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New owner having feeding problems

N

newbie319

New member
Hi everybody, I've been reading these forums since I got my baby corn snake on July 10, 2012. She was 8 weeks old at that time and is now roughly 11-12 weeks. Her next feeding was written on her package for the 15th but I couldn't get her to eat. I tried tease feeding, tried to feed her in a separate container, also tried just feeding her in her aquarium. I finally got her to eat a f/t pinkie on the 17th by just placing it on a lid and putting it in her habitat overnight. I woke up and she had (what I call, a baby bump!!lol) and the pinkie was gone. Since then though, she has not eaten. I've tried braining the pinkie, and even cut one in half thinking maybe it was too big for her. I've left them in overnight every couple of days as not too stress her out too much with no luck.
I have her in a 10-gallon aquarium, use aspen bedding, got a lamp(didn't know about the uth til after I bought the lamp) thermometer, she's got two hides and a water bowl. I think I have everything down habitat wise but can't find any reason for her not to eat. She is my first corn snake, and I realize I probably should have got a juvenile not a baby, but I've had my eastern ribbon snake for couple months now and he is just awesome. Any ideas what I could be doing wrong or any tips on how to get her to eat would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Kendra
 
If you dont have the lamp controlled by a thermostat or dimmer, then it may be too hot for her. If the temps re wrong this can upset their digestion and may put them off eating to start with.

What sort of thermometer are you using, and what's the temperature on the ground surface at the warm side of the tank? Don't take the air temperature or measure the temp part way up the tank wall, as that won't be what the snake is experiencing.

It might cost a little extra to sort out (you might need both a thermostat and a digital thermometer), but getting the temperature right can be one of the easiest quick fixes for a non-eater.

The fact that she ate for you once is a good sign, but it does point to a problem with the environment rather than the snake.

Also, is there any chance that she could be coming up to a shed? Some don't like to eat whilst they're in blue.
 
She hasn't shed since I got her and I was thinking maybe that might be what it is. She is a normal corn, and I'm not seeing any signs of a shed. I have the zoo med digital thermometer with probe and the temp in her habitat is 78 on the cool side and 85-87 on the warm side. I will be getting a rheostat or thermostat in the near future. She's always cold to the touch and when I pick her up, she curls up in my hand and stays there for a good 15 minutes then starts moving around investigating. I have a red heat bulb in her lamp that way I can keep it on and not disturb her night/day.
 
Any thoughts on whether I should get a thermostat or rheostat? Which will work better with a lamp? And should I go ahead and buy an UTH? Sorry for all the questions, but I really want the best environment for her. I've always had a soft spot for reptiles, and finally got the means to have one. If you could put a few suggestions of what I should get, the brand you use, and anything else that might help would be greatly appreciated.
 
It's good that she feels cold to you. 85 is below human core body temp and should never feel more than lukewarm.

Thermostats cost a little more but once they're set up, you can just leave them (with occasional checks). A rheostat has to be adjusted all the time - it's OK if your indoor temps are stable year round, but if it tends to get hot and cold (even overnight differences) then it can be a nuisance to manage.

You need a make/model which is designed to work with a light. I only use UTHs, so I 'm afraid I can't recommend one. Hopefully someone else will be along shortly to advise from experience. If your local stores don't carry the one you decide on, they're available from online suppliers.
 
If your'e willing to go get a UTH, go for it. They are better then lights because they provide belly heat, which helps digestion, and they won't dry out the enclosure. Maybe you can exchange the light for a UTH? I use ZooMed and Ziila as brands for heat pads. Both work well, but a lot of people prefer ZooMed to Zilla.

If you do go with a UTH, you can get a thermostat, rheostat, or dimmer. This thermostat is a well trusted brand: http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTP...ZG3S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1336184248&sr=8-3
You could also make a dimmer switch. Here's the link: http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19168&highlight=make+rheostat
I pretty much recommend these links to everyone. I've built 5 of the dimmers, and they all work great, but they need monitoring and adjusting throughout the day.

If you get a UTH, put the probe for the thermometer on the glass above the UTH to measure temps. That way you are controlling the hottest part the snake can get to.

I really can't advise on lamps, but like I said, if you're willing to purchase a UTH, go for it.
 
Try scenting the pink. Open a can of tuna, and then drip some of the juice (water) on the pinkie. Works every time. Ive had to do that to a few of mine.
 
I have found that not all baby snakes do well when set up in a 10 gallon tank. Baby snakes crave security and in my experience do best when kept in small enclosures.

If the snake isn't eating well for you, get one of those plastic "terrariums" with the snap-on plastic lid. It sounds like you have a good heat gradient, so I'd just set the plastic tank inside the 10 gallon and add a couple of hideboxes and a water dish (and the snake). For now I'd use a paper substrate (paper towels or newspaper).

Once the snake is on a regular feeding schedule and starts growing you can move it to a bigger setup, but for now I would keep it in something small with a plain, paper substrate (it will help the snake to find it's food better).
 
Thanks everybody for all the advice. I will place her in a plastic tub that I've already drilled holes into tonight and try feeding her again tomorrow night. I will purchase a UTH and the thermostat with my next paycheck. I'm really hoping something works. Keep your fingers crossed for me(and her)! Thanks again everybody
 
Sounds like a great plan, but bear in mind that in a new tub, you'll need to let her go through the settling down process again - no handling or feeding for a week. I'd hold off on that planned feeding attempt.

Good luck - let us know how it goes.
 
newbie319 said:
... I got my baby corn snake on July 10, 2012....
Click to expand...

If you've only had your baby for three weeks, only eating one meal is not something to be worried about! How often are you offering her food? Try only offering food once a week. Any more, and she might be getting stressed. No need to worry about scenting, forced feeding etc... she might be a baby, but she can go at least a month and a half without losing any weight.
 
Have you determined if she is blue yet? Is she active at all?? Or does she remain in hiding? You should be seeing her out and about in the early evening or very early morning. I wouldn't do any scenting or changing of environment (other than providing a UTH on a thermostat) or anything like that. She ate just fine for you once. To feed a baby snake, you need a calm, quiet environment. Mine would be HORRIFIED if I did some sort of pinky dance with their mice. I don't even know where that idea comes from. I'd try, after she sheds, putting her in the deli cup feeding container with a very hot pinky, with a couple slits in it, covering that up, and leaving her for an hour, no peeking. Feed in the evening. If she hasn't eaten, reheat and repeat. If she hasn't eaten, try overnight.
 
Thanks everybody. No, I do not think she is getting ready to shed. She's very active at night, usually anytime after 11pm. How often do baby corn snakes shed roughly? I know each snake is different, but some kind of idea would be great.
Also, at first I was trying to feed every other day after not eating for a week and a half. Then I found this site, and read that it stresses them out so I have just been trying every Sunday.
I will keep you posted on when she eats. Again thank you. These forums are great!
 
Nanci said:
Mine would be HORRIFIED if I did some sort of pinky dance with their mice. I don't even know where that idea comes from.
Click to expand...

LOL glad mine aren't the only ones... the adults like to play tug of war, but a moving picky scares the jeebies outta the babies!
 
What a RELIEF:)

So with all the advice, she finally ate:) I tried the juice from a can of tuna fish and she seemed interested at first but after a couple flicks of her tongue, jetted from it. So, I took it and washed it off and tried the boiling water trick and after about 1 minute she took it! I'm so relieved that she ate. I was really beginning to worry about her. Hopefully I can get her on some kind of schedule, other than every 3 1/2 weeks. I don't want a scare like that again. It's amazing how attached to her I am already. Thank you guys so very much for all your advice and input. One other question, I have her in a small plastic tub inside of her 10 gal. aquarium, when should I remove the tub and just let her roam her enclosure? Again thank you.

:rofl:
 
It's nearly always easier to feed in a confined area. The snake can't leave and forget about the prey.
 
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