non feeder (help)

Ok so I am purchasing a couple of corns off a member from the sight one is a non feeder. I have never dealt with this problem befor with snakes, and am looking for any and all suggestions. My vet is fairly sure she can get him to eat if all else fails. However I would prefer to work this out on my own just for experience sake. I have read quite a bit on the subject but would like to know what has worked for others in the past.

I haven't had to deal with a non-feeder so I can't help much there but what have you tried so far so others won't give you the same information.

Has the person your getting it from tried a live pinkie? Normally if they won't eat a F/T pinkie for a few feedings, I will try leaving them in with a F/T pinkie overnight and if that doesn't work I will offer a live pinkie. If that works when they are eating reliably on the live pinkie I will switch back to F/T. That worked for me but there are a lot of other methods too.

Dealing with non-feeders can be heartbreaking, sometimes absolutely nothing works, so can the breeder not hold the hatchling for you until it is feeding?

Part way down this FAQ thread, is a section on non-feeding hatchlings written by Kathy Love. Worth trying everything there:

http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28342

Another trick is to drive them around the block or put them next to a running washing machine (in a secure tub). Nobody knows why this sometimes works, but the vibration may stimulate them to eat in some way. You might find that by the time it's been transported to you, it's ready to eat.

Thanks for the replies, these guys where originaly purchased from Steve R. they are two ultra lavs both ph motely purchased as a pair. The female is feeding fine, the male is the non feeder. Things that have been tried thus far, is leaving the pink over night, braining a pink and leaving over night, she also has tried scenting the pink with tuna, and will try to feed agian befor shipping. I thought maybe halfing pink, or using just a pink head, I have no probelm trying the live pink if it gets the little one eating. As a matter of fact I will try just about anything to save the little one so any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Sorry original purchase from Steve Roylance.

Also in all fairness, The current owner is giving me a great deal, on these beauties, the male is free. She just dosnt have the time right now to give this guy. Thanks for the thread bitsy, and the live suggestion Iguanagirl.

i had two non feeders and they went four weeks and i had tried everything and a buddy told me to get a gecko and make it drop its tail put the snake in with the tail and see if that works .. one it did the first time. then the other i put the gecko in the feeding pal with the snake and she actually ate the hole gecko.. which i wouldnt recka mend that could couse regergatation. and dont use wild live food it could have parasites....i hope this helps

I have one girl who would not eat for me. I bought some anoles from the petshop and rubbed her f/t pinky all over the anole and she wolfed it down! So that might be an option. So once a week I catch one of the anoles, and it gets a dead rodent rubbed all over it lol! It's working and she is eating. I tried an unscented mouse last week and she didnt touch it. Rubbed the anole on it and she ate.

Thanks Screamin, and wyldrose, that makes 3 people which have suggested the lizard scenting food. I may try this one first and see what happens, the snakes should arrive Tues. Think I will go Anole shopping, or maybe even rub a pink all over one the geckos we have and see.

Also found someone with live pinks if, this will also be one of the first things tried.

Good luck! Hope he gets eating for you Maybe the trip to you will get him to eat.

Wyldrose said:

Good luck! Hope he gets eating for you Maybe the trip to you will get him to eat.

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Thats what I am praying will happen.

Just out of curious how long you would go on trying to feed, befor force feeding a little one?

One of my first snakes, Diamond Lil, was the reason I joined this site all those years ago, because she was starving to death as a non-feeder. When she was so thin you could see her spine I started syringe feeding her ground up pinks. By then I'd tried scenting, braining etc but in this country you can't buy live pinks. I got breeder mice and had to 'grow my own' pinks and she did eventually start eating. Personally, I'd try live pinks before tube feeding every time, but for me it bought Lil time and kept her from dying whilst waiting for live pinks.
I also rehabbed a non-feeder for someone else that came to me in a far worse state, it was 3g and had no muscle tone at all by the time he brought her to me, so I had to tube feed to get her big and strong enough to try live, which she then took to with gusto. when I'd got her feeding reliably on f/t and a good weight she went back to her owner.
I'd tube feed and work on a snake that was a pet again if I was asked, but I don't try special measures on the corns I breed. If they don't feed with simple things like braining, scenting etc I cull them. Not because I'm heartless, but because I only want to sell healthy trouble-free hatchlings. I don't want to risk selling snakes that won't thrive for their new owners. Plus there is always the thought in my mind that non-feeders are perhaps just not meant to survive, that they may have genetic or developmental problems that I don't want to be perpetuated.
One of the respected breeders on here described a 3 strikes policy towards hatchlings, which I thought was a terribly wicked attitude until I experienced the heartache of owning a corn that seemed determined to die in spite of all my efforts to save her. And then realised that for me I feel I have a duty to only sell corns that have a good chance of long and healthy lives for their new owners

Can't rep you again yet Janine, but much respect to you. Sometimes the tough decisions are the right ones.

bitsy said:

Can't rep you again yet Janine, but much respect to you. Sometimes the tough decisions are the right ones.

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My little fire male died last year, started off a good feeder, then just stopped and I culled him when he was losing condition. Cried literally all night. My very own, home-bred fire. He was one of the few out Polly's clutch to hatch so I'm thinking there were problems all along and he just wasn't meant to survive.

I can understand that from a breeders perspective, however more than likely these will be kept as just pets. Not that I would never consider breeding, just fairly busy with other things. My corn snake inventory is limited to just one reverse Okeetee, other than these two coming in, so time limits working with him arent a real issue, plus there is the whole gaining experience thing. I just hope the trip down here does the trick, along with a live pink.

Live. most times, does the trick. Fingers crossed for you