Reptile & Amphibian Forums

About two weeks ago, I bought my corn snake hatchling from Petsmart. I had my reserves, but I've read that corns are pretty hardy, and I was going to get him checked at the vet's soon anyway.

They told me his feeding day, and I took him home.

I have a 20 gallon tank with two hides, an under the glass heating pad, aspen bedding, of course a water bowl. Temps get up to about 87 on the warm side, and room temp on the other.

The thing is, he won't eat by himself. I've tried everything, braining, bumping, cutting the thing in half, dipping it in broth. Leaving him in a box with it, leaving it in his favorite hide. He won't take it, and won't show any interest whatsoever. I've made sure the pinkies are warmed all the way through before I take them out of the water.

He started moving a bit more slowly a couple days ago, and the skin around his tail looked a bit wrinkly, which had me a little worried. I went to an appointment with the vet yesterday. I took him, and she seemed honestly surprised at how small he was. He weighs about 6.4 grams. She said he was too small to sex by probing, and I'm not comfortable with having him popped. She did cut up an extra small pinkie, lubed it up and force fed him. I gave her a moist stool sample and he doesn't have any parasites. She believes the pinkies are just too big for him. He's only about as big around as a pencil.

I'm calling the pet-store later today to see how they fed him. Have you guys got any tips or tricks that might help him feed?

From the info you gave, the problem is pretty easy to pin down. That is WAY too large an enclosure for a hatchling corn snake. It is common for juveniles of many snake species to go off feed in large cages (the reason for this is not clear, but there are several theories). Try confining the snake (with a small pink) overnight in a ventilated deli cup-try both live, dead, and "brained" pinks. If this doesn't work, move the animal to a shoebox-size or smaller enclosure for the time being.
-----
Brad Chambers
WWW.HCU-TX.ORG

The Avalanche has already started-it is too late for the pebbles to vote....

Hello!

Corn snakes are wonderful pets! I have 4 of them. Got them all as babies.

A 20 gallon tank is WAY to big for a baby. They like to feel safe and secure. A 5 gallon tank would be much better. It might seem small but believe me its plenty of room for a baby corn snake. Mine loved toilet paper rolls to hide in.

Also if you haven't already let him alone for a couple days. Its a big world out there for him and all the stress of being handled at the store, then bringing him home is alot for a little baby.

Well, this is just my experience with my corn snakes. Hope it helps.

I definitely think you should move him into a smaller cage. I put all my hatchlings in containers not much bigger than a sandwich. about 5"x5"x3" in size. A folded piece of paper towel (it can hide underneath) with a bottlecap with water. I placed this partially on a typical human heating pad (so about a third of the container is on the heating pad,the rest off.

Try and get the smallest mouse pinkies you can, day old is typically what they are listed as. As your vet has force fed your snake, which is very stressful. Leave it alone for a few days then move it into the smaller cage. Wait another 3-5 days then offer the smallest mouse pinky you can get (if it looks more than 1.5 times the girth of the snake's body, may need to cut it in half but shouldn't need to..baby corn snakes can eat pinkies right out of the egg with little trouble. You can also try mouse tails (adult mouse) whole or cut in half. Try frozen thawed and leave it in with the snake over night. Remove if not eaten by morning. (throw it out).

If he doesn't eat the frozen thawed pinky, try a live pinky a few days later. If still doesn't eat... then try mouse tails. Corn snake babies in the wild often eat invertebrates as well so you could try crickets, worms, etc. But work with pinkies first, as its much easier to feed corns these.
-----
PHLdyPayne

Thank you guys so much. At your suggestions, I have moved him into a much smaller shoebox with a single hide, and a smaller water bowl. About 1/3 of his shoebox is over the heating pad, and I placed the whole thing in the larger tank. He seems to be moving normally now and is chilling and digesting. I'll try to keep you guys updated.

Thank you again for the suggestions. I really appreciate it. I'm a newbie, but I want to make sure I do everything I can to make him comfortable.

>>Thank you guys so much. At your suggestions, I have moved him into a much smaller shoebox with a single hide, and a smaller water bowl. About 1/3 of his shoebox is over the heating pad, and I placed the whole thing in the larger tank. He seems to be moving normally now and is chilling and digesting. I'll try to keep you guys updated.
>>
>>Thank you again for the suggestions. I really appreciate it. I'm a newbie, but I want to make sure I do everything I can to make him comfortable.

good start
Now just leave him alone for three or four days to give him time to acclimate and digest.
Then when you are ready to feed him again place him and the pinkie in a small deli dish and place it back in the tank and leave them in the dark for a couple of hours without disturbing him. I bet he will be fine.
By the way. If he is as big around as a pencil and weighs 6 grams he is definitely big enough to eat a pinkie. I think the stress of a new LARGE home just had him off feed. Give him time.
-----
Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

_____

Jimmy you always have good info for newbies !!!

>>Jimmy you always have good info for newbies !!!

we are all newbies
we learn every day.
At least I hope we keep learning
thanks
-----
Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

_____

Jimmy yes we are this is my first year with agressive females We have been bit a few times by one of the girls.
Tom

Your corn may be entering into a shed. As others suggested, give it time to adjust to the more suitable sized cage. With Petsmart snakes, most are advertised as feeding on Frozen Thawed because Petsmart doesn't advocate feeding live. Give it time and try the frozen thawed pink route again in a few days. Keep an eye out for its eyes and belly getting a cloudy appearance that will indicate a shed may be approaching. Some snakes just get cranky and want to hide during that time, and then are ravenous after the shed is completed.

>>Your corn may be entering into a shed. As others suggested, give it time to adjust to the more suitable sized cage. With Petsmart snakes, most are advertised as feeding on Frozen Thawed because Petsmart doesn't advocate feeding live. Give it time and try the frozen thawed pink route again in a few days. Keep an eye out for its eyes and belly getting a cloudy appearance that will indicate a shed may be approaching. Some snakes just get cranky and want to hide during that time, and then are ravenous after the shed is completed.

good point
I forgot about the mention of the "wrinkled" tail
may very well be going into shed. good catch
-----
Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

_____

I was thinking the same thing.

I was also thinking that the original person who posted needs a new vet. The snake should not have been force fed. That's only going to cause additional stress and take the snake longer to get feeding.

Also, most corns hatch in the Summer. The snake has to be at least 3-5 months old and therefore have been feeding. To say that it's too small to eat a pinky is ridiculous.

Tim

If you think it is going into a shed cycle, provide it with a moist hide, if you havn't already. Baby snakes are more prone to shedding problems, but seem to do very well with a moist hide. I use a small butter dish or deli cup size container, with a couple of access holes cut in it, and filled with moist sphagnum moss. Put it partially over the UTH.

-----
Kent

I thought he might be entering a shed, but since his eyes were not cloudy at all, I would rather have been safe than sorry. I didn't want him dehydrated or anything, and he needed to be checked up anyway.

I'll know not to use that vet again, as I have been told by multiple people how stressful it is. I didn't realize she was going to force feed him at first, but she decided to go get an extra small pinkie and do it. I wouldn't have let her if I had known. So far he has not had any other signs of shedding. He is also much smaller than the hatchling in that last picture.

I moved him again, from a showbox, into a smaller "kritter karrier" and am still keeping it in the larger tank, 1/3 over the heating pad there. I'm just going to leave him there for a while. He likes to burrow under the aspen.

I think whatever you choose, it might be best to stick with it. If this is a habitat stress issue like we think, it won't help to be changing his home after only two or so days when you were advised to leave him alone for longer. Poor little guy was force fed, let him settle down and feel safe for a bit you know?

(also, that yours is smaller than the MrKent's photo doesn't really mean too much; it'd be helpful to see a photo of your corn on your hand but probably best not to stress him with handling at the moment)