Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just bought a hatchling corn from the store, first snake but not first herp. I can't tell how old it is, probably about 14 inches long and thinner than a pencil (is this a problem?) My question is on feeding: He hasn't eaten in the 3 days I've had him,

-offered him a pinky the first day (live) the pinky died and i left it there all day, wouldn't touch it so i threw it out when it got stiff

-waited a day, then today i offered a very small frog, wouldn't touch it.

I know that snakes don't have to eat for prolonged periods of time, but seeing as he is super thin in my opinion and there is a time limit on animal returns, I was wondering how long I should wait before getting worried. I have heard that some hatchlings never learn how to eat and just die off. Do you have any tips on feeding something that's never eaten before?

Thanks for any and all advice!

first of all, put the lid back on your tank and slowly step away from her. Leave her alone for 1 week! this is extremely important! don't even lift her hide to look at her. This is her much needed "settling in time" check to make sure the temps are between 75-85 every day and she has a good temperature gradient (warm & cold side) after one week take her out put her in her feeding container and she SHOULD eat. concider that your snake will still be VERY nervous and it may take a little time for her to eat... so if she doesn't go right for the pinkie, put the lid on and leave for about 30 mins. if this doesn't work try again at night. don't just turn off the lights. it has to be AT NIGHT! if this doesn't get her to eat try again in 1 week the same way, after that you may need to brain the pinkie. Good luck! I'm confident she will be just fine!
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Redtail "Kilo"
1.0 Ball Python "Road Hog"

Thanks for the reply! The waiting period sounds good, I was just anxious because the snake is SO thin. And also the much more shallow reason of wanting to make sure it was an eating snake before the store would take it back...

I agree completely with phiber_optix. I will also add that you did not mention what size enclosure you are keeping the snake in. First time snake owners commonly make the mistake of putting a hatchling snake in a ten gallon tank. Snakes crave security and baby snakes feed best in small (shoebox-sized) cages.

Tim

Third Eye

I was wondering what kind of corn is in the pic?
I just got another corn that is almost exactly the color as yours and i wanted to know what morph it is.
Cory

Yes, you are absolutely right I put him in a 10-gallon according to the advice of multiple articles. Didn't know it was bad. I've covered the back with black heat mats (the cords have been cut, they aren't for heat just for black), I've got a heat lamp resting on the screen at the hot end, a large shallow water dish at the other. I've also got one of those bendy tiwg things in th emiddle, but I just figured out i need a more sufficient hide spot so I've put toilet paper tubes at both ends, on the hot end I have a very small water dish with a cut open cardboard tube for the roof. Will that suffice? I guess I could get a feed box, I have a small plastic container I keep my frogs in when I'm cleaning out their tanks, I have no idea what a feed box looks like...

thanks for the help!

First...Don't offer him any more frogs. Or anything else besides a very small pinky. Do you have any idea when he last ate? The suggestion on letting him settle in for a few days is correct. If he does not eat for you then, try cutting the head off a pinky and putting the snake in a small container with the head and body. I have found that reluctant eaters will often go for this. In all liklihood, though, after a few days of peace and quiet and NO HANDLING... your snake will eat a frozen/thawed pinky on its own. Did you find out if it has been eating live or frozen/thawed? I have actually seen young snakes who are used to frozen/thawed get a little freaked out over live prey. Not many, but some will. Be patient, grasshopper. Your snake will be OK. Duffy

forgot to mention the part about no more frogs . I agree with you fully accept about the 10 gallon being too big part..... you are perfectly correct, an empty 10 gallon is WAY to big for a hatchling. But I disagree in that a 10 gallon is perfectly fine as long as you have many hides and make the tank seem smaller to the snake. I prefer the 10 gallon with many hides because it looks better (imo) and since I stuff about 4-5 hides in there I feel it is better for the snake since it has so many choices since IT can choose where it wants to go rather than settling for its prefered hide with a temperature it doesn't want/vise versa. just my 2cents!
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Redtail "Kilo"
1.0 Ball Python "Road Hog"

I find 10 gallon tanks (w/hides, of course) perfectly suitable for hatchling corns. To me....a 10g is a pretty small tank. Another poster thought it might be too big. That's OK.

yes the store people were throwing in live pinkies into a big tank FULL of hatchling corn snakes. I noticed a few were a lot bigger than the rest, this guy was super skinny so I'm not sure he's eaten at all (if that's possible)

Well I wish I had gotten to all these posts earlier, I'm scared i totally screwed up. Well I left a pinky there for hours, it didn't touch it. Finally I got so fed up, I decided I didn't want to let another pinky starve in vain and cold, so I killed it instantly and then decided to try poking a hole in its head like I had read. I did and it bled and I felt guilty but the snake was VERY interested this time and swallowed it. Amazing to watch. The problem is I'm an idiot and I handled the snake after it ate because I had forgotten to provide hide boxes and had to reformat the cage! Have I done irreversable damage? He cruised around for a lengthy time and then finally settled in a cardboard tube I put in there for him.

should be ok....He may or may not regurge. just let him alone for 48 hours. For the first couple of weeks handle him for about 5 minutes at a time tops. This will get him used to handling without putting too much stress on him! after just a little while you can hold him all day if you want. You will know when your snake is comfortable being held. Hope this helps.
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Redtail "Kilo"
1.0 Ball Python "Road Hog"