Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was going to try tonight and get my little baby corn to eat, but I found it impossible to safely get her into the deli cup. So, she still has not eaten, but I am curious though, because I noticed the skin on the top of her head beginning to flake every so slightly. Is this a sign of shedding? As a preemptive measure, I lightly sprayed the enclosure. I am preparing to move her to a smaller tank, possibly a 5gallon or a 10gallon, until she is eating and gets bigger. But, if this is a sign of shedding, what other signs should I be looking for? And, would this stop her from eating?

Thanks a lot for any help. It's just a matter of finding the right environment for me to get her eating. She has a good girth and size for her age, so I know she has taken in meals, I just have to find out her preferred method. Does anyone know how Don from South Mountain keeps his hatchlings? Maybe I can replicate it for the time being so she feels comfortable.

Snakes' eyes cloud over a few days before they shed. Their skin also becomes dull. Then their eyes clear up and a couple days after that, they shed.

There are many snakes that will not eat when going through a shed cycle. Humidity can aid in the shedding process.

It sounds like maybe you should have picked up a corn snake book along with your snake - there are several good ones on the market, including one by Don Soderberg.

Tim

Third Eye

I picked up The Corn Snake Manual a long time ago, but I usually find it impossible for books to answer every possible little question. But I should probably check out Don's book, it's more recent than some of the others, and probably has a lot of good stuff in there. Thanks.

You don't need to feed her in a deli cup.
Any container will do as long as it is escape proof. I use a 4qt shoebox tub (sterilite) lined w/ paper towel. Paper towel gives it something to hide under after it eats, and makes it easy to wipe any mess that results.
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Arrrggg!
It's like Shalom, but for pirates.
- iCarly

She gets freaked out anytime she is moved to a new surrounding and ignores any food in hopes of finding an escape route. I am going to try and keeper her indefinitely for now in the same type of setup.

Don't customer service is awesome.
If you bought her from him - contact him, he will help you.
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Arrrggg!
It's like Shalom, but for pirates.
- iCarly

Dons corn snake book is excellent and can be ordered from his website - Kathy love also has an excellent book "the cornsnake manual"

These books will be loaded with info to make this process easier.

I usually get my hatchlings into the deli cup by holding the lid half over the container and letting them go in head first, as they slid their body in i slowly place the lid over them, tapping at any tails or hind ends that are left straggling, this tends to get them to move into the container quickly.
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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

That same method worked once before, but this time, she just wasn't having it. She fought, and she fought, once she saw the lid coming, she just held hard onto my hand and didn't let the lid close. She is a feisty.

Done deal, shot him an email. Thanks

1. Temperature
2. Temperature
3. Temperature

There are hundreds of feeding styles that are superior to others, but none of them work until the snake knows it will have a place in the cage to properly digest. You can try all 100 of them (with unsuccessful results), if the temperature in the cage is incorrect. Only when your snake has a HIDE in the cage that is 80F-84F INSIDE, will the snake eat. At SMR, we feed only f/t pinkies. No scenting, no braining, no dangling. Hence, there is no need to do anything other than put the pinky near the snake, and back off to watch. IF the snake knows it has a hide in which it may truly HIDE, and where it will maintain a body temperature of 80F-84F, it will eat (as long as it isn't in some stage of shedding). Of course, this means the thermometer must be where? INSIDE the hide. What good would an oven be if the thermostat was not IN the oven?

Don
South Mountain Reptiles

As I said in the email, definitely going to go and put a more sizable hide for her on the warm end. That one that I have in there now is just too bulky and it has a thick bottom which I am sure provides no heat transfer. Thanks a lot for the advice, Don.

Don I love when you post on this topic. Helping at a shop each time I sell a snake I have to go thru the long care info as they want to hear it. Most people always want a stick on thermometer on the glass and worse at the top. I tell them you don;t put your home thermastat on a window. But I like your oven one. Just so ya know I will appropriate it lol.

After a looooong lecture, they get a caresheet with a drawing with hides and tempurture zone numbers per what ever animal they buy. I've spent over an hour with some people with 1 snake.

You can imagine lizards and UBV requirements.

OH tell doug to setup a RAID 5 on his dream machine.

Take care
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com

OH tell doug to setup a RAID 5 on his dream machine.

I'll tell him. Ya can't have enough power under your fingers, can ya?

Don
South Mountain Reptiles

True, but I just drool thinking about it. I'm in ecomonical brumation til my daughter gets out of college. Then daddy starts getting toys again.

Take care
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com