already been nicely digested as there is no lump visible and no regurge.

Once thing I do practice with new snakes is I put them on papertowels at first so I can observe their poo & easily see if there is any regurge & whatnot, after a few feedings I allow them to be on aspen.

[Lore]

yawned lol was soooo cute

he wasn't yawning... he was realigning his jaw, that they dislocate when they eat.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/silentlore/Phinius2MARCH2006.jpg

[Nanci]

Here's another way they realign- by pressing the sides of their jaw on the ground. The lower jaw is connected to the skull by ligaments, and is also able to separate in the center.

Nanci

[Weebonilass]

Not always true... Often if I recieve a new snake on or near feeding day, I will feed it right away so it can be in the same schedule as like size snakes, I have never had an issue with any regurge from feeding the day I've recived a snake, rather than waiting several days to a week to work them in.

That's my 2 cents from my experience thus far. :cheers:


I was just quoting directions from VMS website. Also, Don Soderberg recommends waiting in his book and Kathy recommends waiting in her book. That makes waiting pretty good procedure to me. :)

[bill38112]

Not always true... Often if I recieve a new snake on or near feeding day, I will feed it right away so it can be in the same schedule as like size snakes, I have never had an issue with any regurge from feeding the day I've recived a snake, rather than waiting several days to a week to work them in.

Sorry, but I have to provide an opposing opinion. Virtually every book or care sheet you will find counsels NOT to feed or handle when you first get your snake. Yes I know that many people do so without incident, but you are statistically safer to wait a few days to feed your new acquisition than you are to feed it right away. Use your common sense. Ever heard of a snake regurging a meal fed to it 15 minutes after it arrives at its new home? Ever heard of a snake dying of starvation five days after arriving at a new home? Read Kathy Love's book, a few care sheets and search this forum. The preponderance of opinion is don't feed on the first day the snake arrives.
:cheers:

[BeckyG]

Most folks do recommend waiting a few days to feed or handle so the snake can settle down, but I know many who will feed them on they day they get them. Most snakes are ok with this.

Dragar, you know not to mess with him for 48 hours after feeding right? That is more likely to cause a regurge than butt-munching or feeding the day he gets there.

[Nanci]

Lore has a ton of experience and can judge whether to feed a new arrival on schedule or hold off and let it settle in.

For the new owner, several days to a week of settling in/not handling, then a feeding attempt is recommended, because establishing feeding is the most important thing. If Lore has a refusal, she has the experience to deal with it. A new owner is just better off not getting into that situation in the first place.

Nanci

[LindsayMarie]

As Lore refers to it, all of mine (4) have "butt munched" at least once, some do it more often then others...lol This has yet to cause a regurg w/ mine. I have even had one (Snoop the fire) eat 2 pinks in a meal, one butt first, then the 2nd time was a charm and he ate it head first :) Well goodluck with the new one and remember not to handle the 2-3 days after each meal!

[Jdizzyfizzy]

Yea umm, since your a new snake owner i would just also like to say from my nooby experience, there very moody the first week, Damien would snap at me and everything "he still ate but thats because hes a pig" now he sits there watching me chat on-line :P remember the more time you give them alone, the quicker they take to settle in.

[jazzgeek]

He'll be fine. Some snakes are just "butt munchers" one of our members "jazzgeek" has a ton of "butt muncher" snakes ;)OK, I'm gonna have to start stalking Lore's posts so that my reputation is not sullied any more than I sully it myself. :grin01:

A "ton"? Pffffft. Three, tops.

I just don't know which three from one feeding to another. :shrugs:

:crazy02:

In all seriousness, its no big deal, just happens sometimes ;) Some eat the pizza crust first, some dont :shrugs: :wavey::roflmao: EXCELLENT turn of a phrase!!

regards,
jazz

[MegF.]

I wouldn't worry about it. I fed my first one without waiting the required days because I didn't know better. I've learned to judge the personality of the snakes I get these days and decide which ones I'll feed immediately. With the chondros, it was recommended to me to feed immediately before they realize they are somewhere new and go into shipping stress. I've fed the last 2 the day they arrived and had no problems. I do make sure that they are left alone except for water for at least 3 to 4 days after their feeding. As a new owner though, I would suggest waiting in the future until you're sure of how different snakes react. As far as butt first, I've had everything from babies to adults eat backwards with never a problem. It usually takes them a bit longer, especially something bigger, but it's never caused any difficulty for them.

[Lore]

Sorry, but I have to provide an opposing opinion. Virtually every book or care sheet you will find counsels NOT to feed or handle when you first get your snake. Yes I know that many people do so without incident, but you are statistically safer to wait a few days to feed your new acquisition than you are to feed it right away. Use your common sense. Ever heard of a snake regurging a meal fed to it 15 minutes after it arrives at its new home? Ever heard of a snake dying of starvation five days after arriving at a new home? Read Kathy Love's book, a few care sheets and search this forum. The preponderance of opinion is don't feed on the first day the snake arrives.
:cheers:

Excuse me, everyone has their own methods and practices. I know all the books, I have them all, thank you. I was simply stating not always true and that this new snake owner did not serve their snake a death sentance by feeding it right away.

There is no need to flame me or tell me that I lack common sence.

Have a nice day. :rolleyes:

[MegF.]

I agree with Lore there. The fact that they fed would have given them one more thing to worry about. For what it's worth, I often go with what the breeder tells me about the animal. Most tell me go for it and feed it. With the chondros...the preponderance is to try feeding when they arrive. Although I think it's best for a beginner to wait, some don't find this site until after they've done the stuff (I was one of those). I handled my snake from day one, fed him 2 days after I got him (didn't handle him after feeding though)....and ya know what??? He's now a 4 ft. monster, living in a classroom with a million kids, has fathered a clutch of 21 babies and never missed a meal except at breeding time. He also never regurged or had a single issue. The nice thing about Corns is that they are remarkably easygoing and great for the beginner who will most likely make a mistake or two in the time they are learning. Yay for the placid corn!!!

[Weebonilass]

I agree with Lore there. The fact that they fed would have given them one more thing to worry about. For what it's worth, I often go with what the breeder tells me about the animal. Most tell me go for it and feed it. With the chondros...the preponderance is to try feeding when they arrive. Although I think it's best for a beginner to wait, some don't find this site until after they've done the stuff (I was one of those). I handled my snake from day one, fed him 2 days after I got him (didn't handle him after feeding though)....and ya know what??? He's now a 4 ft. monster, living in a classroom with a million kids, has fathered a clutch of 21 babies and never missed a meal except at breeding time. He also never regurged or had a single issue. The nice thing about Corns is that they are remarkably easygoing and great for the beginner who will most likely make a mistake or two in the time they are learning. Yay for the placid corn!!!


And yet we have a rash of non-feeding r and death of little ones from new folks here on the list. None of them I think I can safely say from eating their meals backwards :D I didn't know a lot of the "rules" when I got my first ones either and had no problems, but as several folks have pointed out in the past, lots of new owners do.

No one said anything about it causing death sentence, I don't think.... but it can contribute towards regurges according to those most in the know.

[bill38112]

There is no need to flame me or tell me that I lack common sence. (sic)
Have a nice day. :rolleyes:

Lore, I have a great deal of respect for your experience and judgement. I meant no disrespect. However, your advice to the newbie lacked a cautionary statement. Although you, who have the experience and eye to determine that an immediate feeding would not harm a newcomer, the first time snake owner does not. I think the more cautious approach is to give the new snake and new snake owner some time to get to know each other.

Every novice who loses their first pet is a potential loss to our hobby. My opposing opinion is just that, another opinion. Unfortunately at this juncture in our fancy we have virtually no academic research going on. We all are relying on anecdotal guidance. The best we can do is read everything and judge for ourselves what is working for the majority of situations.