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Worst keeper ever :(

SarahP

SarahP

Crazy Snake Lady Trainee
I am seriously rethinking this breeding thing.

Yes, I managed to hatch out two clutches this year. They all hatched healthy. Go me.

But they keep escaping, despite making sure I close the tubs. I swear I do it, and yet once a week, someone's out.

Have found all of them so far. This time, no luck. It's only one, but I have two cats and we just moved and ... I don't even know.

On top of that, I have seven babies from the second clutch that have yet to eat. They're five weeks old. Still looking strong and not droopy, but not eating.

Today is a hard day. :(
 
I'm really sorry about the escapee(s), and the young ones not eating... but especially for you feeling so down.
I think it's incredible that you're even breeding! It sounds like a hard thing, to me, and you have got to give yourself credit for that.
I don't really have any advice, but I just wanted to say that despite your tough day, you do not sound like "the worst keeper ever"... or anything CLOSE to that.
I know saying "keep your chin up" doesn't do you a whole lot of good, but this is your first attempt. My thoughts are that it will only go up hill from here :)
 
Sarah I don't have any advice either but maybe they ate getting out through the air holes, if your sure the lids are closed.. sorry I can't be more help but it seems like u love all your babies best of luck.
 
I am 100% certain they're not getting out through the air holes. Even the little ones can't wedge their heads out the holes. I was worried about that from the start so made sure. Good thought, though.

No, the lids are popping loose somehow. We're getting differently locking tubs today, but still.

I just needed to "say" something to people who would understand.

Thanks, all.
 
Binder clips! Binder clips! Binder clips! Lol Babies need binder clips cause those little turds and squeeze out anything. I was getting escapees no matter the tub I used till I got binder clips.
 
http://www.ziploc.com/Products/Pages/ContainersSmartSnapSeal.aspx?SizeName=Large Rectangle

They are almost perfect for hatchlings thus far for me. The imperfection is with paper towels, I can't find any that fit close or full exact. Right now I'm using Costco's brand of plain white paper towels and fold them in half long ways, but then have about 5-6 inches extra that I have to fold back over. I've coupled these 2 things with 8oz deli cups, 2 inch female-female PVC couplers, and 2.5oz SOLO plastic soufflés cups. I fill the deli cup about 2/3 with coco fiber (eco earth, tropical soil, bed-a-beast [old school name!] coco coir, etc), cutting a 3/4 inch hole in the center of the lid for access. The PVC couplers are holders for the SOLO cups -- disposable (recyclable!) water bowls. I get a 250 count for something like $3 or $4 at a local restaurant supply store. The Ziploc containers are punched by a soldering iron for ventilation.

I think it was a post by Walter Smith that lead me on to the Ziploc containers. I wasn't too crazy about them initially, but knew that with sterilite/Wal-Mart having redesigned their formerly $0.88 shoe boxes and already having an escape attempt out of one that I needed a more secure lid. The Ziplocs force you to close each corner, which I find helps me. I just don't know how much the lids are designed for wear and tear wise with constant opening and closing.
 
Right now I have all my babies in ziplocks. I have had ONE escape, and found. The lid is now taped down. I'm waiting on a rack to arrive that I ordered, I can't wait for that!
 
Have you looked down in my personal forum for the list of tricks for non-feeders? I'm gathering up all the tricks that have worked for people. The number one thing, though, is boiled pinks. Number two is Ivory dish soap scented. I didn't have Ivory when I went to try my non-feeders last time (who had refused boiled) and 4:5 took Dawn scented...

I haven't had much luck feeding in the babies' homes, either. They just go off and leave it. I have better luck in a very small deli, covered so the snake can't see out.
 
I have looked in your forum, yes, Nanci. As a matter of fact, that's been my guide, so thank you for it. These guys are not interested in boiled and I tried Ivory soap and they didn't want it. We even tried halving the pinks and no good. So.

I guess it's another attempt in little covered containers in a few days. :p
 
Just keep cycling through the tricks. You can get mouse tails down very easily. I'd try a different scent each time, and then feed a tail, every 4-5 days.
 
Hang in there, the only way to learn is by making mistakes. You'll be a great breeder in no time. That's something I don't think I could ever do. Keep trying til you get it right. There's a lot of knowledge here so continue to post and listen to advice of those that have walked before you. Much success to you and your little ones.
 
This is more a question than a solution. I've never bred any snakes but I have caught wild baby snakes that refused to eat. I got their mouths open and put the pinky in it and then it seemed like they got the idea and swallowed. After that they ate normally.

So do you guys do that? Is it a no no or are you doing that and they still refuse to feed.I have always fed in a small critter keeper with nothing in it and covered it with a towel and put it in a dark closet.
 
Usually, if you get to the point where you have to get something down, they will feed by "slap" feeding. You jab the snake in the neck with a pink, it bites, you freeze, it drops the pink, repeat until success. If that doesn't work, I'll do a mouse tail section WAY before I do a whole or partial pink. The mouse tail will slide right in, and quite often the snake will then continue to "chew" and swallow. Usually with one or two meals, they start feeding themselves. If the snake continues to refuse everything, and is nearing 25% total body weight loss, I'll go to whole or half pinks, depending on the baby's size. That's kind of a last resort, and many breeders won't do any kind of assist feeding at all. I'll give them a chance with both scenting and tease feeding, because you just don't know if they are actually hungry enough to eat, yet, and once they find something that appeals to them, they take right off feeding and are generally super-simple to wean off whatever trick I used, often the very next feeding. It just takes that one time, and then they seem to go "Oh, _that's_ what I'm supposed to do with that weird pink thing!" Baby cornsnakes are not, after all, generally feeding on neonatal mice out in the wild- so they may not recognize one as food.
 
Thanks Nanci-

Pretty much the same thing I was talking about. Only I did have to force a mouth open once.Usually it's trying to get them to understand fingers aren't teething toys lol.
 
Thanks Nanci-

Pretty much the same thing I was talking about. Only I did have to force a mouth open once.Usually it's trying to get them to understand fingers aren't teething toys lol.
 
I've never had an escape from the small ziplock or reynolds disposable squares. as long as I fully pushed the lid down of course! My snake room is sealed so that even if they get out of a container they can't get out of the room. After waking up with a baby snake in my bed and a cat attempting to get it, I put a weather seal along the bottom of the door. Now that I have venomous it's absolutely imperative no one can escape the room! Works like a charm. As for the non feeders...they can go a very very long time before really reaching critical. You can try live, washed, scented, gutted, brained, whacking them over the head to piss them off, holding them while feeding (oddly I had one baby that was the only way you could get him to eat for a while). Some just won't eat and I don't force feed....but most will....
 
MegF. said:
I've never had an escape from the small ziplock or reynolds disposable squares. as long as I fully pushed the lid down of course! My snake room is sealed so that even if they get out of a container they can't get out of the room. After waking up with a baby snake in my bed and a cat attempting to get it, I put a weather seal along the bottom of the door. Now that I have venomous it's absolutely imperative no one can escape the room! Works like a charm. As for the non feeders...they can go a very very long time before really reaching critical. You can try live, washed, scented, gutted, brained, whacking them over the head to piss them off, holding them while feeding (oddly I had one baby that was the only way you could get him to eat for a while). Some just won't eat and I don't force feed....but most will....
Click to expand...

Yeah-what I'm talking about is not force feeding. It could be called forced introduction-just getting a little bit of the the food in their mouths. Obviously this has been answered and apparently they still act like my genetic offspring and live to be contrary. Thanks for the replies.
 
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