Help my corn wotn eat!

Auddi01 · 05-14-03, 02:48 PM

i have two corn snakes, one is 5 ft long the other 2.5
neither of them will eat. i bought three of them at the same time, the female ate her mouse, but the others wont. i bought weanling mice and tried that but they still wouldn't eat. what could be the problem?

ReneeB · 05-14-03, 02:54 PM

have you tried pre/killed? frozen thawed? stunned live? some corns just won't eat mice.. if that doesn't work you can try mice parts [yes it's gross but it's how I got some of mine eating]
Also rat pups are more appealing to some corns than mice, gerbils almost seem to work but use them as a last resort...
Also you can try leaving the mice overnight with them.. one of my corns refused to eat during the day.. and ONLY if the mouse was in his hide with him..

You could try scenting the mice with anole stock.. and slowlying reducing the amt of anole stock on the mouse until they eat plain mice.

you can PM me if you have any questions.. I've kept and/or bred 22 corns..

Hope this helps

drewlowe · 05-14-03, 03:00 PM

how long have you had these corns. If they are still somewhat new they may need the time to adjust to a new setting. if that is not the case i would try what renee said. except i wouldn't recommend leaving a mouse in with any snake i have heard stories and seen some snake that had the mouse turned on the snake and has done some pretty bad damage or has killed the snake.

I highly recomend the book "What's Wrong with MY Snake" Sorry forgot the author.

stretch · 05-14-03, 03:13 PM

How long have you had them in the tank? What are the temps is the humidity right? You might try to make the rat bleed so the snake will smell the blood. He will automatically go into hunt mode. Where are you feeding the snake? Is it in the day or night ? Its best if you feed in the night in a dark tote box and leave it in there for at least two hours. If the snake doesn't eat wait at least a week. Or the snake might get stressed and will then think of the food as a stressful thing and then might not take food at all. Just my .02

Auddi01 · 05-15-03, 07:39 PM

thanks everyone for your input, he is susposed to be eating f/t, i have had him for 3 weeks and didnt touch him for a solid week so he could get used to the aquarium. I dont think he has ever ate anoles, but i will try the bleeding thing tonight, tonight will mark one week since i tried to feed him. i am feeding the snake at night, and have tried leaving over night before, but no sucess, i will leave him in over night tonight and hope for results

Chris Steele · 05-15-03, 07:49 PM

I have a corn snake about 4.5 foot long and I'm starting to get worried. She hasn't ate for 13 months now. What do I do?!? She is getting somewhat boney now.

Auddi01 · 05-16-03, 05:02 AM

i put the mouse in over night, the snake would go up to it and put his nose right on the mouse and lick it, but he would never strike, he would also lift the mouse with his head and push it around.....

Auddi01 · 05-16-03, 05:09 AM

could this be becuz of breeding season? how long will this last, if it is?

drewlowe · 05-16-03, 07:26 AM

Chris, You may need to take your snake to a vet and have a stool sample checked just to make sure there are no bacteria or parasites. That would be my first step.

vanderkm · 05-16-03, 12:54 PM

If you have had the corn for 3 weeks and it is not eating, you might want to have it vet checked, but if he appears normal or even somewhat slightly over active, it is possible that it is just because of breeding season. The partial interest in food, shoving it with his nose and then ignoring it, is what ours were doing - just more interested in other things - especially if you have a female in the same room. It is coming to an end now here and most of our guys have settled back into feeding. If the snakes are housed together it is also possible that the others are intimidating to this one. It is also possible that he won't eat for a couple weeks because of adjusting to a new home, and then could be starting into a shed cycle, which could extend it longer. An adult corn can go for quite a while without eating and as long as there is no drop in body weight or other signs, I would keep offering on a weekly basis and not worry too much just yet. Keep us posted on how he does,

mary v.

Auddi01 · 05-17-03, 11:30 PM

he is caged right beside a female corn that he has already bred with. I'll try him next week...is there anything special i need to do, or just keep placing the mouse in there and leaving it over night?

05-18-03, 12:59 AM

that time of year up north still, relax after breeding season everything should go back to normal, IF not eating is the only symtom

Auddi01 · 05-18-03, 07:35 AM

Yeah, other than not eating he is acting fine. How much loger will it be before he eats?

vanderkm · 05-18-03, 06:54 PM

No easy way to predict how long it will be, several of ours didn't start feeding again until they had gone through another shed cycle. No harm in offering food only every second week - saves having to throw stuff out when he refuses.

mary v

Thomas · 05-28-03, 05:18 AM

I've just had the same problem and now I got my corn probed, I know it's cos he's horny. It could last up to 2 months but don't worry as long as you can't see his ribs and he is drinking.