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Update on Baby Sid.......

stryder Aug 18, 2004 02:12 PM

I posted a while back about my baby cornsnake who would not eat.
Thanks for all your responses.

I have so far gotten 2 mouse tails down him. I had to force them both, and he seems to have no feeding response. He is still hanging in, and still active, but tiny. He will not even try to swallow when I put the food item down into his throat. I have never had to deal with this. I have had to assist feed babies before, but they seemed to catch on after a while, and at least attempt to swallow the meal once it was in their mouths.

I am worried that he is so tiny and weak. Do you suppose there is a chance he will catch up and be OK? How long has it taken your difficult feeders to start eating on thier own? He is about 7 weeks old. I am trying to leave him comletely alone, except for feeding attempts.

Any thought appreciated.
Thanks.

Replies (2)

draybar Aug 18, 2004 05:33 PM

>>I posted a while back about my baby cornsnake who would not eat.
>>Thanks for all your responses.
>>
>>I have so far gotten 2 mouse tails down him. I had to force them both, and he seems to have no feeding response. He is still hanging in, and still active, but tiny. He will not even try to swallow when I put the food item down into his throat. I have never had to deal with this. I have had to assist feed babies before, but they seemed to catch on after a while, and at least attempt to swallow the meal once it was in their mouths.
>>
>>I am worried that he is so tiny and weak. Do you suppose there is a chance he will catch up and be OK? How long has it taken your difficult feeders to start eating on thier own? He is about 7 weeks old. I am trying to leave him comletely alone, except for feeding attempts.
>>
>>Any thought appreciated.
>>Thanks.

I have a couple that haven't eaten on their own since April.
And one that went three months without eating on it's own, finally ate on its own for a couple of weeks, refused again for a few weeks, ate once and has now refused for a couple of weeks again
Some just won't eat.
Now, one thing I would do if I was you is to switch to pinkie heads instead of mouse tails. I think this might help trigger a feeding response sooner.
Or not..nothing has worked for a few of mine, Although, I did have a butter that hadn't eaten on her own since she was born in late Feb up until the third week of July. When she finally ate on her own it was a live pinkie scented with tuna fish water. She ate the following week also but skipped last week because she is in the blue. I hope she will continue to feed after she sheds.
I know this doesn't really help but unfortunately some just won't eat on their own, ever.
And contray to what someone said in an earlier post this does not mean they have parasites or some form of illness. For lack of a better explination, some just aren't meant to make it.
I'm not saying this to make you give up, I wouldn't.
I'm just saying that sometimes even the best efforts fail.
There are more things you can try.
Scenting with anole or scenting with skink, or try the tuna fish juice.
Leaving the snake with the prey item in a deli cup in a nice dark spot over night.
and more.
keep trying and keep us posted as you try new things and we will try to offer advise.
good luck
-----
Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

stryder Aug 19, 2004 02:01 AM

Thank you.

I have tried darn near everything, except the tuna juice thing. That's next. The first time I tried force feeding, it was with a pinky head. The mouse tail thing is WAY easier to get down!! I am hoping it'll be enough to get him started. I have been afraid he was one of those fellows that just wasn't meant to make it, but he's still going. This is my first attempt at breeding corn snakes. I've bred 'boids for a while, and they are very different! This little guy is the only egg that survived, after mom became eggbound. Very frustrating so far.

Again, thanks for the input. It is very much appreciated.

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