First feeding tomorow, need help

[wycherley]

Hello

i have a 7 week old who is really scared at the moment, he's just started poping his head out of the hide and exploring a little. Tommorow is the first time i gonna try feeding him, i've heard a lot of people say that they feed there corns in a seperate tub put i cant pick him up yet to put him in one. do you think i should chase him in to a tub a feed him there or just try feeding in the viv??

thanks

Nik

[Tracee]

If he really is timid, you shouldn't have to chase him around, as he'll probably sit still long enough for you grab him before trying to get away - but you'll already have him in another tub by then.

Be swift but gentle, approaching from the side (rather than above). Leave him alone with the pinkie, covered up, and check on him a few hours later.

I don't know how long it was since his last feed but if you're really unsure about stressing him out you could wait another day or two.

I personally don't feed in a separate container, as I only have one snake and don't use a 'loose' substrate that could be injested, but most people do prefer to for the obvious reasons. Therefore if you do intend to feed this way, it's always best to start doing so from a young age.

Good luck :)

[Nanci]

If you know where he hides out, you can lift up his hide and scoop him out before he even knows what's going on. Then just put him in his feeding container being VERY careful not to catch his head or tail in the lid. If you end up having to chase him down or dig him out of the aspen, he may be frightened and want to whip around some. Hold him with two hands then to prevent him from hurting himself, and wait a minute or so till he settles before putting him in his container.

[RicardoCruz005]

I never remove the snake from the enclosure. I don't think they like eating in an uncomfortable place. What I do is flip the hidebox over so he has a nice flat spot to eat on the roof of the box, without the problem of ingesting bedding. Then when he's finished, I flip the box back over again and he slithers in to sleep/digest :D

[Jimmysan00]

I am going to be feeding my classic tomorrow for the first time and she allows me to pick her up and handle he. Hasn't tried to bite me yet, but my question is, when feeding time comes does it matter what time in the day it is? I heard anytime, and i also heard around dusk is best because they are nocturnal. Any other tips would be great too. BTW I do plan on putting her into a feeder tank or bowl of some sort. I don't want her eating in her viv for multiple reasons.

[chantellemarie]

I have the same problem ive had my clssic corn for 10 days anf fer it twice, once in the viv and the second time in a feeder tank but ive actualy never got her/him out the viv myself ive got other people to do it for me and it has struck fot them and bitten them loads of times when tryna pick it up thats what makes me so scared of picking it up i need to start picking it up myself to get it used to me.. any tips

[Jimmysan00]

use a glove if need be and always wash your hands so they are clean and you have a base smell. This will establish a smell with the snake that let's it know that you are not food or a predator. Once the snake is use to YOU holding it and YOUR scent you to will be off to a great relationship. 10-20 mins everyday except for after feedings, you don't handle it for 48 hours. Unless your gonna put it back into it's VIV. And the lump has to be 1/3 digested before doing that. Umm... i can't think of any other tips for you. Hope this helped.

[RicardoCruz005]

I am going to be feeding my classic tomorrow for the first time and she allows me to pick her up and handle he. Hasn't tried to bite me yet, but my question is, when feeding time comes does it matter what time in the day it is? I heard anytime, and i also heard around dusk is best because they are nocturnal. Any other tips would be great too. BTW I do plan on putting her into a feeder tank or bowl of some sort. I don't want her eating in her viv for multiple reasons.

As a general rule, healthy snakes will eat whenever. I find mine at random times of the day when it comes around, and they never seem to mind. Sometimes early in the morning @ 10am, sometimes as late as 6pm, they always eat the same.

[Jimmysan00]

ok cool thanks for the tip

[DaGiant]

By Feeding in a separate container they get aclimated(sp?)
to being moved to eat. If you feed in their Viv they get to
the point of striking you thinking you're food.. It's a training thing.
If you're afraid to pick them up.. They'll be afraid more also.
As in the Nike commercials... "Just Do It"
It will get better as they get older and used to the handling.

I handle ALL (64) of my snakes at least twice a week, they get used to
being handled, so they are less stressed by it.

Good luck with it

[DaGiant]

ok cool thanks for the tip

Which is the SAME thing you were told in chat earlier in the day
by several experienced keepers!
If you don't want to believe it... Why ask?

[Jimmysan00]

yeah i don't have any problems handling my corn. She's pretty good about it. Only tries to run a little, but it's less of a struggle lately.

[Jimmysan00]

i posted this before i went into the chat, and i believed it. Sorry for the mix up.

[wycherley]

64! now thats just showing off :) I'm doing it tonight, i'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for the help.

[Nanci]

I got bitten by my yearling Ruby last night. She's much larger than a hatchling- 70 grams. She's beyond the "feels like velcro" stage, but still, even though she tried her hardest to damage me, it still was only a pin prick. I almost took a picture for Bite Club, it was so funny. Don't be afraid of those little hatchlings- they can't hurt you. Also, be ready for them to strike so you don't overreact and end up flinging them around if you jerk back! They usually make a little hiss that always reallystartles me, even though I know it's coming!

[Jimmysan00]

Well i just got done feeding rosie for the first time and she took it like a champ. Took her out of her viv and put her into her future feeding tank, and when i put in the full size pinkie she was on her way eating it within 5 minutes. Then to be safe i waited about 10-15 minutes to let her digest it and she had it down over 1/3 so i picked her back up which i can tell she did not enjoy and put her back into her viv. She roamed a little circle and then went into her favorite hide. Temp is currently at 86 which is perfect for digesting, from what i hear. I'll wait 48 hours before handling her again. Saturday at 3:40pm. lol i even clocked it and wrote it down. I'm doing everything by the book. Thanks for all your help guys. OH btw she's an entertainer, she doesn't mind an audience, which is exactly what wanted. QUESTION: Should i said 5 days or 7 to feed her again?

[Jimmysan00]

EDIT QUESTION: Should I wait 5 days or 7 before feeding her again? Other than personal preference are there any benefits to feeding her sooner than later? Thanks again fellas!

[Nanci]

She'll grow faster if you feed her every five days rather than every seven. Since that cuts dramatically into your handling time, I recommend getting another corn.

[Widget]

I follow the Munson Plan, but on the very conservative end. Hatchlings get fed every 5 days until they're past 5g peach fuzzies, which is about 25-30g of snake. After that they go to appropriate size food every 7 days. By that point they're a lot more settled in and less spastic and I can start handling them more. I try to leave the timid ones and the babies alone as much as possible.

Like Nanci mentioned, it's a lot easier to do with multiple snakes.

[chantellemarie]

Even though my snake is lil hatchling im still freaking scared lol, i dont think its the bite its how they do it and it makes you jump and the snake even more scared. Its never bit me though but ive never got it out the cage. My snake is fine once uve got her out the tank never bites when shes in my hand. I put a glove in the tank with my tank so she will get used to me hope this will work. Im more scared of a tiny hatcling than my aunts python lol.

[Jimmysan00]

my temps are good, and i'm not handling her, but do i need to do anything else for the next 48 hours. Put a cover over her tank? JW

[Nanci]

Just leave her alone!

[Jimmysan00]

okay will do

[wycherley]

ok first feeding over went kinda well, i got her out of the viv into a seperate box. Dangled the food in front of her but she didnt snap for it. i acidently dropped it in an she went straight for it, an ate it. tried to give her the second pinky but she wasnt interested so i put her back in the viv. she did make an attempt to bite my girlfriend but thats not really a down side :) will see what the next 48 hours bring.

[Nanci]

Great news! He's probably too small for double pinks- that's the step right before fuzzies.

[Jimmysan00]

in 5 days i'm gonna try double pinkies and see how that goes

[Nanci]

So for you new guys: don't push the prey size. If the prey is too large to digest, the snake will regurgitate. One regurgitation is a huge setback. If your snake has regurged once, it is more likely to regurge again. Two regurges is very, very serious, and may result in the death of your snake.

[wycherley]

how come its so bad, its sounds like 3 strikes an your out. I understand that it means there not getting any food but is there another reason?

[Nanci]

Because every time they regurge, they lose all the beneficial bacteria in their stomachs, that help them digest. It takes ten days or longer for the flora to replenish, and each time the snake regurges, it gets weaker and weaker with poorer digestion. Eventually it just can't digest at all.

[Jimmysan00]

ok so.. i know your suppose to wait 48 hours be handling, and i'm gonna still do that, but it's been 24 hours and the lump is gone. She's being very active today, and doing a lot of climbing. My first question is, is this normal? My second is, if she's moving around that much does that mean i didn't feed her enough or the pinky wasn't big enough?

[Tracee]

Just because you're seeing more of her doesn't necessarily mean she's hunting for more food. It's not a problem either than the lump is gone after 24 hours, just an indication that it'll soon be time to move up to fuzzies.

Just be a little cautious so you don't jump up to the next size meal too soon, that's all.