Problem feeder at the store. :(

[TheaN526]

We have a baby Anery(just like mine-Charcoal) and she won't eat at all. I understand she might be stressed but since I've been there I have hardly seen her. I don't know if the manager got her to eat or not but I tried to feed her last Friday and this Friday and nothing.

She's about 11 inches, and about 2 inches around. She's very small.(I don't know for sure if the snake is a she but I'll go with it)

I don't think she stands a chance at the store so I'm thinking about taking her home, working with her and than adopting her out to someone.

What would you do? I just don't think she'll make it if I can't save her. We have no other baby snakes there and it's sibling already died. I got it to drink some water though. It is very scared..

What do you think I should do? it's not really a money issue. I am just worried that if I don't do something now she won't have a chance.

I have no qualms about buying her. Maybe I can just ask if I can take her home and work with it.. I dunno.

Our manager said she may have never learned about eating and that we "may lose her" (her words). I don't want that to happen and I have to do something to prevent it...

HELP!

[alan]

Sounds like its a good thing you're learning to take care of snakes. You'll be an asset to that shop if you can keep their animals alive.
I've seen many tricks posted here to get babies to eat, do a search for non-feeders?

[TheaN526]

Sounds like its a good thing you're learning to take care of snakes. You'll be an asset to that shop if you can keep their animals alive.
I've seen many tricks posted here to get babies to eat, do a search for non-feeders?

Thanks. I've seen a lot of suggestions so I'll see if any of those work. My manager sounded like she was going to give up on the snake and let it die. I just decided I wouldn't let it happen and asked if I could bring her home.

I know all about quarantine due to health issues but unfortunately don't have a specific area to do so. The snake is now at my home in another tank setup with a UTH(as I have no extra light at this time but can buy one in the next week.. Will this be sufficient for it?)

I left it in there with a live pinkie and if that doesn't work will try the other suggestions. I'm not willing to let it go like it's sibling. I am sure it may have been due to dehydration but I don't know why this one wouldn't suffer the same fate. I had no clue that this one was in there at all as it hides a lot.

I don't want to bring it back to the store. *sigh*

[carnivorouszoo]

I don't want to bring it back to the store. *sigh*

Keep trying! We're pulling for you and if she survives is there any reason you can't add her permanently to your obviously loving home? Sounds like she'd be in great hands for life with you. (HINT HINT LOL!)

[TheaN526]

Keep trying! We're pulling for you and if she survives is there any reason you can't add her permanently to your obviously loving home? Sounds like she'd be in great hands for life with you. (HINT HINT LOL!)

No, there isn't any obvious reason why it can't stay. I'm just working on it and I am concerned about doing the right thing. Obviously the right thing is NOT to bring her back to the store. In a week or so I can just pay for it and just deal with it on my own without having to be concerned about bringing it back. I have a feeling it's really stressed out right now and just isn't dealing well with being at the store.

I just don't want it to die on me as I would be really heartbroken if it does. I've become a real softie for all little creatures. Used to only be a dog/cat person but I love reptiles now.

I really hope I can get her to eat and be happy.

I'd just have twins in my snake family. LOL. They BOTH look exactly alike. Only difference is size and I am sure that will change once I get this one to eat.

[Floof]

A UTH is fine. In fact, most people only use UTHs... I only have two cages with heat lamps of Ceramic Heat Emitters--the beardie, of course (heat lamps) and the RTB (CHE). The RTB gets a CHE because it isn't warm enough for her in the kitchen, where her cage is kept. All my other cages are heated by UTHs... So, unless your house/room is super cold, I don't see a point in heat lamps. They just dry the tank out..

I assume you know not to cohab, but the way you worded your quarantine comment sounded like you were planning to move her in with your established snake. If so, do a search on cohab... Even if cannibalism isn't common with corns, hatchlings (whether or not they're the same size) are the most prone.

Before you try live, though, maybe you should try some of the f/t methods? You know, slitting, braining, leaving her in a bag with it overnight (plus scenting methods if need be), even lizard scenting... Maybe you can try cutting a pink in half, see if she'll take the smaller-sized prey? Good luck with whatever method you decide to use, though. =)

I know how you feel. I used to be JUST a dog person... Now I have almost 3 times as many reptiles as I do dogs, with more on the way! And that's saying something, lol...

Good luck! I'm sure she'll make a wonderful addition to your little reptilian family! You're a great person for taking on the challenge of a nonfeeder... I really hope she eats for you soon!

[TheaN526]

A UTH is fine. In fact, most people only use UTHs... I only have two cages with heat lamps of Ceramic Heat Emitters--the beardie, of course (heat lamps) and the RTB (CHE). The RTB gets a CHE because it isn't warm enough for her in the kitchen, where her cage is kept. All my other cages are heated by UTHs... So, unless your house/room is super cold, I don't see a point in heat lamps. They just dry the tank out..

I assume you know not to cohab, but the way you worded your quarantine comment sounded like you were planning to move her in with your established snake. If so, do a search on cohab... Even if cannibalism isn't common with corns, hatchlings (whether or not they're the same size) are the most prone.

Before you try live, though, maybe you should try some of the f/t methods? You know, slitting, braining, leaving her in a bag with it overnight (plus scenting methods if need be), even lizard scenting... Maybe you can try cutting a pink in half, see if she'll take the smaller-sized prey? Good luck with whatever method you decide to use, though. =)

I know how you feel. I used to be JUST a dog person... Now I have almost 3 times as many reptiles as I do dogs, with more on the way! And that's saying something, lol...

Good luck! I'm sure she'll make a wonderful addition to your little reptilian family! You're a great person for taking on the challenge of a nonfeeder... I really hope she eats for you soon!

OH! No to cohab. I wouldn't do that. Our snakes at the store already seem so stressed with each other as it is. I would never do such a thing. She is in a tank of her own because I had an extra. I think I'll need to get UTH for Rogues tank as well. They're just right next to each other. I was talking about quarantine OUT of my room(which I can't do). They haven't touched each other and I've washed my hands when I had to move both of them. (not at the same time)

The suggestions are great and try I'll F/T. My manager seems to want me to try live. I have no clue why as mine is just fine on F/T. It's not a huge deal at all. I don't really like doing the live feeding very much. It's just something they do at the store(though the other manager says he pre-kills them)

I'm really hoping all the suggestions will work. I'm getting attached to it and I can't give up. I have to try everything I can. Moving it back into the store would probably be a death sentence so I am not going to. They'll just let me buy her and that will be that. No big thing really.

I'll do everything to keep them both healthy and eliminate illness through whatever means possible. I'm quite determined to have this little one make it. I'm just frustrated.

[ghosthousecorns]

have you tried tease feeding? Here is a how-to post I wrote a couple years ago.
http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54474

[TheaN526]

have you tried tease feeding? Here is a how-to post I wrote a couple years ago.
http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54474

Thanks, very informative post. I will print it off when I get a chance(printer is downstairs!)

I appreciate all the help and kind comments. This site is amazing and I am very happy to talk to members who've had young corn snakes do this. I knew that I was taking a chance with it but why not? It's not right to just give up on it. I know this will help me though. I know I'm still learning and trying to find what works. :)

[Floof]

Okay, good, that's what I was hoping you meant! =) Lol. In my opinion the "cohab" speech (or at least mention) is obligatory when there's a chance the person you're talking to intends to (or does) cohab.

Maybe this manager just doesn't know that there are other ways of enticing a non-feeder? At least, I hope that's the deal. If you get the snake to eat without having to use live, maybe you should mention it to the manager. Just broaden his knowledge a tad bit. =)

Anyway, make sure to give the snake a little time to settle in. If the attention at the pet store is the reason she isn't feeding, handling her isn't going to make things much better--restrict handling to to and from the feeding container.

For that matter, you can feed her in the tank until she's established. Put her on paper towels, and just put the pink in front whatever hide she's in. Turn off all the lights in the room, and leave her to it. The only downfall is the snake might just ignore it. This worked for my first girl because she was plenty willing to eat, she just didn't want to do it in front of anyone or in unfamiliar surroundings after living in my sleeve during a week-long power outage.

Thinking about it, though, I'm not sure that'd work. In her own tank, she can ignore the food if she wants. My girl was a very willing feeder, just shy. I'll leave that in my post in case anyone else can get some use from it, but for a nonfeeder, you're better off trying a small, opaque container... Anything from a paper bag to opaque food storage to washed cottage cheese containers will work great, as long as they're small enough that she can't avoid the food item. Elaborating on the cottage cheese container (my mom loves the stuff, so, with a healthy supply of the tubs, they're the first thing that come to mind), a 16 oz tub would work well. Even see-through containers work for the shy, if they have a solid, colored top.

[TheaN526]

Okay, good, that's what I was hoping you meant! =) Lol. In my opinion the "cohab" speech (or at least mention) is obligatory when there's a chance the person you're talking to intends to (or does) cohab.

Maybe this manager just doesn't know that there are other ways of enticing a non-feeder? At least, I hope that's the deal. If you get the snake to eat without having to use live, maybe you should mention it to the manager. Just broaden his knowledge a tad bit. =)

Anyway, make sure to give the snake a little time to settle in. If the attention at the pet store is the reason she isn't feeding, handling her isn't going to make things much better--restrict handling to to and from the feeding container.

For that matter, you can feed her in the tank until she's established. Put her on paper towels, and just put the pink in front whatever hide she's in. Turn off all the lights in the room, and leave her to it. The only downfall is the snake might just ignore it. This worked for my first girl because she was plenty willing to eat, she just didn't want to do it in front of anyone or in unfamiliar surroundings after living in my sleeve during a week-long power outage.

Thinking about it, though, I'm not sure that'd work. In her own tank, she can ignore the food if she wants. My girl was a very willing feeder, just shy. I'll leave that in my post in case anyone else can get some use from it, but for a nonfeeder, you're better off trying a small, opaque container... Anything from a paper bag to opaque food storage to washed cottage cheese containers will work great, as long as they're small enough that she can't avoid the food item. Elaborating on the cottage cheese container (my mom loves the stuff, so, with a healthy supply of the tubs, they're the first thing that come to mind), a 16 oz tub would work well. Even see-through containers work for the shy, if they have a solid, colored top.


Well last night I moved this one into a small container with the pink and it didn't touch it at all. When I woke up this morning it was just looking at it like "What the hell is that for? You think I'm eating THAT?" Well the next thing is to try F/T. Sure I've fed live pinks to my snake but not very often. I got a supply of F/T and she takes them plenty. I just wish this snake would just eat for me so I can get on with figuring things out. It's not that I don't have the money to care for two snakes.

I accepted the challenge. I'll see if tease feeding works. Stubborn little thing.. Aargh.

[angelboa]

Good luck if you ever need a good vet for your snakes Dr. Maas in Bothell is awesome (I know it would be a drive for you but he's well worth it) you might be able to call him and ask about getting the little one to eat.