Reptile & Amphibian Forums

this is my first clutch ever so any pointers would help. as soon as my baby corns shed for the first time I went and got a bunch of live pinky mice, 2 of the snakes took to the idea immediately, but I still have 15 more that seem to want nothing to do with the idea, I have since froze the rest of the pinkies to keep trying with. any thoughts on jump starting them, or how long I should wait before getting concerned

I wouldn't worry in the least just yet myself. This can be fairly typical for many corns not to want to feed just after their first shed. Some bloodlines are very prone to wanting brown anoles too. Wait another week so they are good and hungry, then try some F/T'ed on them again. If they don't accept those, take them back and split the skull or tear-up the snout real good on them to get the moist tissue scent going real good. This can many times spark a good feeding response from young snakes. If that doesn't work, try some more live or scent some F/Te'd real well with the guts of an anole, and even stuff a small piece of the anole's tail in the dead pinkies mouth for it to zero in on. This often works extremely well too.

They are born with a good reserve of yolk inside their stomach, so it takes a while for them to get good and hungry.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

Thanks doug, you have been a great help with all my questionss

.
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

I would not try the anole scented pinks until all other methods fail after a couple more weeks to be honest. It is very important to try to get them to accept what they will be eating the rest of their lives, and what YOU want them to eat, but as a last resort, scenting can work wonders. Then after a few meals of scented pinks you can gradually reduce the amount of lizard scent you have to apply until they will gladly take regular un-scented pinks.

Good luck!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

>>I would not try the anole scented pinks until all other methods fail after a couple more weeks to be honest. It is very important to try to get them to accept what they will be eating the rest of their lives, and what YOU want them to eat, but as a last resort, scenting can work wonders. Then after a few meals of scented pinks you can gradually reduce the amount of lizard scent you have to apply until they will gladly take regular un-scented pinks.
>>
>> Good luck!
>>
>>
>> ~Doug

Doug I have to agree with waiting! I have some corns from last year that still will only eat either Lizard scented, split brained, or tease fed! My patience is really running short on these guys. I just let one go today, that came from local stock. He would only eat lizards or lizard scent, I had enough. I still have an albino miami that will only eat tease fed! I won't let him loose, but it's frustrating to say the least.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

LOL!!,...I hear ya man!......it works on a man's patience after that long for sure.

Speaking of which,...how is that young pair doing you got from me? The one was just starting to come around on unscented for me, and didn't you say the other one started accepting un-scented F/T'ed, or was it that it took immediately to live?

For you, if they only accept live it isn't a big deal at all since you raise them, but since I no longer raise them, it sure was for me here..HAHA!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

Yeah they both ate live right away. They are coming along nicely Doug. I have to remember most people feed F/T. Before I sell any babies I try them on F/t to be sure. Once the mice open their eyes, and can fight back, I knock them out before feeding. By that time they will eat anything I put in there, lol.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

Hey Jorge--
When Miami's were firstbeing bred, for several generations all the little guys ate were Anoles. Kathy Love used to let the buyer know if they had been switched over or not. I believe Rich at Serpenco did the same thing.

Pat

>>Hey Jorge--
>>When Miami's were firstbeing bred, for several generations all the little guys ate were Anoles. Kathy Love used to let the buyer know if they had been switched over or not. I believe Rich at Serpenco did the same thing.
>>
>>Pat

Yeah Pat, I lived in Miami for several years, and most of the babies I hatched back then started off on anoles. About a third of the ones I hatch from here in Central florida prefer Lizards, or lizard scented pinks. I am trying to keep the pinky eaters, to breed with, so maybe they'll get better each year.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

Good deal!

Yeah, as you said, many people that buy snakes want to know they will readily accept F/T rodents before they purchase them. And of course to other's it doesn't matter either way..LOL!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

Doug is right on with his advice--especially about scenting as the last resort. The only thing I could add is that I have had tremendous luck by putting the snake and the pinky in a lunch bag. Something about being in the dark helps many with their feeding. Combined with braining the pinky this technique has a great percentage of success.

Pat G-C

I almost forgot--Jorge has a video on his web site that shows in living color and colorful narration how to do it. (By the way, Jorge has an awesome site with great pics of his collection!!!) the site is www.sierrasnakes.com. Well worth the time to visit!!!!

Pat G-C

Pat you made me blush, lol. Thanks for the kind words man!
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

I would have never thought of using the pinky mouse to slap the [bleep] out of the snake till it gets mad enough to bite... I'll give them a little while longer with trying to let them do it on their own first I will be trying the paper bag lunch trick first.

this was all just a happy accident, I did not prep my corns, they just locked up one day, I gave a nest box, and moved the nest box into the home-made incubator and counted like 13 eggs, 45 day incubation with only one egg going bad, hatched out 18 babies with 3 of them being amel, the rest I was told look hypo (and the parents look hypo and okeetee/hypo) I guess there were eggs under the vermiculite..

Definately do the tease feeding trick as a last resort, just short of force feeding. Your right about that. As for getting more babies than eggs, it does happen that sometimes two snakes can hatch from one egg. I have had it happen, so I know it is possible. Good Luck with those guys!
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

Ya keep 'em right they'll do the rest. It's what they are programmed to do!!!! And often it happens inspite of us as they know what they're doin"!!!!

Pat

Did you get my PM I sent a few days ago by any chance?

cheers, ~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

Yup, sure did!!!! And keep me on those lists until you can get them to me!!!! If not this year, than next. If not next, than the year after!!! I'd rather have a pair of your yellow brooks than any other morph out there!!! They are just so awesome!!!

Pat G-C

Will do bud!.....that's quite a compliment, and I greatly appreciate it Pat..

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

>>this is my first clutch ever so any pointers would help. as soon as my baby corns shed for the first time I went and got a bunch of live pinky mice, 2 of the snakes took to the idea immediately, but I still have 15 more that seem to want nothing to do with the idea, I have since froze the rest of the pinkies to keep trying with. any thoughts on jump starting them, or how long I should wait before getting concerned

I have found that baby corns can easily go a month without food! What I like to do is keep all the babies in a medium tub marked not eating. Then every day toss in a few live pinks. I breed my own mice so it's easy for me. Then as they begin to eat, i separate them into single shoe boxes. If the pinks go un eaten by the next day, I feed them to some of the others. It seems like there are always a few that make us work for it, lol. Some may never eat on their own. Then you have to decide weather or not you want to force feed them? But try the suggestions Pat and Doug already gave first. Good luck!
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com