Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So, I tried to fed my corn snake for a couple of days now and she wont eat I've tried putting it in the feeding box with just the food for a few hours with no luck and I tried leaving the food in her enclosure over night with again no luck then I tried to box thing and then I also tried to tease feed her and she didn't do that either. So any tips would be awesome I want her to eat twice a week and she hasn't eaten for a week already.The pet store told me that she ate a fuzzy last time and they told me not to go back to the pinkies.

Sometimes new snakes do not eat immediately. The pic seems to show that the snake is dehydrated. I would hydrate it first.

Clue #1 - that snake was not kept in ideal conditions at the store. It needs some TLC.

To hydrate, fill a plastic shoebox with just about 1/4 inch of water, tepid water is best (not cold, not warm to the touch either). That is all, just 1/4 inch or less. Put the snake in there for 5 minutes.

Do that every 3rd day a few more times.

Cornsnakes can stress, so the snake not feeding may be due to the move. Give the snake a few hides (warm end and cool end of the cage) and leave it alone other than the soaking. Try a thawed pinkie in a few days. I don't care what the pet store says, try a pinkie first, thawed.

I know there are some knowledgeable pet store staff out there, but the hard truth is many know nothing about keeping snakes healthy. There is a cornsnake forum here, use that resource as much as you need to.

How can you tell when they are dehydrated? and I called the store to ask them how they fed them and they said that they get them all nice and warm and put the food in a seperate containier then them in it and they should eat right away. And also how should I know when to upgrade from the pinkie to the fuzzy? and should I try to fed her more then one pinkie at a time?

Snake has a thin look that can result from dehydration and/or could be from lack of food. Feed a snake with food items that are the same size or slighty smaller than the thickest part of the snake's body. With a young growing snake if it takes the first food item you can offer it more. How eagerly it eats can be a clue as to how many to give it. Increase number of food items slowly (one additional per feeding) untill you learn your snakes limit.

If your snake continues to refuse the f/t pinks/fuzzies try a live one. Pinks and fuzzies are safe to put in live with your snake but dont leave anything larger with your snake unsupervised and feed prekilled or f/t when ever possible.

If it still wont eat, sent pink with anole. Or try "brained" pinks. Icky but also works.

Best of luck,

A
-----
1.0 normal BP Nicodemus
1.0 BP Moufasa pos vanilla, fire, cinny
0.4 Cal Kings 3 alb 1 het Dora Queen Ace Pearl
2.0 Alb Corn Bizaar Elixir
0.0.1 Rev Alb Nelsons Oden

How can you tell when they are dehydrated? and I called the store to ask them how they fed them and they said that they get them all nice and warm and put the food in a seperate containier then them in it and they should eat right away. And also how should I know when to upgrade from the pinkie to the fuzzy? and should I try to fed her more then one pinkie at a time?

The skin appears a bit loose, not taught. The skin is also dry-looking. Those are often signs of dehydration. Hydrating a snake is not dangerous at all, even if the snake is not dehydrated.

Very often, dehydrated young snakes refuse food. They just want to hide in a cool retreat that does not dehydrate them any more. That is why it needs correction. If you take care of this asap, then the snake has a better chance of feeding for you.

I also agree with the lizard scenting advice. Thaw a pinkie, wash it with mild soap and water, and leave it in with a live lizard for a few hours in a small container. Then rub the lizard on it. That is usually enough to do it. I used to keep a lizard tail in the freezer (lizard dropped its tail and ran away, I took the tail). Id cut a tiny piece piece off and rub it over a thawed washed pinkie. I put the tail back in the freezer. That tail lasted a year and a half.

Good luck. Have you tried hydrating the snake yet?

If the scent doesn't work, take the thawed pinkie and poke a hole in its cranium, let the juice come out a little onto its head. Try feeding again. Some people swear by this.

I did hydrate her once and then I also switched back to the pinkies even though the pet store said she ate a fuzzy but the second that pinkie was in with her it was gone in less then a min. And then the second time I gave her two pinkies. How many should I feed her in one meal though?

Awesome. Let her digest those first - e.g. poop.

Sounds like you are good to go. If the pinks do not make a bump at all then larger meals are in order. Sounds like the snake is hungry too.

I used to feed 2 pinks per meal until the snake was obviously no longer satisfied by that.