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New Here, Just got a Corn / Feeding Question

cocacola
02-15-2009, 08:26 PM
Hello all-

I am new to this board and have a couple questions about corn snakes . I picked up an adult male corn.Picked him up at a pet store. I like ball pythons and never had any interest in getting a corn snake, But I felt bad for this snake. I've held him in store a couple times and he is just so friendly. About 4.5 feet long or so. Colored white with darker scale pattern and a little yellow underside. Not sure if that would qualify as albino or "snow"?

Anyways I am extremely happy I picked up this snake, He's got a good spirit. Someone donated him to the store and of course people visiting pet stores aren't usually going to buy something his size so he's been in the store for nearly a year.

The lady at the store told me he's been eating live and he's maybe 3+ years of age. I would like to switch him to F/T, but he's not taking it. I got him one week ago and tried to feed him today. Do you think he is perhaps just going to want to stick to live?

I don't want to switch to live because I have no place to store these mice and feel I would become attached. I love animals, What can I say?

Any advice?

I am charging my phone right now to take a picture. I'll post one soon.
RobbiesCornField
02-15-2009, 08:32 PM
You can try and switch him to freshly killed before trying to switch to f/t. Sometimes, it just takes the snake a while to get used to their food being dead. If you can get him on f/k, you have a good chance of getting him on f/t.
Good luck with him!
danielle
02-15-2009, 08:32 PM
You can try slitting and braining the f/t to make the scent stronger and tease feeding a little. Thaw the slit brained pinkie in hot water for 15-20 minutes and try wiggling it in front of him until he latches on. When he does do not jerk back or let go instead let him get it in mostly and then gently letting go. I know someone else will have first hand experience, but the switch is often hard at first
cocacola
02-15-2009, 08:38 PM
I like the idea of slitting the head open for scenting, For the snake of course not for my own enjoyment.

About the size of food, I got advice that a corn snake is not able to handle food like a ball python. I think he can eat bigger than an adult mouse, like a small rat, But had been told otherwise.

Any thoughts?
RobbiesCornField
02-15-2009, 08:42 PM
I like the idea of slitting the head open for scenting, For the snake of course not for my own enjoyment.

About the size of food, I got advice that a corn snake is not able to handle food like a ball python. I think he can eat bigger than an adult mouse, like a small rat, But had been told otherwise.

Any thoughts?

It really depends on the size. A corn can eat anything up to 1.5x it's girth at its thickest point. Adults might be able to take down rat pups or even small rats without too much trouble, depending on how big it is.
danielle
02-15-2009, 09:01 PM
I would go with adult mouse to be safe...corns regurge easier than ball as well.
Tracee
02-19-2009, 10:02 AM
Mine is large enough to eat rats but they made him SO sluggish I went straight back to jumbo mice as soon as I realised the connection.

Some people own snakes that just won't take f/t, but try a couple of the suggestions before you give in to him :) If you can't get f/k or bring yourself to do it (I know I can't), certainly wiggling the mouse in front of him with tongs should provoke his interest and the tastier you can make it smell, the better. If you thaw in water, put it in a plastic bag first, so the water can't 'dilute' the scent.

And remember, males can and will go many weeks without food during breeding season, so this could be supressing his appetite a little too.

Good luck!
Nanci
02-19-2009, 10:12 AM
I'd go with Robbie's suggenstion of FK, and then when you try FT again, I'd slit the back about four times and dry the mouse with a blow drier to make it very hot and dry!
Nanci
02-19-2009, 10:13 AM
And another thing that worked for me for pickier adults is letting the FK mouse sit on top of his viv for 30 minutes or so, to get him in the mood. And another thing my hunger striking adults can't resist is FT rat pinks.
Tracee
02-19-2009, 10:31 AM
I also just stumbled across this thread, which could be of great help!!

http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79429