Hello from Manchester, UK

urbandruid · Apr 25, 2006

Hi All,

Got my first corn hatchling yesterday. I think he/she's a normal and I'll post a pic when I get home this evening.

He/she's incredibly laid back when I compare it to some of the experiences you guys have had with newcomers, preferring to be out in the open rather than hiding away in one of the two hides I've provided. Maybe it's because he/she's been handled often at the shop?

I'm trying to leave him/her alone for a few days anyway, so that he/she can get used to the environment before I try the first feed, which I'm really looking forward to!

Will talk more later.

Regards,
Steve.

Plissken · Apr 25, 2006

Hi, welcome to the forum!

Congrats on your first corn snake :cheers:
It's possible that your corn is already used to being handled; or, he might be moving around because he's looking for a way out of the tank.

Does he/she have a name yet?

Hope you enjoy your time here!!

Lennycorn · Apr 25, 2006

gnarhimself · Apr 25, 2006

@ LennyCorn

Thanks for all the links
Extremely Useful,much appreciated :cheers:

Hudsonchi · Apr 25, 2006

Thanks for the links, I've seen a lot of them from researching on the net before i got him and since then with more specific questions, but great to have them all in one place.

pitlover · Apr 26, 2006

welcome to the forums, lots of education and fun here so log on often and enjoy!!!

urbandruid · Apr 26, 2006

Disaster!

Thanks for the welcome, everyone. I didn't post last night as something terrible happened. Despite my taking every precaution, and making sure I'd done everything right, my hatchling had died when I got home from work.

The temperature in the warm halp of the tank was 86F, there was a cool half, ample ventilation, there were two hides, even though he used neither, there was plenty of water and he'd seemed fine that morning - in fact I'd been photographing him to post a pic on here.

I got him from a large pet shop in Manchester - one which my snake-keeping cousin had recommended. When I took him back to the shop, the 'reptile person' pointed out that he was really quite thin; his body was quite triangular in section and he'd only had one feed compared to the others who'd had up to five. I got him because of the colouring, and perhaps should have taken more notice of his general condition before buying him. It's been suggested that his thin state combined with the stress of the move might have been too much. The sedate behaviour and sluggishness may well have been indications of poor health that I missed in my enthusiasm to house him.

Even though the indications are that I did nothing wrong, I still feel really bad as if it were my fault. If I'd left him in the shop, he might have picked up his feeding and survived.

The shop offered me a much more rotund ghost of the same age. It's had five feeds so far, and seems much more active, skittish and aggressive in its tiny way than its predecessor. I accepted it and brought it home after buying a purpose-built small vivarium for it to live in instead of the small tank.

Choked,
Steve.

diamondlil · Apr 26, 2006

I'd say you were misled by the shop, if they knew the feeding record they should have held the snake back anyway. Better luck with the new one though.

Tracee · Apr 26, 2006

Ohh I'm sorry to hear you had a loss so soon. It does sound like nothing to do with you.
That's why it's often better to buy a yearling corn, some hatchlings bless them just don't make it.

jenkva · Apr 26, 2006

Hi Steve!
Don't worry, you didn't do anything wrong. I know it doesn't make it less a tragedy but I hope it will not spoil your joy to have a nice ghost (lucky man!) at home.
From what you tell us, I agree with Diamondlil, the pet store should never have sold you that snake :uzi:
Good Luck with your new pet... Don't forget to supply us with eye-candy when you have pics and tell us his/her name.

urbandruid · Apr 26, 2006

Thanks for the moral support guys, I'm still really sad about Slinky (my wife's choice of name), but I'm getting to know the new snake and am feeling better about it. On a much brighter note, the new snake took a pinky with no hesitation this evening and has gone to sleep it off after peering through the viv glass to see if any more were on offer!

Here's the one that died, RIP Slinky...

Here's the new one peeping from behind one of the hides. Can someone confirm it's a ghost for me, please? (not that I care, so long as it's healthy!)

And here's a pic of him/her with the tell-tale bulge after its first feed with me!

Sorry about the colour, I didn't want to use flash so soon after the meal.

I'll keep you updated.

Regards,
Steve.

jenkva · Apr 26, 2006

OMG, that snake was sooooo skinny, amazing that they thought it was ok to sell you that snake.... :angry01:
The new one look really good though. It does look like a Ghost to me but I have been know (very frequently as I am also a newbie) to be wrong

Still, pretty slither you have there!

browny n mandy · Apr 26, 2006

hiya fellow manc
got our snake 5 weeks ago and he/shes already used to the rain,
no honestly its been great with eating and handling,just getting ready for first shedding,
good luck.

DannyB · Apr 27, 2006

very cute

Your new new baby is very cute - even if you do live completely the wrong side of the Pennines

. We've just acquired our first corn snake and we love him. The cats are a bit jealous as he's allowed to live in the bedroom and they're not.

I know its easy to say but don't feel too guilty about the snake you lost. I know how you feel though. We have tropical fish and just sometimes when we bring a new addition to the tank they don't make it through the night even when every thing is right and we always feel really bad but as others have said - it doesn't look like the shop should have sold you him.

cka · Apr 27, 2006

Your second corn looks much healthier than the first, Steve...Good luck with him and welcome to the forums, too :*)

bakawaii · Apr 27, 2006

Same thing happened to me with my first corn. I was sold a hatchling that had never fed. I thought it was my fault but now I have 10 healthy corns, 2 bullsnakes, a king and a rat snake hehe. Never looked back! (and they all eat me out of house and home!)
good luck with ur new snakey

she or he looks very cute!

Hello from Manchester, UK

urbandruid

Zephyr's dad

Plissken

Crazy Snail Lady

Lennycorn

Just see the truth

gnarhimself

Active member

Hudsonchi

Shredder

pitlover

New member

urbandruid

Zephyr's dad

diamondlil

Mice! They taste so nice!

Tracee

Grrrl

jenkva

Buzz-Buzz Ziggety-Zag

urbandruid

Zephyr's dad

jenkva

Buzz-Buzz Ziggety-Zag

browny n mandy

New member

DannyB

New member

cka

memba

bakawaii

New member