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I'm In trouble!

S

SpecKing

New member
I bought an OKEETEE corn about a week ago, I've been trying every other day to feed him. Live pinkies, frozen/thawed, scented, brained EVERYTHING!!! I just cant get him to eat. His tank is the right temp, he's got hide boxes, everything. He just wont eat? Any ideas? I'm starting to get really worried, anyone ever had a corn that died b/c it just never started eating? Please help me if you can.
 
many times corns have died because they refuse to eat but that's usually right after they hatch. I suggest waiting a little while and then, after he calms down, giving him a very very small pinkie as a small meal. Theres tons of stories of corns going quite a long time without food so don't worry. Just keep trying and good luck!
 
The first question I have is whether or not he was an established eater before you brought him home? Did he eat three or four meals before you got him? If so then I think what you need to do is let the poor fella relax and get used to his new home. Stress is a very common cause of young corns not eating. Leave him alone for the next 5 days or so and then offer the smallest pinky you can get your hands on. When I say leave him alone, I mean no picking him up or waving things in front of his cage, just make sure he always has water. Let the little fella chill out. Placing food in front of him every other day will certainly lead to unwanted stress.

When you do feed him, you may want to place him and the pinky in a small container like a deli cup with air holes and leave it in the viv over night on the warm end of the cage. There other feeding stategies too but first let the little guy relax and get used to his new home.

While your waiting pickup a copy of The Corn Snake Manual, or any other books on corn and rat snakes if the Manual is unavailable. Five days should be plenty of time to read it and then you will be a much better keeper afterwards.

Good Luck!
 
I agree with the last post, it took my snake 6weeks to settle in before she would eat, she now eats like a pig. even if it is a hatchling there is plenty of food in the last 60 plus days of yolk it has absorbed. Try not to worry..... Not easy I know :)
 
You can also try Anoles that is a good trick I have seen many post that use the scent on mice, also giving a tail of one. Last resort would be go to a breeder to force feed. But hopefully you can get him feeding by then.
 
Another option before force feeding is trying a brained pinkie. One of our little guys just refused to eat and he was kind of tiny so there was a little bit of concern about nutrition, growing, etc. So we took him into the local reptile center and the "expert" brained a pinkie and our little Sonic went after that pinkie quicker than I'd ever thought he could. Since then he's eaten one other time, brained again. We were told that he would eventually go to eating un-brained pinkies and would be fine.

We joke that he likes to know that his prey is "brainy"! In addition, each of our snakes has a "feeding box" and we decorated each box for each snake and put sayings about them on their box. Sonic's box says, "Pinkies are friends, not food!"

Anyway, braining is another option!
 
thank you all , and keep them coming. My okeetee is 11" long, and maybe as big around as a pencil. I've tried braining with no results. He's had 5 days to settle in, but i'll give him more time. Yall have no idea how much I appreciate yall taking your time to answer my questions. PLEASE keep them coming. Yes, the breeder said he had eaten, but not how many times he had eatin.
 
Eww the breeder does not know how many times it has eaten? *shakes head*

Well atleast your in contact with the breeder. Try the advice people are posting up, and hopefully he will eat soon for you.

Good luck keep us updated.
 
It sounds like more of a stress thing. Your corn might just need a little more time to settle in. If they don't want to eat, I try waiting a week, leaving it alone without handling it or contact except to change the water. Then try again. If you try too often, the snake still gets stressed. Be patient, I'm sure everything will be fine.
 
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