Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Someone please help me. I'm officially panicking. I picked up a pair of my first Colubrids ever (a pair of corn snakes, obviously) at the Timonium Show in Marlyand last month. They are a 1.0 Black Motley het Stripe and a 0.1 Black Stripe. I am not new to snakes, but I would be lying if I said I was not new to Colubrids. This little pair are not a breeding project, but just pets to us. I made the decision to dive into the corn snake world because I felt I was ready after doing enough research/reading in addition to my previous years of experience with snakes, but I cannot get these two to eat for the life of me!

I've tried every trick up my sleeve and I was hoping some of you corn snake experts out there can help me?? They're living in a divided 15qt rack, temps ranging from appx 72-92 (back heat, not belly heat). What are some of the strategies you guys use to get stingy hatchlings to eat??

I really appreciate any and all of your responses... I've had the worst few weeks ever when it come to my hobby. My animals are my worlds, and thanks again in advance for the help.
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Cheers!
• Chelsea Lynn Gardiner
(and Frank M. Wood)

i usually try F/T first...
f/t plain..
f/t tease fed
f/t brained
f/t beheaded
f/t cut in 1/2 long ways
f/t washed with ivory or dove soap
f/t scented with green anole (can also try urine and brains and guts from anole)
f/t tuna scented

you can also try with live.. the same ways..

things you can also scent with: house anoles and baby tree frogs

~kin
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~Sober Serpents~
www.freewebs.com/soberserpents
Corns, Creamsicles, A Black Rat, A pair of Leucistic Black Rat X Leucistic Texas Rat Intergrades, Thayeri, Cal Kings, A Jungle Corn, Ball Pythons, Leopard Geckos, Green Anoles, 2 Snapping Turtles, an Eastern Box Turtle, a Bearded Dragon, an Adult Rescue Iguana, and A Baby Iguana

There's a few things on that list I never heard of or let alone tried!! But the beheaded and heated up with a hair dryer (for one) and vertically-cut and heated up (for the other) worked like a charm after being left alone!!!

And than they took another the next morning plain!!

Your my hero!! Cheers to you!!
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Cheers!
• Chelsea Lynn Gardiner
(and Frank M. Wood)

no problem... we all have our own ways to try stuff... i'm sure if none of my stuff worked i'd have asked the same questions
~kin
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~Sober Serpents~
www.freewebs.com/soberserpents
Corns, Creamsicles, A Black Rat, A pair of Leucistic Black Rat X Leucistic Texas Rat Intergrades, Thayeri, Cal Kings, A Jungle Corn, Ball Pythons, Leopard Geckos, Green Anoles, 2 Snapping Turtles, an Eastern Box Turtle, a Bearded Dragon, an Adult Rescue Iguana, and A Baby Iguana

The first thing I would try is a deli cup with air holes in it.
Put the f/t and the snake in there, close it up, cover with dry towel, and put it back in the rack. Check on it the next morning.
You can also use a snake bag for the same thing.

I tried that... on multiple ocassions... with different prey... no dice. They are stubborn...
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Cheers!
• Chelsea Lynn Gardiner
(and Frank M. Wood)

It sounds like your cage size is too big. Baby snakes do best in shoebox-sized enclosures. You can put the plastic shoeboxes inside the 15 quart tub for heating purposes. Like the others who posted, I'd "cup feed" the snakes (put them in 8 oz. deli cups overnight with the food item).

Tim

Third Eye

It's a 15qt tub split down the middle vertically with a divider... do you think that may be too big too??
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Cheers!
• Chelsea Lynn Gardiner
(and Frank M. Wood)

The first thing I would do is to find out what the cage floor temperature is and get it into the 82-85 F range.

Paul Hollander

Proper belly temps are very important....as stated above, make sure the belly temps are around 85 in the warm end.

Make sure they feel secure - give them multiple hides (at least 3) that are snug for them...they like to be able to coil up comfortably insidde without a lot of extra room.

What have you been doing so far to try and get them to eat???

Usually i use deli cups or small tupperware containers and leave the pinky mouse in with them in their cage, covered, for several hours. If this does not work - try wiggling the mouse. If that doesnt work you can move on to braining, beheading, scenting, etc.

I've never had to resort to drastic measures with any of my corn hatclings over the yars - as long as they are in a good set up and not overly stressed they are great feeders.

If you have been stressing them with many feeding attempts you can try to fix the temps then leave them alone for a few days to a week before attempting again.
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1.1 Bearded Dragons
2.2 Leopard Geckos
1.0 Uromastyx (Mali)
1.1 Corn snakes
0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake
1.0 Bairds Ratsnake
1.0 Rosy Boa
1.1 Green Anoles
1.1 House Geckos
0.0.2 Flying Geckos
0.0.1 Red Eye Tree Frog

I'll guarantee it'll feed if you put it in a deli-cup overnight with a live anole and NO the Anole won't contaminate it in any way....TC

Thanks Tom! Your a quality guy!!
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Cheers!
• Chelsea Lynn Gardiner
(and Frank M. Wood)

I think I really panicked over nothing. I lost my first baby (different snake, different species) to starvation and I absolutely FREAKED because these guys hadn't eaten yet for me. I think I just needed the kind words and help to calm me down and remind me to be patient!!!

Thanks again for the help!!

Sorry for being such a newb.
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Cheers!
• Chelsea Lynn Gardiner
(and Frank M. Wood)