Help...Baby Corn not eating

[Ladyjustice33]

Hi.....last Tuesday (5 days ago) I brought home a baby corn for my daughter.....snakes name is Juno. We put Juno in a 10 gallon tank with lots of hides so she has plenty of places to hide. We tried to feed her the next day.....a thawed pinky with no luck. Called the person we got her from and he had just fed all Juno's litter mates live pinkies and none of them had a problem eating. Said he has to sometimes start baby snakes on live and then change to frozen once they are eating well. So Friday evening I put two live pinkies in her tank and then we turned out all the lights and left off for about 4 or 5 hours, came back and pinkies still there. Later that night I thawed and brained a frozen pinky and rubbed it on the head of the live ones hoping the smell might help. I also tried aggitating Juno with one of the live pinkies...no luck, so I just left the live pinkies in her tank with her over night. Next morning pinkies still there and still alive so I went ahead and froze them so they didn't just lay there and die. I'm gonna wait till this coming up Tuesday to try again. Anyone have any suggestions??? Any advice will be appreciated!!!

 

[Ladyjustice33]

Also want to add.....We held her the first day and then I limited handling to once a day.....read not to handle her at all till she is eating good, so haven't held her since last Wednesday.

 

[Dustilyn]

The problem was in trying to feed her too soon then in repeatedly trying. She's stressed! You really need to leave her completely alone for a week before trying again. Literally just check her water and that's it. After a week, try again and just put her in a small feeding container with a pinkie and leave her alone over night.

Also, do you know if she has ever eaten? The person you got her from should have fed her a few times before selling her to make sure she would eat. Sometimes the little ones won't ever feed for various reasons. If she's never eaten, I would return her where you got her and get one that is already well started.

 

[Dustilyn]

Also, have you checked the temps? If they are off that could cause problems too.

 

[Ladyjustice33]

Temps are good....between 79 and 82....she starts getting active about 10:30, 11:00 at night. She seems healthy......the person I got her from told me to wait a week and try again and if I keep having issues he will see if he can get her to eat and once eating well we could get her back. I think you are right and I stressed her out. I'm debating on whether I should try again with a live pinky or thaw out a frozen in a week.

 

[Janome]

Here are my thoughts:

I agree that is to many times in trying to feed it. Best to leave it alone for now. Has the hatchling had its first shed? Most snakes wont' eat if in a shed cycle. If not then the guy you bought it from shouldn't of even been selling it till its had its first shed an first meal.

A 10 gallon tank might be to big for it. They get stressed easy in to big an enclosure. I've started my babies in 5 gallon tanks. Some use shoe box size container. Your temps sound good.

Another thing is are you giving it a natural day / night cycle? I have my lights on timers so they go off at night.

 

[AliCat37]

I just want to say that 10 gallons is not too big. I kept hatchlings in 20 gallons before no issue. Like everyone else said, you NEED to leave her alone. Make sure you're only offering food every 5 days at the most frequent. I find every 7 to be better.
I have noticed that light cycles help with some snakes. But I'd say just leave her be for a week and try again.

Also, your temps are between 82 and 79? What's the warm sides temp? 82-79 almost seems like a cold side to me. Is there a place with 85 to 88? And are you using an under tank heater with a probe?

 

[Ladyjustice33]

I'm not using a heat lamp or pad.....I live in southeast texas. It's always humid and the dining room I have her in will get up to 85 during the day when it is over 100 degress outside and about 79 at night. I have a thermastat in her tank reading 84 right now....wich is the temp in my dining room, lol. My husband picks I'm half snake....I can't stand anything cooler than about 75 to 78 myself. I will get something for during the winter just in case the room starts to get cooler.

 

[Ladyjustice33]

FYI.....Juno finally ate on Friday and boy was she hungary.....2 pinkies!!!! My daughter is very relieved....she was so worried about her baby!!!

 

[helifreak]

Congrats! Was it a live or F/T pinkie? I still haven't gotten Mr Snakey to eat in 4 attempts... starting to get worried.

 

[Ladyjustice33]

First was a live and second was frozen and thawed. I hope your snakey eats soon!

 

[Arachne]

This is good to read. I've had my babe for two weeks now, and she's not eating either. I tried twice, so far with f/t, using all the tips I've gotten from here, small container, hot pinkie, cover, leave undisturbed over night, all that. I'm going to try next with a live pink, see how that goes. It's nice to see things working out!

 

[Ladyjustice33]

This is good to read. I've had my babe for two weeks now, and she's not eating either. I tried twice, so far with f/t, using all the tips I've gotten from here, small container, hot pinkie, cover, leave undisturbed over night, all that. I'm going to try next with a live pink, see how that goes. It's nice to see things working out!

If your snakey has never eaten before you may have to do like we did with juno...had to take her back to our friend and he had to nick the picky on her head with her teeth and then helped her figure out what to do by starting to force the pinky down.....she pretty much took over and then ate one herself after that

 

[Arachne]

Ooh, that looks like a good idea, too. Thanks! Any new info is good info, in this situation.

 

[Ladyjustice33]

Juno Update

We have had two successful feedings with Juno.....have had to cut f/t pinky in half, but she is eating so that is all that matters to me!!!!!