A few feeding questions

[jjnnbns]

I have a few questions about feeding my new corn. It has been suggested that I wait about 7 days to feed him, but that seems like a long time. This will be the first time that I feed a snake and I'm not exactly sure of the best way. I've read care sheets and forums, and I guess you guys would probably know much more. If the snake is in his hidebox, should I take him out? or just put the pinkie in and leave (I was told that it would most likely be fine to feed right in the cage)? Also, after thawing the pinkie to room temp, do I need to move it around, or just lay it on the ground. If so, on the hot or cool end? Thanks for any advice!

P.S. Thats him on my avatar!!

[Big Mike]

What are you using as a substrate? You don't want any loose substrate to stick to the mouse and get eaten as well. If you are using newspaper or paper towels...then feeding right in the enclosure should be OK. You can leave the snake in his hide and place/wiggle the mouse just outside of it.

Use tongs or hemostats or something to put the thawed mouse into the enclosure and see what the snake does. Some will attack the mouse if it's left alone, some will gently come up and start eating it. Sometimes you might have to wiggle the mouse around or sometimes you just have to leave it in the enclosure for a while. Sometimes you have to warm the thawed mouse (not in the microwave, just with warm water)

Seven days is not a long time for a snake...they can go months and months without eating. At least wait a day or so before offering food to be sure that the snake has a chance to settle in.

Try some things and see if it works...corns are pretty good eaters. Let us know if it worked.

[Auskan]

I usually feed mine in a separate feeding box, as I have known some snakes (not corns) that will strike and bite at any movement in their cage as a "feeding response" if they are accustomed to being fed in their cage. I put the snake in the feeding box, then add the food. Afterwards I gently replace the snake back in its enclosure and don't disturb again for several days until the meal has been digested.

[vanderkm]

We feed in the enclosure and would recommend leaving a baby corn for 5 days - no handling, no contact, no feeding after it is brought home. You will have them for up to 10 years, you can give them a few days without handling them to settle in. Usually by 5 days they are cruising the enclosure in the evening, so you know they are hungry and confident about their space.

Then, on the evening of the 5th day, before they come out of their hide box, offer a warmed (in warm water - you want it warmer than room temperature - as Mike says and dry it off) pinky mouse, nose first into their hide area. We don't wiggle it much because young corns can be intimidated, and usually they will just drag it in and eat it. It means you may not get to see them take their first couple meals, but there will be plenty more feedings you can watch.

We do use paper towel in the enclosure so there is no danger of impaction from eating bedding. We have never had problems with corns biting because they thought we were food - our hands are in their cages 6/7 days without food and only 1/7 days with food - they don't expect food every time.

best of luck with your little guy - I am sure you will really enjoy him, corns are great (and addictive - you will soon have more!)

mary v.

[jjnnbns]

I am going to have to learn the patience thing with having a pet snake. I hope that I don't lose peoples respect on here, but I only waited a day... The "new toy" syndrome kicked in. I was moving around in the cage putting a digital thermometer in and a second hide box when he kept cruisin around not seeming to mind me, so I put in a thawed, warm pinkie and he came up and ate it almost before I got my hand out of the cage! Wow!

Thanks, I guess I know how he'll eat now though. and PS, I picked up a lamp dimmer at the same time, just in case, and it was lucky! The glass bottom was 110 degrees F!! (Although putting the probe over the turf substrate was only about 90-95, which is still too hot) Now I have it under control, Thanks everyone!

[sapphire_moon]

every person that owns a snake has a differnt opinon of how long to wait till feeding. Some feed same day and they do fine, some people wait 2 days, 5 days, 7 days, 2 weeks. They can go months without eating.
I have 2 ball pythons that have been off feed since november 25th 03....still fine.

If they start losing weight dramaticly then take it to a vet.

As long as there is no loose substrate then you can feed in it's own cage. or I put a piece of news paper down on the loose substrate and feed on top of that. I supervise to make sure they don't go off the paper.

You can try warming the pink up, and wiggling it with a pair of salad tossers (tongs). Or just leave it in there.
Since this is it's first feeding with you I wouldn't take it out of the hide. If possible wait till it is out roaming. lol

[jjnnbns]

He didn't get much of a lump, if at all, and started cruising around and came back to the spot where I laid the first, and kept opening his mouth, so I gave him a second, and now he has somewhat of a lump. Heres a pic of him during his first feeding.

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/3999swallowing.jpg

[scalawag]

Isn't that the most exiting thing in the world to witness? I never tire of watching my snakes eat :)

[sapphire_moon]

oh watch for little holes in that wood, if his head can get in so can his body! It would be a pain to have to crack the wood open to get him out!

Beautiful pic!

[vanderkm]

Glad to hear your little guy is settling in well and feeding with no problem. Despite what everyone's opinion is on how to handle new snakes, almost all corns feed readily and settle in with no problems - giving them time to settle will help the ones that might have problems, but most don't need that and it is so tempting to interact with them right away. One of the best things about having herps is learning from the individual animals about what they need. Glad to hear you got the temps settled down as well,

mary v.

[Big Mike]

Congrats...looks like you have got a good snake...be careful...as Mary said...they are addictive