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Starting to lose hope on hatchling

Danko

Danko

New member
I got a new corn, my first one ever, about 2 weeks ago. I didn't realize it at first but the temps were wrong and it was wayyyy too hot at first. My corn wasn't eating so I figured that was the problem. Now he will continue to not eat so its been like 3 weeks overall.

I love the little guy and can tell he has now started a new hobby for me but if he dies I will be so upset. I've been trying all different things and now I don't know what to do next.

Anyone ever feel this way, especially with a hatchling?

How many weeks until this is really serious?
 
With a hatchling, don't panic for another week at least. You're little guy can probably go a full 2 months without food, and maybe more. Of course, you don't want him to go that long, but just remember that you have time.

So the first thing I need to ask is what are the temperatures in the cage? How long have you had this hatchling, and do you know if he was eating before you got him? This is all very important to figuring out why he's not eating. What are you feeding him, and how often are you trying to feed him? Finally, what techniques have you tried to get him to eat? Have you tried live, braining, or cutting the mouse, or have you just changed the conditions in his cage?

If you can post all that, then hopefully I, and the others on the forums, can give you good idea of what to try next. If that's not enough info, don't worry, I've got a few more questions up my sleeve. :)

I hope I can help!!
 
2 or 3 weeks is nothing, you have quite a while before you should start to lose hope.

Make sure the temps are correct. Use a rheostat or thermostat to regulate the temperatures. Make sure you have a good digital thermometer with a probe so you can get accurate temperature readings.

As tbtusk said above, there are a lot of tricks you can try to get a non-feeder started eating. The first thing I would try is a live newborn pinky if you can find one.
 
Ditto with Turner, maybe I missed this but has this snake eaten for you? and then all the other questions mentioned above, susang
 
The temps in the tank have been good for a while now (even though it was too hot for like the first week I had him because the thermometer sucked). He has never eaten for me even though I have tried several techniques- now I will try feeding him a live one tonight. I can't imagine my snake to refusing to eat a newborn pinky after not eating for three weeks.

To answer the other questions: I've had him for three weeks and he was on frozen pinkies beforehand. He seemed to be interested like once to the frozen ones but like I said I'd be very surprised if he does not eat the live one.
 
There are a lot of techniques you can keep trying... don't give up hope yet. It took Vern 3 tries before she ate. The trick that worked for her was the paper bag** one. I put a live pinky in (poked a few holes with a skewer before any of this), folded the bag up and put it back in the viv, near, but not on, the hot side. 6 - 8 hours later, no pinky and a pudgy Vern. It was like the move to my house blew a fuse in her head and she forgot what a pinky was for. After that one, she's had no issue at all muching f/t pinks, with or without an audience.

**In case anyone's not familiar with a 'lunch' size paper bag...when open, the 'floor' area is maybe 3x5 inches and the side of the bag stands maybe 12 - 16 inches. Big enough to hold a sandwich and a can of soft drink. I'm not talking about a big grocery bag or anything like that.
 
I don't really get this paper bag trick. Is it on its side so my snake can enter easily? Also, has anyone ever just put the pinky in the tank with nothing else to make it as natural as possible?
 
oops forgot to add something... my snake looks extremely small- do most people feel this way about their hatchlings? Because I can't imagine the whole pinky fitting in my snake.
 
A general rule of a thumb is that you should not give your snake a pray which is bigger than your snake's widest point of girth by 50%- anything smaller than that should be fine.

I suggest starting with smaller pray when you are feeding him for the first time.
 
Hatchlings often look tiny compared to the mouse they are about to eat. Unless he is an especially small hatchling, he should do fine with a pinky.

As for just dropping the mouse in the tank, some breeders (including me) use that technique to feed all their hatchlings for the first few months of their life. There are a variety of reasons to feed the snake outside of their tank, but if you are keeping the snake on newspaper or paper towels and it is still relatively small, then it seems perfectly acceptable. As long as the snake has no chance of ingesting substrate, go ahead and try it, but I bet that that method won't get you as good results as some others. But who knows.

Some other ideas for feeding, some of which I mentioned above:
Braining
Cutting
Scenting (with dirty mouse bedding, anole, or a variety of other things)
Washing with water or soap and water
tease feeding

That's what I can think of off the top of my head. That's in case you haven't tried some of those and he doesn't take the live one.

Please tell us how the feeding goes!!
 
Kokopelli said:
A general rule of a thumb is that you should not give your snake a pray which is bigger than your snake's widest point of girth by 50%- anything smaller than that should be fine.

I suggest starting with smaller pray when you are feeding him for the first time.
Click to expand...


Prey!!! I can't believe I can't even edit it out.
Ah well, my snakes are prone to praying too... On various Jewish holidays :crazy02:
 
Paper bag trick:

put your snake in the lunchbag, put the pinky in the lunch bag. Roll the top down so it's closed. Or you can roll the top over and clip it.

It works because some snakes won't eat if they feel threatened or if they are easily distracted. This lowers light levels and puts the wee one alone with the pinky. Since the lunchbags breathe, there's no risk of accidentally forgetting them in a closed container where they might get too warm. I've had great success with this.

My king hatchlings always seem to be able to escape out a 'seam' so put the lunchbag in your hatchlings vivarium and close the lid!!!!

Good Luck!

-Tonya
 
Rat scenting live mice pinks has worked with two of my worst hold outs. I just asked the guy at the pet store if he'd rub the pinks in live rat hair. Good luck, and you will know if it has been to long since it's eaten. There skin will hang on them, but I would suggest force feeding befor that happens. :shrugs:
 
I tired a live pinky for the first time yesterday and my snake didn't eat again. Wow this is frustrating. Anyway, I put the pinky in the tank and left it there for a couple of hours. When I came back to see if he ate the pinky was no where to be found. I was very happy about this.

Then in the morning I picked up the rock in the tank just to make sure the pinky did not get under there somehow. Well he did and it made me really mad/upset to realize my snake didn't eat again. Unless he regurged? The pinky looked blackish so I'm just guessing it started to decompose.

Anyone has pics of regurged pinkys so I can see what actually happened?
 
Danko said:
I tired a live pinky for the first time yesterday and my snake didn't eat again. Wow this is frustrating. Anyway, I put the pinky in the tank and left it there for a couple of hours. When I came back to see if he ate the pinky was no where to be found. I was very happy about this.

Then in the morning I picked up the rock in the tank just to make sure the pinky did not get under there somehow. Well he did and it made me really mad/upset to realize my snake didn't eat again. Unless he regurged? The pinky looked blackish so I'm just guessing it started to decompose.

Anyone has pics of regurged pinkys so I can see what actually happened?
Click to expand...

Seriously, try the paper bag trick. Small bag, like kids used to use to bring lunch to school in. The idea is to keep the snake and the pinky in very close proximity with nothing around to distract it from the task at hand (eating the durn thing!). The bag also makes the environment dark and secure feeling for your snake. Chances are your snake drug the pinky under the rock (safe and secure location), couldn't get a good grip on the head, and lost interest.
 
I'll try the paper bag trick next. I'm happy that my snake then at least showed interest in the pinky. If the next feeding doesn't work it will be a month since it hasn't ate, which is worrying me.

Two more questions about the bag- having it shut won't suffocate my snake? How many hours should I leave them alone?

By the way, thanks for all your advice everyone. I can see you all really care about the well being of these snakes.
 
Danko said:
I'll try the paper bag trick next. I'm happy that my snake then at least showed interest in the pinky. If the next feeding doesn't work it will be a month since it hasn't ate, which is worrying me.

Two more questions about the bag- having it shut won't suffocate my snake? How many hours should I leave them alone?

By the way, thanks for all your advice everyone. I can see you all really care about the well being of these snakes.
Click to expand...
Where I read about using the bag, they said that paper breaths enough to exchange air. I didn't trust that either, so before I opened it I took a thumbtack and poked 4 or 5 holes (all the way through, so really 8 - 10) about midway.

After I put Vern and Dinner in the bag, I folded the top down a bit, and then taped it shut with scotch tape. I put the whole thing back into the viv near, but not on, the hot side. I did this about 7pm, and didn't open it back up until 6 the next morning.

You're welcome! I don't know if this trick will work. I seriously doubted it would before I tried it. I have no doubt I'll be sending an SOS message myself again soon.
 
I thought I might chip in my 2 cents, since it's what worked for me. :)

I got Sparkster to eat frozen pinkies happily if I dipped them in warm chicken broth for a few seconds before I gave it to him. I've also noticed that he won't take it if it isn't warm enough, as in warm enough to seem alive.
 
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