Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Sorry, Corn Snake Manual Packed for moving

-So far only 4 of 14 have eaten and I'm getting concerned. I have been offering the others live pinkies while in deli cups alone with the pinkies in a heated tank. Water is sprayed once a day cause I don't know what to use for a "water bowl" in a deli cup. Most seem afraid of the pinkies that lay there and twitch. I have not resorted to brown bagging, bleeding, braining or scenting... When should I start to be concerned?

Also, are day-old rat pinkies (well brownies) ok?

thanks for any advice.

Birth-date shed ate?
6/20/2003...... 6/28/2003...... 7/1/2003
6/21/2003...... 6/29/2003...... 7/1/2003
6/21/2003...... 6/29/2003...... 7/1/2003
6/21/2003...... 6/29/2003...... 7/1/2003
6/21/2003...... 6/29/2003...... ???
6/21/2003...... 6/29/2003...... ???
6/22/2003...... 6/30/2003...... ???
6/22/2003...... 6/30/2003...... ???
6/22/2003...... 6/30/2003...... ???
6/23/2003...... 7/1/2003....... ???
6/23/2003...... 7/1/2003....... ???
6/23/2003...... 7/1/2003....... ???
6/23/2003...... 7/2/2003....... ???

after about 6 weeks, then get worried...first year breeder too, so i'm going on info gathered over 2 years reading and learning...they may just not be hungry....take a couple days off worrying about them and try a live pinky left overnite in a deli cup with your non-feeders...pinky rats are probably going to be too big, altho it depends on their size, I guess...Good luck and don't stress it...they'll eat when they are hungry or they just won't eat at all...Peace, Homer J...Chris

About your question on water in the deli cup.

Buy the one ounce or 3/4 ounce small plastic cup (almost like a pill cup or about the size cup that comes with cough syrup)
staple one of these cups to wall of deli container and then put the second cup inside the first as the first has two small holes from the staple and second cup can be filled outside deli
cup and then placed inside the stapled one providing a drinking
spot and if too warm the baby snakes will curl up inside the small 1 once container with the water to keep cool. If water cup gets dirty you can remove it and clean it or just put in a new second cup.

last season,I had a hatchling ghost that I was holding back for myself go without his first meal for almost 3 months. He was a tiny little guy and on deaths door when the will to eat kicked in. I tried everything but nothing worked. One day, he ate and never looked back. Your babies are still young. Keep trying the deli cup thing. That method has worked for me in some real pains in the $##@%@ snakes. Just leave the hatchling and thawed pinky in over night. Dont worry about the water. If he hasnt eaten by the morning, put him back in his enclosure and try again in a day or so. I personally always try frozen first, if they take it great. Then I dont have to worry about switching them over to frozen later on. Most of babies accept frozen right off the bat. If they dont afer a few times, I try live. Good luck. Mike