Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi Folks; Once again I need some advice. I was fortunate enough to stumble on an opportunity to purchase a CB05 female. which I did. However, the breeder said that she was only taking baby corn snakes. I would like to get her on pinkies/crawlers. I know this subject has been dicussed numerous times. I just need a refresher. Scenting with fish ? I did have success years ago with that method.
What has worked best for you ?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions

Mark

In my 10 years of breeding D. couperi, I have never had to resort to feeding snakes to get stubborn hatchlings to feed. This certainly compounds problems for customers as you certainly don't want to have to have them depend on a frozen feeder snake supplier (plus, there are far many more chances for parasite transmission with reptiles).

Before I try any food for a first feeding, I always offer a f/t fuzzy mouse; 9 times out of 10 they'll refuse it but for that one that does take it, the job is then easy from then on out. Since your's is already somewhat imprinted on baby corn snakes, your job gets a bit tougher but certainly manageable.

I have had the greatest success offering 1-day old quail to baby indigos. Shortly after a few f/t feedings of quail, I scent fuzzies with quail and they quickly switch to rodents (but I offer a variety of feeder animals in my indigo's diet). I would imagine that keeping a frozen corn snake on hand that you can use to rub a dead rodent with will do the trick. You might even place the corn snake in a food processor, blend it all up (gross I know) and then put in a freezer ziplock bag. Then, once frozen, take a small chunk of it and place it in a plastic bag with a f/t fuzzy, that has been thoroughly rinsed to get as much "rodent" odor off, and allow it to coat the fuzzy....I can almost guarantee you that the indigo will not be able to resist this offering.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
Lake Forest, IL

>>Hi Folks; Once again I need some advice. I was fortunate enough to stumble on an opportunity to purchase a CB05 female. which I did. However, the breeder said that she was only taking baby corn snakes. I would like to get her on pinkies/crawlers. I know this subject has been dicussed numerous times. I just need a refresher. Scenting with fish ? I did have success years ago with that method.
>>What has worked best for you ?
>>
>>Thanks in advance for your suggestions
>>
>>Mark
-----
Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

Each time you feed, use less and less of the scenting "material" (snake). Eventually, the snake will recognize the rodent scent and you'll be off and running.

>>In my 10 years of breeding D. couperi, I have never had to resort to feeding snakes to get stubborn hatchlings to feed. This certainly compounds problems for customers as you certainly don't want to have to have them depend on a frozen feeder snake supplier (plus, there are far many more chances for parasite transmission with reptiles).
>>
>>Before I try any food for a first feeding, I always offer a f/t fuzzy mouse; 9 times out of 10 they'll refuse it but for that one that does take it, the job is then easy from then on out. Since your's is already somewhat imprinted on baby corn snakes, your job gets a bit tougher but certainly manageable.
>>
>>I have had the greatest success offering 1-day old quail to baby indigos. Shortly after a few f/t feedings of quail, I scent fuzzies with quail and they quickly switch to rodents (but I offer a variety of feeder animals in my indigo's diet). I would imagine that keeping a frozen corn snake on hand that you can use to rub a dead rodent with will do the trick. You might even place the corn snake in a food processor, blend it all up (gross I know) and then put in a freezer ziplock bag. Then, once frozen, take a small chunk of it and place it in a plastic bag with a f/t fuzzy, that has been thoroughly rinsed to get as much "rodent" odor off, and allow it to coat the fuzzy....I can almost guarantee you that the indigo will not be able to resist this offering.
>>
>>Rob Carmichael, Curator
>>The Wildlife Discovery Center
>>Lake Forest, IL
>>
>>>>Hi Folks; Once again I need some advice. I was fortunate enough to stumble on an opportunity to purchase a CB05 female. which I did. However, the breeder said that she was only taking baby corn snakes. I would like to get her on pinkies/crawlers. I know this subject has been dicussed numerous times. I just need a refresher. Scenting with fish ? I did have success years ago with that method.
>>>>What has worked best for you ?
>>>>
>>>>Thanks in advance for your suggestions
>>>>
>>>>Mark
>>-----
>>Rob Carmichael, Curator
>>The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
>>Lake Forest, IL
-----
Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

You pose an interesting question, and I will try my best to answer it competently and clearly.

I have kept Eastern Indigo (D.c. couperi) since about 1987. I have bred them since 1990. In the time that I have kept and bred these fine serpents,I have utilized every conceivable food source known to mankind. Including live baby snakes, either cornsnakes or kingsnakes. I have also used quail, goldfish, guppies,Gambusia, frogs,salamanders,and very very old Trout..frozen thawed..And also pinkie mice, split brained mice,pinky rats

Having said all that,I have had a certain percentage of neonates feed initially on UNSCENTED pinkie mice. Often right after shedding. These represent the head of the class as far as I am concerned. Often, even ones that are resisiting taking their first meals succumb to hunger pangs and accept a pinkie, sometimes weeks or months later than their brethren....

When they dont accept pinkies, after a long enough length of time, I often scent the pink with either really stinky and old trout, a suggestion that was made by Doug T. and that WORKS . like a charm, or I use live fish, but not goldfish. Goldfish that are sold as feeders are often sick and a diet of them is totally thiamine deficient as well.. I use Guppies. Females.Big ones..Sometimes with Fancy tails

On to the use of snakes....I have also used neonate snakes , usually garters or cornsnsnakes. These are usually either eaten with gusto or summarily rejected. For being ophiophagous snakes, Indigos often REJECT the prospective offer of other snakes in captivity. Go figure...Guardian of the Forest eh?

With neonates that have eaten snakes and are used to this prey item, I put SEVERAL small corns or garters in a medium sized baby food jar that has holes(Ventilation) in its lid. I place this in the middle of the cage and put 12-15 pinkies that have ALSO been scented with snake skin all around the outside of the jar circling it. The Indigo reacts to the scent of the snakes in the jar and also the scent of the mice that have been scented. And they strike at the jar, and in the process hit the scented pinkies.

No, it doesnt always work, but it has for me, and is worth a try. the one thing you dont want to do is continue feeding and offering live snakes to this Indigo. You will be doing yourself a disservice if you do. I was a vendor at a Reptile Show in Pomona years ago, and a customer came up that had bought an Indigo from a competitior that wasnt feeding on mice yet. He fed it baby corns, which he had many of(He bred corns) The snake was now an subadult and would not feed on anything else beside snakes. Even scented rats would not do. Now THATS a hassle.

Best of luck with your Indigo. If you have any questions email me at aztecfred@msn.com and Ill try to help you as much as I can.And also go to Indigosnake.com, its a wealth of knowledge for free.

Sincerely,

Fred Albury

P.S.
I now disdain the use of frogs,salamanders and goldfish to start D.c.couperi off on, the parasite transmission is to high in my opinion and they are not easily procured food items so it can become a a hassle.

I have tried scenting a F/T crawler with herring - no luck. did the same on a live fuzzy no luck Have a baby corn which happened to shed. I wrapped the shed around a live fuzzy
no luck. Then I took a live baby corn put him in a clear deli container, punched some small holes so scent could go out and put it in the tank with the indigo. Paced two live fuzzys in the tank too. No luck. So, I'm going to wait a few days and try again.

Thanks, Mark

I read in another forum on Indigo's, that if you dip the pinky in a raw egg, should work very well. When I read the article I about lost it in the way the guy posting it described the aggressive feeding/attack of the snake to the rat dipped in raw egg. So use a little caution.

Hi folks - Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm going to go through the list. I Don't feel comfortable sacrificing another snake. Fred makes a great point. I don't want this snake to just depend on snakes as food. My other indigos feed very well on Mice & rats.

Thanks, Mark

There are many variables that will lead to success. One, the snake is easier to feed if hungry and after a shed. Two, there are scents that Drys find irrisistable for me that is frozen leopard frog tadpole. Three, bridging the behavior from tadpoles to pinkeys as tadpoles have a strong scent. Four they are creatures of habbit as they will look in the same spot they had success in previously. Five having a temprature that will stimulate their metabilsm.

I've had frmelaes and melaes be rather finicky. It doesn't seem to matter if they are frmelae or melae.

My favorite trick is to use trout or herring to scent a pink.

I don't know if the trout or herring needs to be frmelae or melae but I don't think it should matter.

Doug T

Thanks - can't function without spell check (smile)

I'll give the trout trick a shot.

Mark

A live pinky dowsed with the juice from a tuna can worked for me.

Good luck!