Extremely aggressive eater...Pet store Problem?

[COerriccaRN]

I got a ?female? hatchling corn snake from the local petco a few days ago. I waited three days to feed her, since thats what I did with Erricca when I got her.

I put them both in their feeding boxes and gave Erricca her pinkie first. When Erricca eats she just crawls up to the pinkie, noses it all over, and then SLOWLY puts it in her mouth and eats it.

While Erricca was eating (who I know THINK might be a male) I have my snow her first pinkie. She struck it three times and gobbled it down...She was through with hers before Erricca was, and I fed Erricca first.

Is this *normal* behavior or could be be a result of the breeder/pet store not feeding her. The guy at Petco said they had just gotten the shipment in and they hadn't been fed at the store yet. It kinda has me worried about when she was last fed or how healthy she is. She ate so fast, it seems like she could have been starved!!

Could this turn into a problem, or do you think she/he is just a violent eater?

[dwyn127]

I got a ?female? hatchling corn snake from the local petco a few days ago. I waited three days to feed her, since thats what I did with Erricca when I got her.

I put them both in their feeding boxes and gave Erricca her pinkie first. When Erricca eats she just crawls up to the pinkie, noses it all over, and then SLOWLY puts it in her mouth and eats it.

While Erricca was eating (who I know THINK might be a male) I have my snow her first pinkie. She struck it three times and gobbled it down...She was through with hers before Erricca was, and I fed Erricca first.

Is this *normal* behavior or could be be a result of the breeder/pet store not feeding her. The guy at Petco said they had just gotten the shipment in and they hadn't been fed at the store yet. It kinda has me worried about when she was last fed or how healthy she is. She ate so fast, it seems like she could have been starved!!

Could this turn into a problem, or do you think she/he is just a violent eater?

It's perfectly normal behavior. Most of my snakes are aggressive feeders. One of them has literally leaped out of his container, missed the mouse and tagged my hand. Then there's others that won't eat if it's not dark, go figure!

[Zulu3]

Yeah, like Danny said, many hatchlings do eat aggressively and will for the rest of their lives. Some don't. Just be happy he/she is eating without making you slave over finding the right trick =)

Ali

[COerriccaRN]

I'm happy that she is eating, I was just concerned she wasn't fed at the pet store and could have health problems. But if that behavior is normal, then good.

Also, is anyone elses snake see through???

[Zulu3]

Yes that is pretty common in light colored babies. Do you know what morph you have? Or any pictures so we could help you? I recently got a baby white wall speckled king snake and she is a transparent pinkish color, but when she is all grown up she'll be white as a cloud. =) I think it's kind of neat personally.

Ali

[COerriccaRN]

[QUOTE][I think it's kind of neat personally.
/QUOTE]

It is pretty neat :) And not sure what morph, but I will take pictures after she/he is done settling down and digesting her/his food. I'm pretty sure that my snow is a female, judging by tail taper. I will post some pics of the the tail of my snow and of Erriccas tail also(because I think Erricca might be an Eric LOL) Their tails are COMPLETELY different, and I compared the two with pictures in Phillip Pursers book about corn snakes and Erricca resembles a male and the snow looks just like a female.