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Caprisaurus
09-02-13, 07:06 PM
Hey everyone,

I got my corn snake last Thursday and I just attempted to feed it tonight and it's not eating the pinky :(. I got Arctic Mice, followed the directions and thawed it in a cup of warm water for 10 minutes. Then I held it with big tweezers and wiggled it in front of the paper towel tube that he's hiding in and he's not taking it. I don't know if I should try to get him out of the tube or what to do. Any help would REALLY be appreciated! Getting really worried! Right now the pinky has been sitting in front of the tube for about 10 minutes and it's still there.

smy_749
09-02-13, 07:08 PM
Hey everyone,

I got my corn snake last Thursday and I just attempted to feed it tonight and it's not eating the pinky :mad:. I got Arctic Mice, followed the directions and thawed it in a cup of warm water for 10 minutes. Then I held it with big tweezers and wiggled it in front of the paper towel tube that he's hiding in and he's not taking it. I don't know if I should dump him out of the tube or what to do. Any help would REALLY be appreciated! Getting really worried! Right now the pinky has been sitting in front of the tube for about 10 minutes and it's still there.

Don't dump him out. If he wanted it he would have went for it.
What are your cage temps/substrate / setup in general. Last thursday as in 10 days ago ish? Or thursday like 4 days ago ish?

You can leave the pinky overnight and might take it. If he doesn't you'll probably wanna throw it away after being out that long and wait another 5-7 days before you try again so you don't keep bothering him shoving food in his face that he doesn't want.

marvelfreak
09-02-13, 07:12 PM
You need to heat it up more. Put it in super hot water for about 30 minutes. Then just leave it in front of it hide over night undisturbed. Then check on it in the morning.

smy_749
09-02-13, 07:12 PM
Just make sure you don't cook it.

Caprisaurus
09-02-13, 07:13 PM
This last Thursday like 4 days ago. I have a 10 gallon Zilla Critter Cage with a UTH hooked up to a thermostat. The temperature on the warm side is fluctuating between 82 and 84ish on the glass above the UTH. My substrate is paper towels for now and he has a water dish in the cold side corner and 2 empty paper towel tubes, one on the cool and warm side. I figured I shouldn't dump him out but I don't know how else to get him out of there. I'm just worried that he might not even know it's there or something.

Edit: Also, this is my first time ever feeding a snake. I don't know how long to try wiggling it in front of the tube before I give up. I did it for couples minutes but I don't know and I'm panicking. This was my biggest fear when I got him.

Lankyrob
09-03-13, 05:30 AM
Personally i would bump temps to 86 on the hot sided.

In terms of feeding, one of my corns thinks he is a retic and pounds the mice off the tongs. The other i just leave the mouse on the substrate overnight and he eats every time.


RELAX!!!!

Corni-snake
09-03-13, 06:12 AM
Personally i would bump temps to 86 on the hot sided.

In terms of feeding, one of my corns thinks he is a retic and pounds the mice off the tongs. The other i just leave the mouse on the substrate overnight and he eats every time.


RELAX!!!!


Yeah I agree with Lanky rob, if he is a new corn snake you'll get used to how HE wants to eat XD MY first amel has two ways, when he can be bothered a awesome feeding response> another prefers to be left alone, or I have to sit there for a good 20 mins twitching the bugger XD ever corn to its own :3

drumcrush
09-03-13, 09:08 AM
Yeah, bump up the temps. He also just might be getting used to his new home still.

Snowshoes
09-03-13, 03:58 PM
I don't know about corn snakes, but with my BP the pet store told me to wait at least a week before feeding. How acclimated is your snake? Is he out roaming around, or is it still in the hiding all the time state? It could just be that he's not acclimated.

Caprisaurus
09-03-13, 04:46 PM
I've seen him roam around a few times but it looked like he was just trying to escape. Right when I come up to the tank to look at him he runs away and hides. I don't know how to put him in a separate container to feed him either because he's pretty much always hiding in the empty paper towel tubes and I don't know how to get him out.

drumcrush
09-03-13, 04:58 PM
I've seen him roam around a few times but it looked like he was just trying to escape. Right when I come up to the tank to look at him he runs away and hides. I don't know how to put him in a separate container to feed him either because he's pretty much always hiding in the empty paper towel tubes and I don't know how to get him out.its because you are new to him.you just need to get him out and handle him more often, get him used to you. when he hides, find where he is hiding and take him out. don't force him out though, that would stress him out.and ik its hard to take them out of the rolls, my garters hide in them alll the time lol. I cut them in half so I could just lift it up to take them out.. just handle him enough so he knows you arent to hurt him. The more you do this, the more comfortable he will be.

Lankyrob
09-03-13, 05:11 PM
its because you are new to him.you just need to get him out and handle him more often, get him used to you. when he hides, find where he is hiding and take him out. don't force him out though, that would stress him out.and ik its hard to take them out of the rolls, my garters hide in them alll the time lol. I cut them in half so I could just lift it up to take them out.. just handle him enough so he knows you arent to hurt him. The more you do this, the more comfortable he will be.

I wouldnt start any handling until the snake has eaten a couple of times at least.

There is no need to move the snake to feed it, just feed it in its home where he will feel safer.

Caprisaurus
09-03-13, 05:26 PM
I wouldnt start any handling until the snake has eaten a couple of times at least.

There is no need to move the snake to feed it, just feed it in its home where he will feel safer.

I figured that would be better but I wonder why he didn't eat last night though because that's what I did. He was wandering around and completely ignored it. How long can he go without eating you think?

drumcrush
09-03-13, 06:19 PM
I wouldnt start any handling until the snake has eaten a couple of times at least.

There is no need to move the snake to feed it, just feed it in its home where he will feel safer.
yeah,. true, true. but eventually start to move it over to a feeding tank after a couple feedings.

Mikoh4792
09-03-13, 06:20 PM
I figured that would be better but I wonder why he didn't eat last night though because that's what I did. He was wandering around and completely ignored it. How long can he go without eating you think?

He can go pretty long. Don't try so often. Worrying too much can cause more harm than good. If you try to feed him often unsuccessfully it may stress him out even more. Just leave him be for a week and try again.

ErikBush97
09-03-13, 06:20 PM
I follow one rule with new snakes: Do Not hold your new snake, Do Not feed your new snake, Do Not Move anything in your new snakes enclosure, until he comes out and explores. Why? Because once they feel comfortable enough to stop hiding, they're probably comfy enough to eat or be handled, etc. Snakes will go months without eating without being unhealthy, and it's fine. Do not let your brain worry you. If you follow that one rule, you'll ensure that you aren't trying to feed him to early, or hold him to early, etc

drumcrush
09-03-13, 06:23 PM
He can go pretty long. Don't try so often. Worrying too much can cause more harm than good. If you try to feed him often unsuccessfully it may stress him out even more. Just leave him be for a week and try again.

Totally, I agree.

Mikoh4792
09-03-13, 06:32 PM
Totally, I agree.

I agree with this statement.

smy_749
09-03-13, 07:08 PM
I follow one rule with new snakes: Do Not hold your new snake, Do Not feed your new snake, Do Not Move anything in your new snakes enclosure, until he comes out and explores. Why? Because once they feel comfortable enough to stop hiding, they're probably comfy enough to eat or be handled, etc. Snakes will go months without eating without being unhealthy, and it's fine. Do not let your brain worry you. If you follow that one rule, you'll ensure that you aren't trying to feed him to early, or hold him to early, etc

When did you start following that one rule, which is actually a list of 3 rules....?

I also want to add, that the whole 'your snake can go months, don't worry about it' isn't necessarily true. If the conditions are all correct, husbandry is spot on, the animal is in good health, and chooses not to eat, then yes its true. If the conditions aren't being met, the animal has some sort of illness, is stressed, than no, its not "fine" and you can simply have a dead snake in a matter of days/weeks.

Caprisaurus
09-03-13, 07:15 PM
When did you start following that one rule, which is actually a list of 3 rules....?

I also want to add, that the whole 'your snake can go months, don't worry about it' isn't necessarily true. If the conditions are all correct, husbandry is spot on, the animal is in good health, and chooses not to eat, then yes its true. If the conditions aren't being met, the animal has some sort of illness, is stressed, than no, its not "fine" and you can simply have a dead snake in a matter of days/weeks.

Well hopefully everything is fine. He seems really alert and active so I assume that he is healthy. They said they fed him a few days before he was shipped on last Wednesday so it hasn't been too long I guess. I have an empty paper towel tube on the cool and warm sides and an empty toilet paper roll in the middle. I have a thermostat controlling the heat mat and it's fluctuating between 83 and 85ish on the glass under the paper towels. He is hiding most of the time but he was out a lot last night but it looked like he was just trying really hard to escape. I haven't handled him at all either.

When it comes time for the next feeding if he's still hiding in the paper towel tube, how should I try to get him out?

smy_749
09-03-13, 07:18 PM
Well hopefully everything is fine. He seems really alert and active so I assume that he is healthy. They said they fed him a few days before he was shipped on last Wednesday so it hasn't been too long I guess. I have an empty paper towel tube on the cool and warm sides and an empty toilet paper roll in the middle. I have a thermostat controlling the heat mat and it's fluctuating between 83 and 85ish on the glass under the paper towels. He is hiding most of the time but he was out a lot last night but it looked like he was just trying really hard to escape. I haven't handled him at all either.

When it comes time for the next feeding if he's still hiding in the paper towel tube, how should I try to get him out?

Don't try to get him out, he will come out on his own. Just leave the prey item and he will come out and find it when he's comfortable. Just don't leave it longer than the duration of the night.

Mikoh4792
09-03-13, 07:19 PM
Well hopefully everything is fine. He seems really alert and active so I assume that he is healthy. They said they fed him a few days before he was shipped on last Wednesday so it hasn't been too long I guess. I have an empty paper towel tube on the cool and warm sides and an empty toilet paper roll in the middle. I have a thermostat controlling the heat mat and it's fluctuating between 83 and 85ish on the glass under the paper towels. He is hiding most of the time but he was out a lot last night but it looked like he was just trying really hard to escape. I haven't handled him at all either.

When it comes time for the next feeding if he's still hiding in the paper towel tube, how should I try to get him out?

Don't get him out. I never get my snakes out for feeding. I just dangle the prey item I front of the hide, make some noise to get their attention and they will strike the prey. For my shyer snakes I will dangle the prey item to get their attention and it in the cage overnight. Either way, let the snake eat, don't make it eat.

drumcrush
09-03-13, 07:24 PM
it comes time for the next feeding if he's still hiding in the paper towel tube, how should I try to get him out?

When he isnt hiding in it, take it out and cut the roll in half horizontally so you can just lift it off of him

Mikoh4792
09-03-13, 07:26 PM
When he isnt hiding in it, take it out and cut the roll in half horizontally so you can just lift it off of him

Good advice. Not only is it good for this reason, but it will be a better warm hide, as the corn can lay under the half roll, on top of the paper towel being heated instead of being in a full roll where some heat is lost from having to be transferred through the cardboard.

It may not seem like a little cardboard will make a big difference but when your warm side is only 83-85 the temps inside a full roll may be a few degrees cooler which would defeat the purpose of a warm hide.

Caprisaurus
09-03-13, 08:09 PM
Thanks for all of the replies. I'm just worried that he won't eat again because I did what you guys are saying to do yesterday and he didn't eat. The problem with cutting the paper towel tubes is that he's always hiding in them! As soon as I come near the tank he immediately runs and goes in there. I'll have to really hurry and beat him to it before he hides or something.

drumcrush
09-03-13, 08:13 PM
can you post a pic of the set up?

ErikBush97
09-03-13, 08:30 PM
When did you start following that one rule, which is actually a list of 3 rules....?

I also want to add, that the whole 'your snake can go months, don't worry about it' isn't necessarily true. If the conditions are all correct, husbandry is spot on, the animal is in good health, and chooses not to eat, then yes its true. If the conditions aren't being met, the animal has some sort of illness, is stressed, than no, its not "fine" and you can simply have a dead snake in a matter of days/weeks.

I'm saying that if worst comes to worst, The OP doesn't have to try and solve a feeding error after one failed attempt.

Caprisaurus
09-03-13, 10:18 PM
can you post a pic of the set up?

I'll do that soon but I already have on another thread of mine. Check out my other threads. I think it actually has setup in the title.

ErikBush97
09-03-13, 10:35 PM
I'll do that soon but I already have on another thread of mine. Check out my other threads. I think it actually has setup in the title.

Nope. Can't find it.

Caprisaurus
09-03-13, 11:16 PM
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/pokaslop3000/DSC00836.jpg (http://s31.photobucket.com/user/pokaslop3000/media/DSC00836.jpg.html)

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/pokaslop3000/DSC00845.jpg (http://s31.photobucket.com/user/pokaslop3000/media/DSC00845.jpg.html)

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/pokaslop3000/DSC00848.jpg (http://s31.photobucket.com/user/pokaslop3000/media/DSC00848.jpg.html)

It looks like that, minus the container he was shipped in and I replaced the cool side toilet paper tube with a paper towel tube.

Lankyrob
09-04-13, 04:12 AM
Personally i would privde MUCH more cover for the snake to move around in without being seen.

I put my hatchling corns into four foot long by two foot wide vivs straight away, BUT i provide cover over approximately 90% of the floor space and the vivs only have glass at the front. This means that the snake can move from hot to cold without having to expose itself to possible predators.

smy_749
09-04-13, 06:34 AM
Get a bag of aspen and he will feel much more secure. He probably feels super exposed on the papertowel with hides that have 2 open ends.

sharthun
09-04-13, 07:02 AM
Get a bag of aspen and he will feel much more secure. He probably feels super exposed on the papertowel with hides that have 2 open ends.

I agree. He will start exploring and burrowing.

drumcrush
09-04-13, 10:58 AM
Also, you can take some sticks out side, shave off the bark, and stick them in the oven at 200 degrees for an hour(kills bacteria/mites/whatever) and you can put it in your tank for climbing on/hiding.