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first feeding

I

Interested

New member
today I am supposed to feed my baby corns for the first time and I was wondering if anyone has any helpful tips on how to help it go smoothly. I am supposed to feed them small pinks, and I have heard that pinks can lose their scent easily. So should I use tongs or should I just drop them in the tank?Thanks!
 
Yo...

I personally don't use tongs, but you can if you want to. My snake had no problem the first time I fed her...she gobbled it right up. It's different with every snake though.

And about just "dropping it in the tank"...you should definitely feed your snake(s) in another box or container. That way, they do not end up getting aggressive. If you feed them in their normal tank, they'll associate you sticking your hand in their home as feeding time. I've done lots of reading from this forum before I got my snake and everyone seems to all agree that feeding all their snakes in seperate containers is best for all. :cheers:
 
If you put your pinkies in a baggie when you thaw them they will keep their scent better. I use plastic feeding tongs. Feed them in a deli cup or other container with a lid so you can make sure they eat. Brown paper lunch sacks work too.

As far as feeding in a seperate container, that is up to each individual. I have far too many snakes to remove each one into a seperate feeding container. I start all my babies out in deli cups then as they get older I feed in their individual cages. I don't have any problems with them thinking my hand is food unless it were to smell like a mouse:D
 
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I am going to feed live pinkies though. Should I roll the suckers around in my mouse tanks? Will picking up my little babies freak them out?
 
The smell from the mouse bedding should be fine. When the frozen ones are thawed out in a cup of warm water they loose some of their scent. Thats why I suggested using a baggie.

Do you mean picking up the baby mice??
 
I fed mine in a seperate box, and still do. She ate easily the first time, and for that matter every time after. I just put her in the box, dropped in the little fuzzy, and she scarfed it down. Hopefully, yours will eat easily too. Just like Spunky said, every snake's an individual. Once mine has swallowed it down fully, I carefully put her back in her viv by her hider cave, and in she goes for a couple of days!
 
I would wait until evening when a Corn would naturally seek food. Place a pinky, the smallest you can find, in a small paper sack or a small box with a lid to keep their dining area secure and dark. Place a snake in there and give them an hour undisturbed- no peeking! (for security reasons you may want to place the sack in your viv) After an hour or so you can have a look. If their belly is full then put them back in their cage and let them digest, If not give them another hour. Both of my Corns are little piggies and finish their meals in 5-10 minutes. The first time I fed our Okeetee she was half finished when I peeked in, after seeing me she spit out the pinky. Give them some peace and all should go well.

After a few weeks we started feeding our snakes in open boxes. It's a lot more convenient because you don't have to check on them, you just wait for them to finish and put them back in their cages. I hope this helps. Good luck!

Cheers,
Jason
 
I'm lucky. My snake could care less if you watch her or not. I've never shut the lid yet, and I watch her the whole time she's eating. She's not shy at all!
 
We never feed our snakes outside their enclosure and we don't have a problem with any of them being aggressive. We just take them out on feeding day, clean the cage and put the food in and then put the snake back into it's home with the food and they eat..... simple as that.
A few have come to associate being taken out of their cage with feeding and when they are taken out in between time and then put back in, they immediately start searching for the food :D But I have never had a problem with them associating my hand with food.
 
Interested said:
lol, no I meant will I freak out my corn babies!Thanks for all the tips, let ya know how it goes tommorow!:)
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I'm glad you ment the snakes because I have no idea if baby pink mice freak out or not. I have never seen much reaction from them when picked up :D
 
syco said:
... We just take them out on feeding day, clean the cage and put the food in and then put the snake back into it's home with the food and they eat..... simple as that.
Click to expand...

Syco, I am not an expert, my snake, little that he is, is already a big part of our household, he gets out everyday,
(except if he gets fed), he loves to play all over the place, going back in, with food, is a bonus to him. But I will say this, ...when he gets a little bigger, I already have another tank set up, just for feeding!!!..When I need it.????

I hope I never do! Good Luck My Friend!
 
The only other reason I feed in another container is that I don't want mine ingesting the substrate. Her feeder box just has paper towel, where her viv has the chips in it.
 
well they ate like champs!:D in fact they seemed to want another one each! Especially Penny, my creamsicle, she was searching hell and high water for another pinky. I actually did use a f/t pinky and it took no time at all for Penny to eat. Rocko was a bit apprehensive at first but then swallowed it down. I put them each in their own paper bag when I fed them and it worked great. Neither seemed to care that I watched, but Rocko hid immediately when put back in his tank, while Penny just hunted around her tank for a good 20 min. Good little babies!
 
I'm glad their first meal with you went well!

As for feeding, I typically feed all of my snakes in their own enclosures (except for 1 kingsnake). I have over 40 snakes, and it would simply take too long to feed in separate containers. I have been using paper towels for substrate. This way, I do not have to worry about them ingesting any of the substrate. I switched to paper towels because the only aspen I can find around here is VERY dusty. I figured it wasn't good for the snakes to be breathing in all that dust.
 
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