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Newbie worrying about everything

sawsehel

sawsehel

Hypnotic
Don't even bother reading this first part since it's just a long rant. I just need to get it off my chest...so i can stop worrying...!

<rant>

I finally got my first corn a week ago (1 month old) and he had just eaten. He had a bulge on the middle of his body so I believed it. So I started worrying about him not actually having eaten at all and instead having some other problem.

Bulge disappears.
Oh...So no problem then I decide. But how about the poo. Two agonizing days later after having left him alon to acclimatize, I start thinking that he is dead. Yes, He's Probably dead...he isn't moving. No poo.So I check. He moves away from me when i remove his hide to check. Ok. He is alive. *big sigh of relief*

And so it continues. I eventually find the poo when I go through the substrate and I start seing him around the viv in the evenings. Then no more so I start worrying about him being a bit gray.

But he's relaxed when I start handling him and doesn't rattle or bite.
He's just so....cool! :cool:

HE'S GETTING GRAY AND EVEN THOUGH I KNOW HE IS PROBABLY JUST GOING TO SHED I FEEL WORRIED!!!

(He's eating, moving, drinking, pooping...)

</rant>

Now, when do you get used to all these things? Ever?
Because I usually don't worry this much...
...but with little kaa...it's a completely different situation. I just want to take good care of him....or her...

So the questions I guess are:

1. How long did it take before you got it all sorted out with your first corn?
(No worrying, just a relaxed "Ah, he is shedding" or "he'll poop eventually".
No newbie jitters.

2. How many of you have had an appearently healthy corn die early even
though you did your really best and read up on everything?

3. (Unrelated) What morph is she/he??? The avatar-pic is the best i have...
Normal???

In the end I know he will probably be ok... He's ten times more relaxed about everything than I am... Maybe he can teach me something... :)

Ok, thanx all for listening. I feel much better already.

-sawsehel
 
I does take a while to get used to their ways, but you will. I wonder how many snakes have been taken to the vets by worried owners just to find they are in a shed cycle, I was (and always still am!) convinced Mayzee is dying when she goes blue, I am always amazed she doesn't choke to death when she eats, I always worry that the beak of the chick I feed her will cut her internally.... and well a million other little worries. But she seems a happy healthy snake and I am still a rack of worries..... :rolleyes:
 
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I guess we all go through these worries! :eek: But the main thing is to enjoy our new snakes, and know Cornsnakes are much easier to take care of than some other types! :)
 
i think the key...

is to try not to be so overly concerned. do everything possible to assure that you have a healthy snake, post as many messages on here for advice, but don't be sooo worried. snakes are pretty resilient animals, my snake has been to h*ll and back and he's still alive. If your snake ate before you got it and you saw the proof then that's REAL good. i was told that my baby corn wasn't eating when i got it, but after i gave it time to adjust to its new environment it regained its lost appetite. poop...they go when they are ready, there's no schedule. mine has been going a lot lately, but there's been months where his cage is spotless! Yours will probably shed once a month depending on feeding cycle. if he's eating, walking, drinking, pooping then...be happy :) sounds like a healthy animal to me :) To answer your questions...

1) I never had "newbie" jitters.

2) Norbert is my first corn. I had a ribbon who died after a month and a half. He seemed healthy, he ate, he drank, he swam, then he died. No clue!

3) Albino snow
 
1. You'll get used to it. By the time this one is a yearling you'll feel like you know it all~ and then they'll suprise you and do something new!

2. Me~ Long story I hate to tell~ but I lost several in a row (top quality stock too) despite reading, vet visits, advice from the experts. I finally moved locations and the deaths stopped so I can only assume it was environmental~ and maybe quite a bit of bad luck!

3. Might be a normal~ sorry but the pic is blurry and I'm just not sure.

Good Luck!
 
Hey, actually my snake just shed this morning(or maybe even last night when I went to sleep) and I can actually relax and say everything is ok! I have had this snake for 1 month exactly today and so far no problems at all. No regurge, no problems pooing, no problems with the shed(all in 1 piece). It's really cool how I put my hand in the viv, and my snake picks its head up looks at my hand, starts sniffing and then comes to my hand. Its great!! :D

1. I think now I can finally relax. I mean, like I said, I've had the snake for a month and now I see how it everything works(clean the tank at a certain time, clean the water bowl and whatever else needs to be cleaned at a certain time, feed it a certain day, it goes to the bathroom a certain day, sheds a certain time of the month etc). When I got it a month ago, I wasnt sure what kind of schedule it would follow, but now I have a general idea of when to clean, feed etc.

2. I had an Egyptian Water snake when I was like 10, but unfortunately it died. I tried my best to keep it alive and well, but I guess it was just its time to go :(

3. I have a Ghost Corn now. I will try to get a better picture soon. Especially that it shed today. Look at the pic in my avatar, it'll do for now, hopefully...
 
You're not alone!

sawsehel - I just got my corn last week and I am exactly the same way! I can't stop obsessing and worrying! Everything will be OK, and with time we will surely be relaxed and know what to expect.

Congrats on the new corn!

-Ari
 
Question #2

I got a little Ghost about 2 weeks ago, just beautiful. It was due for a feeding,and they gave me a pinkie to give to him. This little guy was so calm, he took the pinkie from my hand and I let him eat it in the palm of my other hand. 2 days later I found him belly up in the cage. Sometimes you get one that doesn't make it. that was the quickest one I ever lost. I have been keeping Corns for over 15 years and know it was not due to anything I did or didn't do. It just happens.
Relax and enjoy your snake.
Mike B
 
sawsehel said:
What morph is she/he??? The avatar-pic is the best i have...
Normal???
Click to expand...

It's not the greatest pic, at first glance it looked like an Okeetee, but the more I look at it, I hate to say, I think you may have a hybrid, between a corn and some sort of milksnake. The pattern along the sides of the body just doesnt look right to me and the amount of yellow doesn't look right either.
 
Thanx everybody. :)
I'm sure everything will work out fine...as it appearently has so far. :)
In case something DOES happen, or paranoia strikes again, :eek1:
all I have to do is post a question.

Even though I know all of this, I guess I'm still afraid of doing something wrong.
D**n. I only met the little fella two weeks ago and I'm already completely attached. :) He's just so darn cute!

Thanx again everybody! :cheers:
 
Hand on experience is definitely different than being book smart where this subject matter is concerned. My snake is shedding right now and all the right things are happening, but my mind won't be at ease about this being "normal" until the process is over.

I love when they peek. Little head pokes out of wherever to see who's watching, then when they see you looking back, they stare at you for a minute, then go back in. *swoon* lol
 
What the heck kind of lettuce looking sort of wood chip type substrate are you using?? Cool paper towel roll! :laugh: I had to cut mine in half (lengthwise) because it was too hard to get my baby out. It's still his favorite hide. :)

As for the peeking, Max always burrows and peeks from under the substrate.
 
I *knew* i was going to get that question again ;)

It's colored woodscips.

Mine prefer under the waterbowl. The managed to get all the woodchips from under them. Right now there getting so strong the actually manage to lift the waterbowl a bit. I just remove it when cleaned and put it right back on top of them. Funky snakes. Don't mind one bit, just wait till i'm done :D There getting to big though. Slightly worried one of them get's kicked out. Perhaps i should remove it before it happens...
 
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