Unpredictable Eating

[novelleo]

I got my current baby corn snake on 11/27/2019.
Disc: I'm young and fairly new to this, but I've been trying my best so please forgive if I add unnecessary details here and there, I'm not entirely sure what is/isn't relevant.
Background:
When I first got him, he took pinkie mice weekly without much of an issue. Prior to shedding, he refused food, but I had heard that was normal, so I didn't think much of it. He had his first shed 1/5/2020 (17.5 inches long) and his second shed on 3/27/2020 (18.5) and, by that time, he would still only take 1 pinkie per week, other than once when he took two. Around then, it started becoming normal for him to refuse to eat the first time I'd offer (still on a weekly basis), but typically took it the second time (I'd wait ~2 days before offering again). I thought it might be because I started giving him 2 pinkies instead of 1, so I didn't worry. His longest hunger strike was 14 days long and ended 4/22 (but, again, that was after I fed him 2 large pinkies so I didn't think anything of it). Since then, he's only taken 1 pinkie mouse. He's currently on day 10 of denying food, but he doesn't look like he's about to shed. He also doesn't look underweight to me, so I'm really confused.
I keep reading articles saying that he should be over 20 inches by now and taking 3 pinkies a week, but I can barely get him to take 1. He gets defensive and/or just ignores it and slithers away. I've fed him in his enclosure since I got him, but I've tried leaving it in there and walking away when he refuses. He just doesn't show interest.
Also, I don't currently have the resources to buy urine to scent food.
I'm maintaining the rest of his husbandry to the standards that have been expressed to me (20 gallon tank for right now that will be upgraded at least to a 40 gallon when he grows up, 2 hides, substrate he can burrow in, water dish in a corner with clean water that's deep enough for him to submerge himself in, regular spot cleaning, ~80 degree warm side, and regular handling). I just want to have a happy, healthy snake. If there's something that I can do to fix or improve this, please let me know. Thank you!!!

[Tsubaki]

I'd never feed a snake 2 prey animals if there are larger prey animals available, if one isn't enough just feed him a slightly bigger meal. Do you handle him?

[novelleo]

Most days, yes. Around 5-15 minutes (20 minutes max). I heard that handling them more than that stresses them out and less than that can make them hostile and defensive.

[craigafrechette]

Originally Posted by novelleo

Most days, yes. Around 5-15 minutes (20 minutes max). I heard that handling them more than that stresses them out and less than that can make them hostile and defensive.

Unfortunately this is 100% false. Handling daily causes more stress than longer handling sessions.

Handling less than that will not turn a docile species like a corn hostile or defensive.

I have snakes that I only handle once every few weeks, they're perfectly chill and handle with no issues at all. One of them being a Borneo STP, which are known to be a bit feisty. My boy has never once struck or showed signs that he would and he's been with me for over two years.

You don't want to be handling the snake at all until it is eating reliably. I personally say no handling until the snake has eaten 3 consecutive meals without refusal.

And I agree 100% with what Ziggy commented above.

[BlackKing Nacho]

Originally Posted by Tsubaki

I'd never feed a snake 2 prey animals if there are larger prey animals available, if one isn't enough just feed him a slightly bigger meal. Do you handle him?

colubrids thrive off smaller, more prey items (2 med mic vs 1 large). boas and pythons different story. as far as corn not eating, what people sayin here is pretty spot on. leave him be. put prey in tank over night. increase temps (90F hot side MAX)

[EL Ziggy]

I think you might be trying to feed him too much and too often. A baby corn snake only needs to be fed once every 7 days. They outgrow pinkys pretty fast and should be on mice fuzzys after a couple of months. I'd try feeding one slightly larger prey item weekly. If he refuses one week try again a week later.

[novelleo]

I'll do that, thank you!

[craigafrechette]

Originally Posted by novelleo

I'll do that, thank you!

Happy to help.

Unfortunately there's SSOOOOOOOOO much info out there, you need to be careful who you learn from.
Forums like these are awesome, I wish they existed when I started out in this hobby years ago. But, with the good comes the bad. There's TONS of false information out there too.

And I promise, once you get the hang of things snakes are SUPER easy to care for. I personally don't keep corns anymore, but they're fun snakes. And they're pretty easy with husbandry too.

Good luck. Don't be shy if you have more questions. It shows you want to learn.

[novelleo]

Thanks again! I really want to do my absolute best to take care of my corn and I appreciate all of this help beyond words can describe!! (:

I'm curious, do you think I should finish feeding him the rest of his pinkies (I think he only has a few left) or should I throw them out and pick up some fuzzies? And how do I know when to start feeding him larger prey items? He doesn't seem to be growing very fast, so I'm not sure when he can handle upgrading to larger foods. After all, he's still less than 20 inches and around half a year old.

[craigafrechette]

Originally Posted by novelleo

Thanks again! I really want to do my absolute best to take care of my corn and I appreciate all of this help beyond words can describe!! (:

I'm curious, do you think I should finish feeding him the rest of his pinkies (I think he only has a few left) or should I throw them out and pick up some fuzzies? And how do I know when to start feeding him larger prey items? He doesn't seem to be growing very fast, so I'm not sure when he can handle upgrading to larger foods. After all, he's still less than 20 inches and around half a year old.

I would just go ahead and feed them off. And upsize once they're gone.

Since he's still on pinkies he's not going to grow all that quickly. Pinkies are mostly water, so there's not much protein. Pinkies are primarily just to keep them nourished until they can handle larger prey.
I think you'll notice a little growth spurt once you upsize prey.

With juvenile colubrids I've always upsized when the prey stops leaving a small, but noticable lump. You don't want a big lump that looks like an over inflated basketball though either.

Once they're adults and basically full grown I always fed one adult mouse every 7-10 days.

Unfortunately, my Cal King passed recently, so my little Hognose is my only colubrid right now. They're such awesome snakes. I miss my King.

[novelleo]

Thank you so much, I'll start doing that immediately!