My Snake Isn't Eating ...

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caprisaurus

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 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

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caprisaurus

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by drumcrush

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caprisaurus

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.