feeding problem

[drizzt8]

okay so I went out and got my first corn snake. Had everything set up for it when I brought it home. The terrarium is not large (was told large ones stress out small snakes), I have aspen shavings as substrate, 2 hiding spots, water dish, hot and cold side (temperature on hot side is between 80 and 90) Everything from what the pet guys told me to what I've read in books and on the internet, I have done correctly. And yet my snake didn't eat. The pet councilor told me it was probably just stress, so I should just chill out and wait. So I waited, and waited. One day I woke up and my snake was dead. Starved to death. Pet councilor said I did everything right and there must have been something wrong with the snake, so they refunded me and I decided to buy another snake. Well now I am totally convinced that I am doing something wrong because it has been 3 weeks since I got it and it hasn't eaten either. I've done everything right. Yet I'm convinced I must be doing something wrong. I am going to go talk to the pet councilor again, but I'm worried hes just gonna tell me to wait cause its probably stressed out. Please help before I lose this one too.

[Rich in KY]

How old is this snake?

What are you feeding it?

Do you keep it in the viv to feed it?

[Lennycorn]

Between 80 and 90 degrees is on the warm side but why can't you set it a a certain degree?? Also..you say you did everything correctly but besides reading the book and the internet you haven't said what your feeding process is. We need to know the steps you have taken.

[drizzt8]

well I've done a few different things because nothing seemed to work. First few times I listened to my pet councillor. I stuck the snake in a seperate container and let him melow out in there for about an hour. Then I put the food in with him and left him for another hour. I tried that few times and the snake just ignored the mouse. I tried tease feeding by dangling the mouse in front of it, but the snake just got scared :S For my second snake I did a little more research and tried a few things like piercing the skull and squeezing a litle blood out. I also put the snake in a smaller container so it could focus on the mouse. But again it just didn't touch it.

[drizzt8]

i'm not sure how old my snake is. Hes just a small little guy so not that old. And no I don't keep it in my viv to feed it. I tried a couple times but gave up on that.

[Rich in KY]

Just guessing, but since you said the snake is little, take a thawed pinky. Wash it, then heat it in water or chicken broth to about 100*. You will need a kitchen thermometer for this. You do not want to make it too hot and cook the pinky. Pat it dry with paper towels. Drop it in whatever small container you have been using with the snake. Make sure it is secure and leave it undisturbed overnight.