Feeding Question

[zultimatez]

I have a feeding question, not really a problem feeder yet, I picked up an 07 corn at the Tinley Show last saturday. I then tried to feed him on wed. Needless to say when i took him out of his viv he was pissed. He was thrashing around and he kept jumping out of his deli cup when i was putting him in there and once i got him in there and put the lid on he kept trying to get out. I put him in the dark for an hour and he didn't eat. So i though fine we'll try again in a few days. Well i figured he was pissed cuz he hadn't really been handled so i took him out on wed. night and again on thu. and he was calm as can be. So i was gonna keep handling him to get him aclimated and try to feed him again on sunday. Today i read this thing on kingsnake that said you shouldn't handle until your snake is on a regular eating schedule and has eaten 8-10 times. What do you guys think of this?

[Nanci]

Well, I would have bought the snake, not handled him for a week, fed him, waited 48 hours, then handled him...I've never heard anyone say wait 8-10 feedings. Now, you've been handling him- may as well feed him five days from the last attempt. If he's all worried about escaping the feeding cup, put a dish towel over him. Feed in the evening.

Nanci

[zultimatez]

I waited 5 days after purchase to handle, and the only reason i did handle him was only to feed him. And after that i thought he just needed to be acclimated to handling.

[Susan]

I can see the reasoning behind waiting to handle new hatchlings alot until after they've become established eaters. I tend not to handle my hatchlings too much as I've had experience with them refusing a meal if I stressed them out with "alot" of handling shortly before feeding them. But you can still handle them between feedings (after digestion). What you may want to try the next time is to leave your hatchling in the deli cup for a longer time. I've had plenty of hatchlings take over-night to eat. Covering the deli cup is an excellent idea, but you may also want to put it in the quietest place in the house as well. Feed in the evening (sunset time), as Nanci said, and you can check your snake just before going to bed. If it hasn't eaten, leave it and check again first thing in the morning.