Skin problem?

[Lennycorn]

But shouldn't he be eating smaller numbers of larger prey? I was under the impression that pinks really don't have lots of nutritional value and are used mainly until babies can safely handle larger mice.

No :flames: please!

Yes, basically thats normal here.

 

[Kiriapollo]

Thanks for the worry about the Tornado. All clear for now. I live in Indiana. The Tornado State. I don't think it will hurt him to slowly try to feed him more often. I know that pinkies are not as nutritionally packed. But, he is just that way. I don't like to push him to try to eat what he is afraid of. Poor traumatized thing. If that mouse wouldn't have attacked him. I don't think he would have had a problem.

 

[PtDnsr]

He probably won't eat adult mice because he knows you'll give in and give him the fuzzies. I would try to offer larger meals (hoppers) every two weeks for a while and then move up to small mice, then large mice. If you feel that he'll still refuse the mice because of his past what about weanling rats? They have a completely different smell than mice and he might go for it. Also, have you tried various methods of f/t? Thawing at room temp, in hot water, feeding out of the cage as well as in? As weird as it sounds I have a baby burm that refuses to eat outside of his cage and I'm going to have to slowly wean him off of that, but he will eat. I would try offering bigger food and if he doesn't eat he doesn't eat. Don't give in because he's learned that he'll always get what he wants. A healthy adult corn should be able to go a few months if need be without food. One of my males went 4 months last spring without eating and only lost around 50g. Keep in mind that if the vet says he's healthy he probably is and you shouldn't have to change your feeding schedule - it's just not one that most people on here would recommend. I'd second Lenny on checking with the herpetologist on corn experience and whatnot. Whatever you end up doing, do it for the benefit of your snake, not because you feel pushed to do it the "right" way.

~Katie

 

[MegF.]

I find most of the time, when snakes won't eat f/t it's because it's not warm enough. Mammals have a normal body temp of 100-101 degrees F. Most of the time, if you heat in a plastic bag, the temp just gets barely lukewarm. I was noticing some of mine refusing f/t when I decided to get lazy and stop microwaving the water and just putting them in a plastic bag and heating them with hot tap water. They didn't get nearly as hot with the plastic basically insulating them. When I took them out of the bag and heated them up directly in hot water, they took them instantly. I even got a rescued burm who had never eaten anything but live to take f/t the first time I fed her. I feed my large adult corn every 2-3 weeks, although right now he's off food completely due to breeding season. I don't know of too many people who regularly brumate their non-breeding individuals and when they do, it's complete brumation for 2-3 months. They don't partially brumate....

 

[Kiriapollo]

He probably won't eat adult mice because he knows you'll give in and give him the fuzzies.

I know. But, he looks so scared when I put them in there. I can't help but give in. I do the same with my son. Those cute puppy dog eyes. Can't help myself. :sobstory:

 

[schilsound]

In line with what meg said about this I'd recommend cervical dislocation to enable you to safely and easily offer larger food items to your pal.

While it can initially be somewhat traumatizing for the pet owner to consider prekilling prey items I would honestly recommend you switch to a larger prey item freshly killed; if he's eating around 10 pinkies you should safely be able to switch to a single hopper.

My one main reason for this recommendation is also a dietary concern for aging humans- calcium depletion. Pinkies have little to no bone mass, therefore the diet your snake has been enjoying for its relative ease of consumption is also low in didgestable calcium.

There are varying schools of thought on this matter [just search the various discussions regarding herp vitamins, repto-cal and pinkie dusting to see some different opinions] but my personal opinion is that if a snake needs it then it should be provided in the diet naturally if possible, then supplimented if it is a concern or issue.

http://labanimals.stanford.edu/Guidelines/Cerv_Dis.html

Here is a simple, easy to understand and straightforward explaination of C.D.- it will eliminate a lot of the issues you and the snake have with live prey and will also allow you to offer some larger, more nutritious items to your snake worry-free with just a exhertion on your part.

Hope this helped. . .

 

[Kiriapollo]

His scales are doing much better. Thank you, everyone, for your help. I appreciate all the ideas and opinions that I have received.

Today, tomorrow and forever. Each day is full of lifes mysteries.