What to do next?!

[Davey]

Ok so tonight was feeding night for my snake, its the first time I am due to feed him. He doesnt want to eat at all, it wont even go near the pinkie. I have tried dangling it in front but it just runs away!

I have been reading on here for the past half hour on what I should do, and have found many answers apart from what to do next? Do I leave it till tomorrow and try again? Do i wait till next week, I dont want him to starve! Any help is appreciated.

I do apologise if this is somewhere else, but I have been searching. Oh and I have checked the temps etc and all is fine, he just runs aways and tries to escape! eek!

 

[PtDnsr]

First of all relax. Go ahead and put him in a separate container with the pinky and leave him overnight. It might just be that he's shy and doesn't want to eat in front of you. No matter what, one missed meal shouldn't hurt a healthy snake.

~Katie

 

[Dave123]

First of all relax. Go ahead and put him in a separate container with the pinky and leave him overnight. It might just be that he's shy and doesn't want to eat in front of you. No matter what, one missed meal shouldn't hurt a healthy snake.

~Katie

Just to add to that, He might just be shy because he is new to your home. I would do what Katie said and but him in a small separate containers withe the pinky for a few hours. Maybe poke some very small holes for ventilation. Good luck.

 

[Davey]

Thanks for that! I will do that tonight to see if that works!

Thanks very much!

Davey

 

[Davey]

Ok so I put him in a tupperware bow with a couple of layers of kitchen paper. First hour, he didnt want to know, he seemed to just stare at the Pinky and not move for the whole hour. So I picked him up and told him he needs to eat or he wont get big and strong!

So I put him back in the container, half hour later, pinky gone snake hiding under kitchen paper. So I quickly popped him back in his viv, and hopefully it will all go through!

The snake I was looking after for 6 months, ate every time I dangled a pinky in front of it, and was no hassle what so ever!

So thanks guys very much for the advice, it really worked! Just a quick question if anybody reads this I dont want to be a pain and post really obvious questions. But what type of corn is he, I have been told he is a Ambi Cornsnake? I have seen some Albino Corn snakes on here, but they had lots of orange on them but mine is mostly red, not really any orange! He was a present so I wasnt at the pet shop otherwise I would have asked a million questions!

I am trying to learn all the different types, ghosts, snows, okettee etc etc, but its quite difficult!

Anyway here are a couple of pics, if anyone can let me know what type he is that would be super!

Also what age do you think he could be? I am going to phone the pet shop anyway, but it would be fun to see what you would guess!

I completly went off topic there....sorry...just excited that he ate!

Thanks again I really really appreciate it!

 

[sbourget]

Looks like an amel to me. (Amel means amelanistic, ie. no melanin, ie. no black). One thing you might want to consider is having nothing but the snake and the food item in the feeding tub. People have had snakes die by ingesting papertowel that was laid down in the feeding tub, it's un-common but it can happen.

 

[Davey]

Looks like an amel to me. (Amel means amelanistic, ie. no melanin, ie. no black). One thing you might want to consider is having nothing but the snake and the food item in the feeding tub. People have had snakes die by ingesting papertowel that was laid down in the feeding tub, it's un-common but it can happen.

He has black rings around his eyes, very fine, maybe all snakes have that?

Thanks for the paper towell suggestion, I wont put any in there next time.

Davey

 

[MegF.]

Looks like red pupils to me. I'd say a beautiful amel also. Very nice. As far as paper towel, I've used it in my feeder boxes for years and never even had a close call. That said, I don't leave my snakes unattended when feeding except for the hatchlings. I'd just put a pinky in there and leave them alone. I've still never had one ever barely snag paper towel. I think the chance is so remote it was a one in a million thing.

 

[Davey]

Thank you MegF!

Yes he does have red pupils! He is also alot redder than other Amel's I have seen on here, they have more orange in, maybe he will lose it as he sheds more? :shrugs: I hope not he is so pretty, and tame, just needs to be told he has to eat! Maybe I will still go with the paper towell, he like to hide under it once he snatched the pinky, and also I will watch him next time, as I didnt want to leave him unattended anyway but as other members have said, he could be a shy eater!

 

[Dave123]

Thank you MegF!

and also I will watch him next time, as I didnt want to leave him unattended anyway but as other members have said, he could be a shy eater!

You can try to watch him next time but he could be a shy eater his whole life. 1 of my 3 adults wont eat with you in the room. Glad he ate though.

 

[MegF.]

I have one that will only eat if she's hidden inside a dark box or something like that. Many of them won't take it from your fingers right away as they see the hand as being so huge. You might try offering with those little plastic feeding tongs that zoo med sells. I used them for my baby Green tree pythons and for the little hatchlings. Not quite as intimidating as a big fist in your face. As for color, my amel was quite red as a baby. Looked very much like yours as a matter of fact.

 

[BeckyG]

I had one who was like that for a long time. He woudn't eat if anyone was watching. I had to put his feeding tub in a dark room and leave for an hour. However, this past spring when he came out of his breeding fast he became my most agressive eater. Now, I think I could do a tap dance on the feeding tub and he'd still eat. So there is hope.

BTW, the snake that ate the paper towel and died was a boa constrictor. For a hatchling corn eating a pinky, there's not much danger from them.

 

[sbourget]

Here's a link to the thread where the boa ate the paper towel: http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26359&page=1&pp=10&highlight=paper+towel
I personally feel it's better safe then sorry. which is why I feed in empty plastic containers with lids.

 

[Roy Munson]

Yes he does have red pupils! He is also alot redder than other Amel's I have seen on here, they have more orange in, maybe he will lose it as he sheds more? :shrugs: I hope not

Keep in mind that yellow and orange aren't usually very apparent on a corn snake that young, and they are the last colors to fully develop. The orange "dots" between the saddles, along the spine, are strong indicators that your amel WILL develop a good amount of orange.

 

[kimbyra]

BTW, the snake that ate the paper towel and died was a boa constrictor. For a hatchling corn eating a pinky, there's not much danger from them.

That one wasn't the only one who has, there been a few reported here. Its still a danger. I've pulled a big wad of papertowel from one of my hatchlings mouth. If I hadn't of noticed right away, he would have choked on the whole piece. Now I only use paper towels for cleaning. Paper plates work alright I've heard.

Any way, it looks like you have a hatchling amel. A pretty one too. The colors will gradually change some and get more orangey. I have one shy feeder that will only eat in her own cage when I'm not around, unlike the rest of mine that eat in feeding bins like little piggies.
Your baby snake is probably just getting used to his surroundings, instead of being a problem feeder. Keep us up to date. :cheers:

 

[Roy Munson]

This amel didn't have much orange or yellow as a hatchling either. He's sure got some now. (8/17/05 and 10/22/06)

 

[galofgrace]

I just love before and after shots! That's a great one Dean.

 

[Davey]

Wow Roy, he sure is more orange! My Amel was born on 11/08/06 so 3 months old! Thanks for all your kind words and help, it is really appreciated! Im really liking this forum alot, there are many very nice people.