It used to be, to me, gospel that hatchling Easterns preferred cornsnakes and cornsnake scent above all else. Last summer it wasn't working. In August I tried f/t green frogs and then green frog scented mice on hatchlings that didn't start on unscented mice. This worked well for some. Finally, last month, on the advice of another breeder I tried soaking f/t fuzzy and pink mice in shallow water with a section of chick. This has worked 100 percent for Eastern hatchlings who hadn't come around on their own or with green frogs. They didn't even need biscuits or slaw.

A recently acquired unicolor hatchling has regarded mice as something like scenery in its cage. But he has done great on f/t green frogs. After his next shed he sould move on to scented mice and finally no-scent.

Because, there's wetlands nearby, the yard always has green frogs and pickerel frogs underfoot. Pickerel frogs have toxins in their skin. Don't use them as feeders.