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Jenni2126

Jenni2126

New member
Just adopted a new corn yesterday. Digitial scale is down at the moment and can't weigh her. They have been underfeeding her. They have been giving her pinkies when she is definately ready for fuzzies. I don't think there was a reason other than inexperience. When I went to get her last night they said that she last ate about a week ago. I know I need to give her time to get adjusted to her new home. However, since they had been underfeeding her and it's been over a week since she last ate, can someone give me an idea on when to try and feed her? She doesn't seem too freaked out. She even came out of one of her hides today to check me out. She's definately more social than my other corn, Sneak. Thanks!!!!
 
I'm no expert, but I would offer a fuzzy and if it eats, great, if not wait a couple days and try again. Mine ate the second day home (regular feeding schedule it had been on). no regurg. 2 days ago mine ate it's first peach fuzzy by accident. I asked for a pinkie and came home with a fuzzy critter too big to be a pinkie. Loki didn't seem to mind though.
 
Hmm, that is a tough one.. I agree, maybe in this case, since she is quite bold, you could try offering food - the smallest fuzzie you can get hold of would be ideal, to ease her in gently as it were. If she refuses, I personally would remove it and try again in 4 or 5 days - this time I'd be tempted to use the deli-cup strategy of leaving her with it, covered up, for an hour or so (hopefully you'd only have to do this once, if you choose to. Just an idea so you're doing the best you can to ensure she eats as soon as possible).

Hopefully you'll have this girl eating healthily in no time :)
 
I'm pretty new at this, and as a result, probably a bit more paranoid than some of you seasoned keepers. I personally would give her two pinks rather than one fuzzy. Especially if you're going to feed her right away. It might be a bit costly if she refuses, but it might be easier for her to take rather than making the jump right to the larger prey item. The last thing you want is an already underweight snake regurging his first meal with you. Just my 2 cents.
 
I was thinking along the same lines, hence my suggestion of "the smallest fuzzie you can get hold of". The only thing with pinkies is that they have so little nutritional value... If the point is to get her eating, and eating anything, I do think 2 pinks as a first try is good advice.

It doesn't sound like Jenni is new to snakes so I'm sure she'll make a good call. Best of luck!
 
Thanks so much! I pulled out the smallest fuzzy that I could find. Poor thing was starving. I use critter keepers to feed and leave the door off so that they let themselves backout (no handling after eating :) ) I just set it in their tank and come back later and remove it. Anyways I barely had the tongs and fuzzie in the keeper before she snatched it. Ate like a good girl and then let herself out. She went to go hide under her log and poked her head out to watch us for a while. Checked this morning. No regurge! :dancer:
 
Oh that is wonderful! Unfortunate that the gorgeous girl was that hungry, but I feel assured that she is in great and loving hands! I will keep my fingers crossed for continued success! Ummm......where are the pictures ;)!
 
Fantastic news! I love a happy ending :)
She's sure to have a much happier, healthier life with you.
 
we have a little baby about 5 weeks old now who we have had for just over a week.....he hasn't eaten yet and was due last saturday...we have tried everything but still no intrest and its 8 days since he was due so 15 days since he last ate anything...HELP!!!
 
we have a little baby about 5 weeks old now who we have had for just over a week.....he hasn't eaten yet and was due last saturday...we have tried everything but still no intrest and its 8 days since he was due so 15 days since he last ate anything...HELP!!!
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Was he eating before you got him? Perhaps the previous owner/shop could advise what and how they were feeding, so that you can replicate the conditions.

When you say you've tried "everything" - what have you actually tried? We'll only be able to help if we can come up with something you haven't tried yet!

My first advice would be leaving him with the food (presumably a pinky) overnight, completely undisturbed. Some don't like to be watched as they eat - it makes them feel threatened.
 
we tried last saturday on the day he was due.....letting it defrost naturally....with feeding tweezers in his home...

then left it a day then defrosted the same but in a deli cup covered on his own....

then defrosted in water in his home.....leaving the pinky in after teasing for a while

then defrosting in water in a feeding box...and braining it...and cutting it down the middle!!!( the pinky)

then last night same again and then left him with it over night again but he escaped from the deli cup( in his home) and left the pinky!!!

this has been over 9 days and he ate on the sat before we got him....no problems...he isn't over or under handled and we got a thermometer and the temp is fine.....seen him drinking a few times and when he is awake he is very active and friendly.....please help!!!!!:(
 
have you tried covering the pinky with tuna juice? I've heard from multiple experts that this is a good way to get them to eat.
 
They can go longer than you think without eating before it becomes an emergency, so try not to panic. My first corn refused food for almost 4 weeks when I first got her.

Moving to a new home can be really stressful for the little ones, and if you're trying to feed him repeatedly, you can be adding to the moving stress without realizing it.

My advice would be to leave him alone for 3 days between each refused feeding, and don't handle him at all until he eats. Let him get settled into his new digs and learn that it's a safe place for him to be.

For my reluctant feeder I ended up feeding her a live pinky to get her started when nothing else worked. She wanted to hunt prey that was actually moving. To this day I have to dangle the F/T mice with a pair of forceps and make them move a little or she'll ignore them.
 
You're probably going to need to try a live pinky. Some petshops will sell them to you, but some will not. You may need to buy a heavily pregnant female and just wait until she has them. My anery will not eat dead prey. Snakes aren't as stupid as they may seem. They know if it's alive or not. Some of them don't care as long as it's food, and some of them are picky eaters. ;)

Another thing you might try is tuna juice, as Zlehmann recommended, or fresh animal blood (icky, I know) or maybe anole scenting, which is very useful to many reptile keepers. Some petstores sell dead anoles which you can cut up and rub on the pinky to add 'tasty seasonings'. :noevil:

I hope you get him eating! Good luck.

Adam. :wavey:
 
I'd try leaving him overnight in the deli cup again - this time, make it escape-proof so he's forced to sit near the pink undisturbed, for hours at a time.

Dunking the pink's head in oil from a tin of tuna has worked for odd ones of mine in the past. It's not a cure-all, but a cheap and easy thing to try. I wouldn't use the tuna in brine, as I don't know if a Corn's system can handle too much salt.

Agree that you now need to give the guy a break of a few days, to let the stress levels settle.
 
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