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[EloteBaby]

Greetings

I recently (2 weeks ago almost) found a baby/young cornsnake (not sure how old yet) in the street in london on my way back from walking my dog.

I took my dog home got a pillowcase and went back out hoping they were still ok and there. And they were. Im saying they as dont know the sex btw.

No owner has come forth on local social media when i posted. I used to be a snake guardian years ago when i lived in the states. I had two adopted python whi wete already pushing 3 and 5 years old and were adopted from the tv/film/performing industry so though cared for previously were very tame. So i havent had experience with babies or cornsnakes. But i knew enough to set the snake up in a plastic box with a secure lid and some non toxic orchid substrate water ans somewhere to hide etc.

I contacted a reptile rescue and a local reptile shop and got advice. And went immediately and bought a large exo terra faunarium , a bag of frozen fuzzy mice babies (now im thinking too small) and a water bowl and 2 proper hides.

I then also got a high quality heat mat and thermostat that can last me for the permanent enclosure and have that now set up.

I let the snake be for a week..they didnt come out of the hide at least not while k was around despite having clutter and hiding spots. Figured it might be in shock and goodness knows what it went through. So i let them be for a week. Then offered fuzzy/pinky. They refused to come out so i left it inside a paper toilet roll with one opening near to the opening if the hide.

Two hours later before dark and checking the temp to turn it down a bit (ive been giving a tiny drop in temp on the warm side at night not much and less than what reptile shopkeeper suggested which was to turn off mat completely) i saw the snake ate the fuzzy/pinky. Yay! That was Thursday evening.

Then the night before last i went in to mist one side as ita been so hot and dry in London and i saw a ghost like thing moving and realised it was the snake shedding!! They did great...elegantly in one piece and in and arround the clutter and through the toilet roll

Ever since they stay the whole day in the warm hide and then at dusk they've come out very active and stayed out through the night...last night at 11pm they were still exploring. Very much Houdini vibes so i have the hatches on the faunarium lid taped down with gaffer tape and am putting a heavy book on top as paranoid. I have a piece of limestone beneath so the beat pad is between that and the faunarium. As im a bit anxious!

Questions now are

1. Is that normal for them to shed so fast after eating?
2. It's been 5 days so im going to feed another fuzzy pinky..they could probably be bigger. Is it ok to feed another time 5 days later.
3. Ive researched alot and im reading i should feed them a few times and let them settle before handling. Is that correct?
Im going to get the shed out tonight qhen i feed them abd that way i cab judge better their size and best size of pinkies to get. These may be too small but too afraid of feeding two at a time. I feel like smaller and 5 days apart better?
Is his activity trying to escape or hungry? Or both? Or normal after a shedding. My pythons did get more active after shedding.

Thanks for having me! All tips appreciated!
Ill post some pics asap! Ive got them on another device!

 

[crackerhead]

First off, Welcome and I wish I were as lucky as you were to have found a corn snake on the street.
1. It didn't shed "quickly" because of the food but more likely it was in the shed cycle already and ate in shed regardless. Some snakes eat in shed most do not.
2. In the summer months I feed every 4 days or right after the snake poops. That way I know they have digested and are ready for more.
3. Smaller is usually better, but there is no real harm in trying to offer two prey items at feeding if you think they are too small. Snakes are opportunist feeders; eat when food is available.
3a. They are always trying to escape and probably seeking food or, this time of year, a mate. Sounds like normal behavior to me.
Congrats on your find and best of luck!
Terri

 

[EloteBaby]

First off, Welcome and I wish I were as lucky as you were to have found a corn snake on the street.
1. It didn't shed "quickly" because of the food but more likely it was in the shed cycle already and ate in shed regardless. Some snakes eat in shed most do not.
2. In the summer months I feed every 4 days or right after the snake poops. That way I know they have digested and are ready for more.
3. Smaller is usually better, but there is no real harm in trying to offer two prey items at feeding if you think they are too small. Snakes are opportunist feeders; eat when food is available.
3a. They are always trying to escape and probably seeking food or, this time of year, a mate. Sounds like normal behavior to me.
Congrats on your find and best of luck!
Terri

Thank you so much for the welcome ans the feedback, it means alot! I fed Elote another fuzzy pinky and this time they peeked out of the cooler hide even though theyd hidden there after i had cleared out the sheddes skin and refreshed the water. So i was half executing them to reject. But just as i accidentally dropped it (the tweezers im using are awkward AF!) they went for the pinky right where it landed, ate it up and retreated back into the hide. Iys beem so warm here so even the cool side was 26 degrees easy. I spritzed that side of the substrate (orchid mix for now wil change when theyve eaten a few times)
Lets see how long it takes them to get active again.

And yes i feel priveleged to have found them. I wasnt prepared money wise so ive managed some how...the faunarium and habistat set uo for the pad and stat and now ive gotten an almost 4ft enclosure from facebook marketplace for 70 quid inc the subway fare! Not sure how i managed it with an ikea 2 wheel trolley and some bungee chords

I call them Elote because corn and also its colouring looks like an elote! but nickname Slimey as ib Oscar the Grouchs pet worm....because i found them in the street by some rubbish but isn't slimey at all though im a bit of a grouch

Next is trying ro figure out the lighting etc for the bigger enclosure slowly get that ready with lots of fun stuff as ibhave a feeling Slimey the Elote is an adventurer.

Thanks again and all the best