Snake Refused to Eat

Last night I tried to feed the new snake. I gave her a f/t pinkie in her viv, (on a plastic container lid) at about 9:30 PM. I put a few cuts on it's side, and one on the top of it's head. When I woke up this morning she still hadn't eaten it. I assume the pinkie is no good now and I should throw it away, right? Should I offer her a new one tonight? Since she went 2 weeks between feedings last time, is it possible she's just not hungry yet because it's only been a week?

Yes, throw the old pinkie away. I would wait a few days before you try again, and this time put her in a small container to feed. Wait until the evening and then heat up the new pinkie really hot. Put it in with her and then leave her alone with it for an hour in a dark quiet place. If she still hasn't eaten it, reheat it really hot again, and leave her overnight with it.

Good luck!

Okay. Thank you.

I wouldn't get the pinky "really" hot because it could burn the snake she immediately grabs it. You just want it to be warm when you place it in the container with her. Another thing you can do is move it around the tank to make it look alive. My snake will become interested in the mouse it I slowly move it around in front of him. If I just drop the mouse in the tank he might or might not eat it. I would recommend using tweezers of forceps so your snake doesn't accidentally bite you.

Sometimes snakes who don't want to eat benefit from a really hot, or even boiled, pinkie. I would not worry about the snake hurting itself on an overly hot pinkie. And my older snakes all respond well to moving the mouse in front of them, but a shy non-feeder may actually be afraid of a moving mouse.

Thanks. I have been warming the pinkies in very hot tap water, so I don't think they would be hot enough to burn her, but they are quite warm. I was considering moving the pinkie around, but I am not sure if I am supposed to just slowly wiggle it in her face, or just wiggle it off to the side until she sees it. Maybe I will try it out. I'm sure once I feed her more, I will figure out more about what she likes and doesn't like. Eventually, we will find a good rhythm. I just need more practice.

Has she eaten before? Like before you got her?

I was told she was eating a f/t pinkie once a week. She did eat the first time I fed her, which was one week ago. She ate it in the middle of the night in her viv, which was why I thought I would just put the pinkie in there again, but this time it was still there in the morning. I will try again in a day or so.

Okay, that's good. Sometimes just placing the pinkie in the viv won't work because the snake may not find it or may not feel secure enough to eat. Putting her in a small container to eat ensures that she will find the pinkie. And if it's dark and quiet, she should feel safe enough to eat. So I would definitely try the method I mentioned first, and if that still doesn't work, you can start trying other tricks. She's eaten before, so she should eat again.

Here is a very good list of feeding tricks you can try if she still won't eat: http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=131573

Just read it. What's with the dish soap? Do you put that on the pinkie? I am hoping I won't have to use it or anything, but it's still always good to know. I will use her critter keeper again next time, and keep it covered with a towel. Do you try to keep the feeding container warm somehow? Just curious if that might help a little.