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Coral Snow Corn Not Eating

SODERBERGD said:
Jennifer, since you sent the picture to me, I cannot show it to everyone without your prior consent. The picture shows less than 1/4" of sand in the bottom.

May I post the picture on this thread?

I also re-read my post and see that you have only had it four months. That's still a dangerously long time for fasting in such a small snake. Regarding force-feeding, that is something nobody but experts should do. As others have cited, often when you force-feed, the stress is akin to taking one step forward by getting calories in the snake, but two steps back from the stress. If this snake pukes that pinky, your world is about to turn upside-down in the realm of stress for you. The other reason force-feeding was not indicated for this snake is that you have not yet stabilized the hide and cage temps. Puking this mouse is almost a foregone conclusion.

We are here to help you. Me, I give up, but everyone participating in this thread (and others who WILL) can help you. But they can only help you if you at least try to follow advice (and accurately report cage conditions).

May I post the picture of your cage?
Click to expand...
The aspen bedding arrives on Tuesday and the new UT on Wednesday. The one on there now is died but before it did the temperature was inside between 80-84 and that wasn't sand you were seeing that was liner
 
I think this might be a hopeless case unfortunately.


Everyone on here is so sweet and helpful and caring- Reading all your replies just breaks my heart because I can see how much each one of you cares about the snake's welfare...

I feel the owner of this poor, unfortunate snake is just trying to be difficult, cause rifts and refuses to cooperate on purpose. Seriously. No one is that rude on accident.
The good guys can't win every battle =(

Terri, I would totally let you come to my house and school us on snakes =)
 
Well I am doing what everyone is telling me but right now there isn't anything I can do cause the aspen bedding doesn't arrive till Tuesday and the UT on Wednesday
 
Jennifer, there is a Wheaton AAE show on Sat. Nov. 1 and if you wanted I'd be willing to meet you there and answer any questions in person. I vend at pretty much every show. You could even bring the animal with you and I could give feeding it a try there. Other people have brought non-eating animals to me at the show and we have had success. (there is easy access to live as well as F/T) I understand your concern about having a stranger in your home, so this is a safe neutral meeting place. You could ask lots of people for their thoughts in person. Sometimes it's easier to do things face to face so there is no confusion. The show is a great place to meet like minded people with tons of herp experience. It is great to have a resource like that so close to home. Plus you can buy all the supplies you might need there.

Terri
 
Well I am getting the aspen bedding and UT on Wednesday and Tuesday I don't want to stress him out anymore than he is and it is supposed to be cold that day
 
Okay. If you change your mind the offer is there. The show is every month, first Saturday and the third Sunday.
Good Luck,
Terri
 
SerpentLady4 said:
I have a tiny baby hide that is extremely tight and dark. Right now the bedding will arrive on Tuesday and the UT on Wednesday. The one I have now bit the dust and doesn't warm up at all. Before it bit the dust the temperature inside their hide read between 80-84. The rest of the cage is holding at 82
Click to expand...

When you get your new UT heater make sure the thermostat's probe for the thermostat is either on top of the glass (underneath the aspen) where the UT is located or right on top of the aspen on the warm side. Also your thermometer should be at the level of the top of the aspen (if you stick it on the side of the tank). Since that is where the snake lives it will give a better indication of his living conditions.
John
 
crackerhead said:
Okay. If you change your mind the offer is there. The show is every month, first Saturday and the third Sunday.
Good Luck,
Terri
Click to expand...
Ok, I tell you what after I have his tank reset up I am going to give him a week to adjust. If that doesn't work well then you can come and see what you can do for him like bring a live pinky with you.
 
SerpentLady4 said:
You say 3/4 inches others are telling me 3 inches
Click to expand...

That seems like a lot but everyone does it alottle different, I have always used 3/4 to an inch of aspen. I think the key point in my mind is using aspen bedding, it is by far the best.
John
 
I am having problems my temperature controller is set to between 81-84 but the temperature inside the hide is in the 70's.
 
I like a nice thick layer of Aspen. Of course, it makes it a tad difficult to find them in it but they seem happy. Hope your baby makes it. I have some wonderful snakes from Don. He is a great guy and very patient too. My lovely Journey came from Don. I also got two lovely Motley Sunglows from Don.
 
Going out on a limb . . .

First, an apology to Jennifer. Upon examining the photograph more closely (wish she would let you all see it) I see that I AM mistaken about it being sand in the bottom of the cage. I'm terribly sorry, Jennifer, for saying you used Sand.

Jennifer, in the interest of success, because you won't let everyone see the picture (to see that the thermostat probe is two inches under the lid of the 10-gallon tank, on the back glass) I'll tell you (again) that the probe and/or thermometer must be where the snake is. You have it in your mind that a 10-gallon tank is the same temperature everywhere therein. You now see how wrong you have been all these weeks, by setting the thermostat for low 80sF but achieving 70F on the cage floor (which is also on the floor of the room--the coldest place in any home). As I said to you many times, there is only one place in the cage where temperature matters, and place is where the snake spends most of its captive life IN the cage. Had you shown the picture to everyone, the first advice you would have received was that you don't control the temperature on your front porch if you are living IN the house. That analogy is parallel to putting the thermostat at the ceiling of the cage when the snake is on the floor of the cage.

Not the entire picture, here is a portion of the cage pic that shows the cage mat that I incorrectly perceived as sand. I'm very sorry for incorrectly saying it was sand, Jennifer.
 

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SODERBERGD said:
First, an apology to Jennifer. Upon examining the photograph more closely (wish she would let you all see it) I see that I AM mistaken about it being sand in the bottom of the cage. I'm terribly sorry, Jennifer, for saying you used Sand.

Jennifer, in the interest of success, because you won't let everyone see the picture (to see that the thermostat probe is two inches under the lid of the 10-gallon tank, on the back glass) I'll tell you (again) that the probe and/or thermometer must be where the snake is. You have it in your mind that a 10-gallon tank is the same temperature everywhere therein. You now see how wrong you have been all these weeks, by setting the thermostat for low 80sF but achieving 70F on the cage floor (which is also on the floor of the room--the coldest place in any home). As I said to you many times, there is only one place in the cage where temperature matters, and place is where the snake spends most of its captive life IN the cage. Had you shown the picture to everyone, the first advice you would have received was that you don't control the temperature on your front porch if you are living IN the house. That analogy is parallel to putting the thermostat at the ceiling of the cage when the snake is on the floor of the cage.

Not the entire picture, here is a portion of the cage pic that shows the cage mat that I incorrectly perceived as sand. I'm very sorry for incorrectly saying it was sand, Jennifer.
Click to expand...
Ty you very much Don,
On Tuesday the aspen bedding will be arriving and Wednesday the new UT. I will put the probe either on the glass below the bedding or right above the bedding. It has been spending some time on warm side and sometimes on the cool side. I hope this will bring backs it's appetite.
 
Placement Of Thermostat Probe

I know that many people recommend putting the probe on the glass floor of the cage--directly above the UT heater, but I do not. You would have to calculate what temperature would be rendered via the aspen substrate buffer, and that could change from season to season. Therefore, as ugly as it looks, I recommend putting the probe where the snake actually is (parallel again to not having your home HVAC thermostat out on the front porch). Then, until the man-made electronics fail, your theromstat will control the UT heater to the exact temp you seek for the snake (plus or minus two degrees F. on both ends of reaction to thermostat) VS. your temp equation that has the variable of changing temps in the room. They're expensive, but proportional thermostats control exact temps via delivering the exact amount of electricity to achieve the desired temperature at the probe. The kind you use (most common in the hobby) will tell the heat tape to be ON or OFF, but it will continue to rise for a degree or two, and vice-versa, the UT heater will need reaction time to heating up again, therefore, falling one or two degrees before delivering needed heat. The thermostat you have should work well for your needs. Just remember the golden rule of temperature for snake cages. The ONLY place in the cage that matters--in the realm of temperature--is the snake's body. Since the snake desires to be hidden, you therefore control the temp INSIDE that hide. It can be two to five degrees warmer or cooler literally on the outside wall of that thin hide. Especially since your cage is on the cold floor.

Again, Jennifer, sorry to have falsely presumed you had sand in the cage. You kept saying you didn't, but I was naively believing my eyes over your testimony.
 
Wow, that does look like sand! Is the liner one of those Exo Terra Sand Mats? They do a great job faking sand and stone.
Good thing you are swapping it out for Aspen. The company doesn't rate it for use with a UTH because you can't control the heat well. Most people use those for geckos. The Aspen will be much easier.

Terri
 
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