Tips for getting my little guy to eat
 

Well we've just adopted a new little guy and have named him Long John Silver. He's a sweet boy but he hasn't eaten for me yet. He's tiny, seems to be healthy otherwise and since I have never owned such a young snake and never a corn I was curious about any tips on getting him to eat. The guy I got him from sadly passed away a few days after I got him. Before we adopted him the breeder had said that he was eating pinkies (ate twice). It hasn't been long enough for me to start worrying yet but I'd like some tips just in case.

Thanks in advance

I would heat up a pinkie so it's really hot and put him in a small container with it overnight in a dark, quiet place. Avoid handling him much until he's eating regularly for you. If he refuses to eat, throw the pinkie away, and try again in a few days.

Also, Nanci has a great list of other feeding tricks you can try if my suggestion doesn't work.

http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=131573

Awesome thank you so much for the reply! I caved and got him a live pinkie out of curiosity. He ate this afternoon! I'm going to work with weaning him to f4ozen so we will see! Thank you!

If I were you I'd handle him as much as possible after he defecates his last meal. Get him used to you and then you can try feeding a frozen thawed pinky with a tong or long tweezer. If he sticks out his tongue and follows the pinky chances are he will strike at it. Some recommend bumping a hatchling in the nose with the pinky and that works some of the time, but you don't want him scared and slithering away from the pinky. The first thing I try is putting a hatchling in a deli cup with a pinky in a dark place, and that works some of the time too.

Thank you I'll keep working with him. I handle him as often as I can (minus after feeding and when he is in blue) but definitely will try some more things for his next feed thank you!