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anyone have corns that only take live?

autumn75
06-26-2008, 08:02 AM
Let me start this by stating I do not wish to have this turn into a debate. I know the risks of feeding live and believe me I would prefer all my snakes ate frozen/thawed... but I have a stubborn corn who just can't be convinced!

My female corn is 34 g, as of last night. She is now taking fuzzies. She has been a problem eater since the day we brought her home... until I figured out she was holding out for live.

I have tried slitting pinks, braining them, heating them to various temps, wiggling them with tweezers, leaving her overnight with them, washing them, scenting them... and nothing has worked. She will literally approach the f/t pink, take a wiff (so to speak) and then turn her head.

She really seems to be tuned into the movement of a live pink/fuzzy and won't go near a f/t. Last night was the first time she's coiled her prey and I really hope she keeps it up every meal.

I worry that as she advances up to hopper size she may not be able to handle them.

Does anyone else have a stubborn corn who refuses everything but live?

snakewispera snr
06-26-2008, 08:13 AM
Try the search on here as I'm sure it will become a debate...This is an open forum so people can post what they want...

Corny Noob
06-26-2008, 08:34 AM
I have nothing else to offer other than, while coiling may seem exciting and has good benifit with live prey...obviously. Coiling around their food isn't really a necessary action for you to think your snake is a healthy eatter. Mine rarely coil around their food.

starsevol
06-26-2008, 09:05 AM
Out of my 22 corns and 7 rosy boas, all take thawed.
Some of my snakes violently grab their prey and coil, some take it gently, and a few require me to put it down and leave them the heck alone!

My sweet Kismet is a bit of a moron. He's afraid of his food and flees it. It takes him a few minutes to come to his senses and figure out he's supposed to eat the thing!

autumn75
06-26-2008, 09:15 AM
I have nothing else to offer other than, while coiling may seem exciting and has good benifit with live prey...obviously. Coiling around their food isn't really a necessary action for you to think your snake is a healthy eatter. Mine rarely coil around their food.

It's not that I think this action means she's a healthy eater. I want to see her coiling because once she gets to live hopper mice, she won't be able to just slither right up to them and start swallowing like she does the pinks and fuzzies.

diamondlil
06-26-2008, 11:56 AM
I've got 3 corns who consistently refuse f/t. I've managed to convert them to f/k, from still-twitching to still warm. All 3 are lagging behind in growth compared to my f/t feeders, because I haven't got a consistent supply of the right size mice, and because I've tried numerous times to get them 'hungry enough' to take f/t. It's totally frustrating, their temps and husbandry have been no different to the others in my collection.

desertanimal
06-26-2008, 12:33 PM
Have you ever tried fresh-killed? That might be a good way to transition her to f/t.

I don't have any that won't take f/t. In fact, I don't have any hatchlings that won't take f/t. I had hatchlings last year that wouldn't at first, but I outwaited them. I won't ever have a snake that won't take f/t, either. People say you have to be prepared to deal with a snake if it changes its preferences and will only take live or fresh-killed. I am prepared. I am prepared to sell such a snake. Part of why I enjoy keeping snakes is that they are low-maintenance. I won't have a high-maintenance snake (which also means I'll not buy species that are high maintenance, either--I'll enjoy other people's pictures instead).

alan
06-26-2008, 12:49 PM
I have also "converted" my snake from live to f/k. Really wasn't much converting involved. I was prepared to let her go without eating for a while if it didn't work right away but it was not necessary. The first time I tried it she just went to the mouse and ate it, no constricting, barely a strike. This snake is a very agressive killer but I guess she did not feel the need to re-kill the dead mouse.
I think your problem with a small snake is that you can't let them go without eating for too long, no reserve body tissue.

Widget
06-26-2008, 03:44 PM
I had to convert my king from live (fed by the breeder) to f/t. Took a while, but eventually he caught on and now eats fine.

I would let him skip a meal or two and watch his weight really close. I would let him skip 2 feedings of f/t then give live. I watched his weight really close. I think I had to do this 2 or 3 times. He also insists on being covered when he eats.

Have you tried thawing his mouse in stinky mouse bedding? Simbi went for a while insisting on that. I would pull her mouse in the morning, put in the bedding and then stick it in the fridge to thaw. Put in plastic bag (remove any stuck on bedding), heat, serve. She finally got over that.

Some just won't convert. It happens. If you've done everything you and we can possibly think of and the snake just isn't going to go for it, we're not going to flame you for feeding live. Its the people who make lame excuses like it's easier, they like the thrill, its more natural etc that we have issues with.

Hang in there and keep trying, some suddenly switch and never look back.

Good luck

tom e
06-26-2008, 04:40 PM
I've had some that seemed like they were refusing, but in retrospect I just wasn't thinking about it the right way. Not saying you aren't, just that I know I wasn't. I'm sure there are some out there who won't eat FT's. (Well I believe it anyway) But I'll bet it's not every one that people say won't.
Here's what I would do.
Wait two weeks before you offer it, offer one nice and toasty warm and slitted, and give it to the snake just as it gets dark, and don't look back till the morning. It worked for me. What I was doing wrong before was standing by and watching too much. With live, my snake was taking them right away- it was too scrumptious looking to pass up even with the human watching. With FT, the snake knew it wasn't going anywhere. I still have a bunch that won't eat anything with me around.

FunkyRes
06-28-2008, 10:00 AM
I have one corn that only takes live and have converted a few others that use to only take live.

Your corn will figure out constriction when it needs to.

As far as switching to f/t - what worked for several of mine (received as non feeders, but were willing to take live) - don't feed them at first sign of going blue. Wait a few days after they shed. Then offer a warm f/t mouse in a small confined space - such as a deli cup - and leave it overnight.

When that doesn't work, try holding the mouse by the tail and jiggling - I have a corn that only take f/t via that method, but take them he does.

FunkyRes
06-28-2008, 10:06 AM
Oh - you probably are aware of this, but make sure the closed confined space has some air holes.

ghosthousecorns
06-28-2008, 10:30 AM
I have gotten corns that only took live to eat F/T by offering them smaller F/T. If they are refusing a F/T adult try a hopper or fuzzy. This has also worked for me in getting males off their springtime hunger strike :)

Roy Munson
06-28-2008, 01:41 PM
People say you have to be prepared to deal with a snake if it changes its preferences and will only take live or fresh-killed. I am prepared. I am prepared to sell such a snake.

:laugh: Who says that? ;)

I have two non-corns that refuse all of my attempts to convert them to f/t. Both are violent constrictors, so I don't have to worry about that. I've had corns in the past that demanded live, but I converted them eventually. I have an emoryi that used to demand live, but even with live mice, he seemed less interested in white mice. Then I got him to eat freshly-killed brown mice. Then I figured that if I fed him in the dark, he wouldn't know what color the mouse was. He's been eating f/t mice of any color since (even in broad daylight).

FunkyRes
06-28-2008, 02:20 PM
People say you have to be prepared to deal with a snake if it changes its preferences and will only take live or fresh-killed.


The only established f/t feeders I personally have had that have changed to live only are juvenile snakes that I used as garbage disposals for uneaten live rodents. Some of them have been switched back. Anywhoo - I no longer use juvenile f/t feeders as garbage disposals for live prey. Adults - I've not personally had one that takes f/t ever revert to live only, so I still use them as disposals.

With respect to selling snakes that eat live only - I don't think people should unless the person receiving it is an experienced keeper. I won't sell any babies that are live only feeders, I will give them away to experienced keepers, but I don't personally think it is fair to charge money for a baby snake that is more difficult and costly to keep - unless the genotype is of high value ( IE - homo for charcoal lava terrazzo ;) ;) )

PtDnsr
06-28-2008, 03:02 PM
Have you tried rat pinks? My dad has a hypo lav boy that is picky and doesn't like mice but will take rat pinks. That being said, I think any snake can be converted to f/t. Heck...even Fluffy (the blind, one-eyed ball python) takes f/t now!

~Katie