So I got a baby corn snake last week wednesday and I tried feeding it yestderday and sunday to no success at all. I wanted to try and feed him because apparently they normally feed on wednesday and I thought he would be hungry and didn't want to wait untill tomorrow and have it be 2 weeks without food. So I cut the head off a pinky because this baby is like super young and pretty small, and he just had no interest whatsoever. All he did was try and escape the box I put him in for feeding and try and escape the whole time. He never struck at the mouse once. So I need advice, do I try and feed again today, and do you guys have any technicques I could use. Orrrr do I wait a few days to let him relax and try again. Help asap would be nice thanks.
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My new baby wont eat
- Thread starter smale492
- Start date
Sounds like the wee one has had a lot going on recently no? Moved to a new home, then just a few days later, moved from that home into a box and had a pinky brandished at him, then the very next day, the same thing happens. Young corns are nervous creatures and prone to stress, and stressed corns don't eat. It's often recommended that new arrivals are given a good while, we're talking 1 to 2 weeks, without any interference at all except spot-cleaning and water changes. If I were you, I would give him a bare minimum of ten days completely undisturbed - no handling and no trying to feed, before you offer food again. Don't worry; they can go far longer than that without food and suffer no ill-consequences, and if you keep offering every few days you'll just increase his chronic stress and make him less likely to eat in the long run.
Apart from the stress of moving home, incorrect husbandry can cause poor appetite. What's your set-up like? How are you providing heat and what temperatures are you getting? How much do you have in the way of hides and other cover like fake plants?
Failing all of that, there's a wealth of resources on getting stubborn feeders to eat, on this forum and across the web, but the first thing I would try is just giving him time; leave the pinky with him overnight and see if he eats it in the cover of darkness... But this is AFTER you have given him a good chunk of time with no disturbances.
Apart from the stress of moving home, incorrect husbandry can cause poor appetite. What's your set-up like? How are you providing heat and what temperatures are you getting? How much do you have in the way of hides and other cover like fake plants?
Failing all of that, there's a wealth of resources on getting stubborn feeders to eat, on this forum and across the web, but the first thing I would try is just giving him time; leave the pinky with him overnight and see if he eats it in the cover of darkness... But this is AFTER you have given him a good chunk of time with no disturbances.
I have a cool side and warm side hide and one in the middle and temps are fine. I think he is just young and I was just worried because of how young he is that he should atleast try and eat. So what you are suggesting is to leave him for awhile again? I hadnt interacted with him at all when i got him (last wednesday) untill sunday and yesterday when trying to feed him.
But what exactly are the temps, how are you measuring them, and what is the heat source? Sorry to press you, only it's amazing how many new snake keepers worry about their snakeys not eating and it turns out to be that the enclosure is too cool, or there's not enough cover =P
Yes, I am suggesting that you leave him completely alone for another ten days at minimum - no handling, no food - I promise it won't do him any harm.
By the way, how big is the corn? I assume it has already had a good few feeds with its breeder? You could try asking him/her what method they used for feeding. You mention cutting the head of a pinky since it's so tiny, so I guess it must be small, but just so we have all the information
You
Yes, I am suggesting that you leave him completely alone for another ten days at minimum - no handling, no food - I promise it won't do him any harm.
By the way, how big is the corn? I assume it has already had a good few feeds with its breeder? You could try asking him/her what method they used for feeding. You mention cutting the head of a pinky since it's so tiny, so I guess it must be small, but just so we have all the information
YouBut what exactly are the temps, how are you measuring them, and what is the heat source? Sorry to press you, only it's amazing how many new snake keepers worry about their snakeys not eating and it turns out to be that the enclosure is too cool, or there's not enough cover =P
Yes, I am suggesting that you leave him completely alone for another ten days at minimum - no handling, no food - I promise it won't do him any harm.
By the way, how big is the corn? I assume it has already had a good few feeds with its breeder? You could try asking him/her what method they used for feeding. You mention cutting the head of a pinky since it's so tiny, so I guess it must be small, but just so we have all the information
The warm side sits around 84-86 at al times and the cool stide is upper 70's due to the heat here. I dont really know how to explain how small he is. He was born on the 29th of july and they apparently fed him xs pinkies which I have ordered. His head is pretty small and he is pretty worm like (thin but not bad) I am just worried waiting 10 days because I will be moving to school in 14 days and Im worried the 3 hour car ride may scare him maybe not though.
daddio207
THUG FROG !
HI, Has it shed yet?
Even though there are always exceptions to the rule, most corn snake hatchlings will not eat before their first shed. I doubt that it ever ate if it was hatched on the 29th of July. Normally a hatchling has yoke in their belly to digest the first few days or so of their lives. They will go in "blue" (the beginning of the shed cycle) in about 1 to 2 weeks after hatching. I never attempt to feed until after they have completed their first shed. It could be 3 +/- weeks after hatching. My first feeding is always a "boiled" small pinky (a pinky defrosted in the hottest water out of the faucet). At night I put the boiled pinky and the snake in a small container with air holes and put that container inside their tub and don't look to see if they ate until the next morning.
I dont know if it has shed yet the eyes are just as red as the first day it showed up at my house (Its a blizzard corn). I will watch for it glossing over if it is ever out. It is hiding burried somewhere now.
daddio207
THUG FROG !
With any amel or amel combo gene corn snakes it can be difficult to tell when they are in blue. Also you could of missed the blue phase (easily done with a blizzard) and it could be in its clear phase and about to shed.
Knowing if it has shed with the breeder (doubtful) or since it has been with you is very important since it will influence any advice given.
If by chance it has shed a hatchlings shedded skin could be hidden anywhere in its Viv. Take a look around, in and under everything just to make sure it hasn't shed (put the snake in a container while you look) then give it a few days and see if anything changes like going in blue or actually shedding.
Lastly, the more stressed you are then the more stressed the snake will be.
Knowing if it has shed with the breeder (doubtful) or since it has been with you is very important since it will influence any advice given.
If by chance it has shed a hatchlings shedded skin could be hidden anywhere in its Viv. Take a look around, in and under everything just to make sure it hasn't shed (put the snake in a container while you look) then give it a few days and see if anything changes like going in blue or actually shedding.
Lastly, the more stressed you are then the more stressed the snake will be.
Woah, it was hatched 29th July and you got it Wednesday (10th August)? It is far too young to have been an established feeder before sale then - really would expect a breeder to make sure an animal is has had at least a few feeds before sending a babby off to its new home.
Not a very helpful post I know... I don't have much experience with very young babies though so I'll leave the advice up to the others around here!
Not a very helpful post I know... I don't have much experience with very young babies though so I'll leave the advice up to the others around here!
With any amel or amel combo gene corn snakes it can be difficult to tell when they are in blue. Also you could of missed the blue phase (easily done with a blizzard) and it could be in its clear phase and about to shed.
Knowing if it has shed with the breeder (doubtful) or since it has been with you is very important since it will influence any advice given.
If by chance it has shed a hatchlings shedded skin could be hidden anywhere in its Viv. Take a look around, in and under everything just to make sure it hasn't shed (put the snake in a container while you look) then give it a few days and see if anything changes like going in blue or actually shedding.
Lastly, the more stressed you are then the more stressed the snake will be.
Yeah Im gonna leave it be to not stress it out for a few days then I will check for shed I rather not root around and freak it out any more right now.
I was thinking the same thing...
axis1
Fuhgeddaboudit!!!!
Sorry I haven't been around to answer this in any way, but Daddio is totally on about the time frames, assuming this hatchling came out around the 29th. An experienced breeder suggested I wait till one week AFTER the newborn hatchlings shed before trying to feed them. (I had 15 snows and one stripe amel hatch out the week of 7/11/16 - a veritable SNOWSTORM!!)
As of today, 3 of the original 16 that hatched haven't eaten and I'm not confident they will. It has gotten to the point where I am probably going to have to assist-feed and soon, force-feed the little critters, which is incredibly stressful to both ME & the HATCHLINGS!
Therefore, a couple of weeks, relatively speaking, is like a walk in the park!
As of today, 3 of the original 16 that hatched haven't eaten and I'm not confident they will. It has gotten to the point where I am probably going to have to assist-feed and soon, force-feed the little critters, which is incredibly stressful to both ME & the HATCHLINGS!
Therefore, a couple of weeks, relatively speaking, is like a walk in the park!
So what do you suggest...? Give him more time alone and see if he has shed in a few more days then try and feed again?
axis1
Fuhgeddaboudit!!!!
I would give him a couple of days and try again but in the meanwhile, double check his eyes to see if they are clear or cloudy, since it's tough to determine whether or not snow corms are in blue. As mentioned earlier, you want to avoid anything that would or could cause a regurge. However, that being said, if a hatchling will eat, I always feed it! I don't know if this is a good policy or not but it works for me and I've never had a hatchling regurge unless I was trying to force feed it. Not suggesting you should do what I do, just saying what works for me. It's great that you are being careful and I wish everyone was that way with hatchlings!!
Please keep us posted!!
Thanks for the help and will do