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Any more ideas on how to get this little guy to eat?

J

Jay's Mom

New member
My first post is a few threads down on the page... our baby corn still hasn't eaten. I tried feeding him today (a day early, I know) but he didn't want anything to do with the pinkie. I warmed it, brained it, dangled it in front of him, and when he showed no interest, I left him with it in a Mason jar inside his cage.... came back 2 hours later to find the snake had crawled out (and this was a TALL jar) and left the pinkie laying there.

We had pretty much left him alone to get used to the cage, then yesterday gave him a warm bath. I am wondering what else could we be doing wrong? The temp is right, humidity seems right, he has plenty of water, we're leaving him alone except for a warm bath here and there..... He has hides on both sides of the cage and a branch to climb on. Could his aquarium be too *big* for him at this size? He is in a 20 gallon *long* aquarium with a mesh lid.

Help! I'm getting worried and frustrated and we're really going through the pinkies! My son loves this little guy and I don't know how to get him to eat!

Thanks!
 
I haven't seen your previous thread, and I don't have the time to go check it out.

Is this the only way you've tried feeding him?

I think tease-feeding is the best way to go, if you haven't tried it already.


Has he eaten anything before? Lizards, anything?

I just need to know before I go off with all of my pointless suggestions. :shrugs:
 
-before I forget because I know I will-

How did the store feed him before you bought him? You should also try duplicating his previous eating environment so that he feels more comfortable and will know what to do.
 
When I first got Bentley he wasn't eating, and so I tried putting Bentley in the brown paper bag that the pinkie came in from the pet store (I"m sure it could just be a brown lunch bag etc) with the pinkie, folded the bag at the top so that he couldn't get out, put the bag on the warm side of the viv and then turn off any excess lighting you have and if it's still light, try putting a blanket over the viv so that its nice and dark. I checked on him a couple hours later and he had eaten it up. It works every time for me... just a suggestion... :shrugs:
 
Some answers to your questions...

We got him from Petco, and they said he ate f/t pinkies there, once a week. He was in a smaller enclosure, temp and humidity the same as what we have here. I've talked to the people at Petco several times, and we're doing exactly what they did, only he won't eat for us.

I've tried the tease feeding (what I understand it to be- dangling the f/t pinkie in front of him, making it move slightly, touching his body with it, waiting for him to strike it.) Also tried the brown paper lunch bag trick- even leaving him in the bag, in the cage, overnight. Nothing happened.

Shouldn't he be used to his viv by now, even though it is bigger than what he had at Petco? It's been about 3 weeks (2 weeks since shedding) since he's eaten.

Thanks for any help and advice!
 
Try to give him some break. Trying to feed him too often can make thing worse. Leave your snake for at least 4 days and then try again.
Besides if he ate earlier then he will eat in future. So don't worry too much.
 
Sounds like you've been trying pretty hard.

You'll have to wait and then keep trying, and in a few weeks you'll probably have to force feed him, but that's a last resort.

Corns are usually active at dusk, so try putting the smallest pinkie you can find in front of the entrance of his hidebox at sunset and leave it overnight. Don't come back until the next morning and see how it goes.

If his cage is big he might feel lost, so make sure the water source is near his hideout. It helps a lot if he is well hydrated. Make sure the temperature is in the mid 80s (F) and the cage has a high humidity. If you can mist his cage with warm water, I've heard that helps, but I've never actually had a problem like that before.

Keep us posted!
 
You should definitely try a LIVE pinky, and leave it for several hours in the dark before checking on it (probably best just to leave it overnight, undisturbed.) The fact that it may or may not have eaten f/t before is meaningless at this point.
 
For the six out-of-egg (never fed) hatchlings I received a couple of weeks ago via FedEx from Rich, I had great success following Kathy Love's instructions from The Manual:

"...Be sure that it's housed alone in a comfortable cage evironment..., one that's not so large that the foold gets lost... and is never found by the snake.... Keeping their crepuscular (active at dusk) nature in mind, gently introduce the tiniest live pinky you can obtain into the cage just in front of the entrance to the hidebox around sunset. Quickly vacate the room to avoid spooking... and do not return to check progress until at least the next morning." (Emphasis mine.)

I left the snakes alone for three nights to acclimate to their new surroundings (~4 quart tupperware), and they all took their pinkies on night four. Their next meal was F/T pinkies offered just after sunset, and they all took them without incident. They just ate their fourth meal (third round of F/Ts) last night. I'll probably continue this way for a few more feedings, then start placing each in a feeding container to eat. If you use paper towel or newspaper substrate in their first tiny cages, there is no risk associated with feeding them there.

I wouldn't handle (or bathe) your snake at all before your next attempt.

-Dean
 
I tried just about everything to get one of my month old hatchlings to eat...It had eaten with the previous keepers, and then I got it, and it was about 3 weeks before I finally got her to eat...I ended up putting her back in her deli cup, with NOTHING but the pinky in the container with her, and put her in a darkish place, this was at nighttime also....She ate it right up!!

The only things I can suggest, which I'm sure you've either already tried, or has been previously suggested is this...

Put it in a small container, that it can't get out of, and place it in a dark place

Try feeding in the evening/night (snakes are generally more active at this time)


Hope this helps, and I hope you get the little guy? eating soon!!!

terrysangel79
 
I would definantly try a live pinkie, a day old pinkie is small and the hatchling will probably devour the pink.. Dark spot, over night in a small container ( deli cup ) will probably do.. The corn needs its peace and queit when they are young a skittish. I just went through a similair situation myself, although I scented the live pinky with a live anole lizard.. The lord in a side, the little feller poked its nose at the pinky as if intrested ( was happy to see that sign ) and then I placed the container in one of my dark back rooms and kaBOOM, off to town the little feller went.. The Deli cup was about the size of the medium sized salads cup you would get from Safeway or Von's from there deli section..

Regards..
 
"The lord in a sidecar, the little feller poked its nose at the pinky as if intrested ( was happy to see that sign ) and then I placed the container in one of my dark back rooms and kaBOOM, off to town the little feller went.." Is what it was supposed to have read

I wish we had the ability to edit our posts for errors..

Regards
 
All I can say is Good Luck

Our first Baby Corn we got from Petco as well. When I picked her out she/he was doing all the "right" things, active, tongue flikcering etc. I brought her home with all the amenities they suggested and she did fine for the 1st 2 1/2 weeks. She fed and pooped. Next she ate a half a pink, then refused any subsequent offers. Our baby then died with a live pinkie in her feeding "box" (feeding a live one was suggested to me as well) It is devistating to wake up to a dead snake. My suggestion (not expert by any means) Have your baby checked out by a vet. I have since aquired a baby snow corn from the same PETCO and it seems to be doing great (2 good feeds and poohs). They say some just arent meant to be. Good luck and I hope your baby makes it!
Angela
 
"snake cam"

I set up my old ass video cam next to my viv. I use a little sterilite container with holes drilled all the way around. I then place the snake and the pinkie within the sterilite which i place inside the viv. I then put a "blankie" over 3/4 of the sterilite so I can view the goings on through a small TV. Then I get to watch without disturbing. Results have been exilerating!
 
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