finicky eater?

[ChristinaP]

Zeke is not like Ira aka Glutteny. I have all 3 snakes eating the same day, Jake (ball) Ira (Corn) Zeke (Corn) Zeke is our new one we got on Saturday, tiny baby. Was fed on the 18th, and today was scheduled to eat. He shed this am, so tonight we offered his 2 pinkies. No interest at all. He did strike at one, but we think it was a defensive and not a hunger instinct because he didn't latch on it, he just struck at it and straight back and curled up in his hide. Did he not eat because he was shedding, new environment? Should we do him like Jake and Ira and wait until next feeding to offer, or offer sooner? I've never heard of a finicky corn.

[Blue Apple Herps]

If you just got him, leave him be for an entire week without bothering him. It may just be stress of moving. Did you get him from an established breeder? Sometimes when they're young they can be finicky, but once they're established they're pretty much garbage disposals.

If he is from a legit breeder and is established, then its probably just stress. Leave him alone and try again in a week.

[ChristinaP]

We got him from Pet Smart, and looking at their records he went through 4 feeds, only feeding 2 out of those 4. So maybe I should just work with him? I move my other snakes when I feed because we have aspen bedding, should I keep him in his set up for a few feedings, or move him as well?

[Blue Apple Herps]

We got him from Pet Smart, and looking at their records he went through 4 feeds, only feeding 2 out of those 4. So maybe I should just work with him? I move my other snakes when I feed because we have aspen bedding, should I keep him in his set up for a few feedings, or move him as well?

Here's what I would do:

Leave him alone for an entire week, don't handle him, don't look at him, just leave him be. Only get in the cage if you need to change water. Then after a week, I would put him in a deli cup or paper bag stapled shut very tightly with a live pinky mouse and leave him there over night in a closet where he'll be in the dark and not disturbed. Once hes with the pinky in the closet, don't bother him or check until morning.

Next morning, check on him, hopefully he will have eaten it. If he did, do the same thing one or two more times to really get him established and some "buffer" room to get him on f/t. Once he's done that a couple of times, then try the same thing but with a f/t pinky. Hopefully he'll take that, and do that a few times, then you can start feeding him f/t and wean him off having to be left alone over night.

While most are good eaters, some can be weird. I have a female lavender who only eats f/t hooded rat pups, and has to be left over night in the closet for her to eat. If I do that, she eats every time. If I deviate with a mouse or check on her after an hour or so, it doesn't happen.

Anyways, try what I said and see how that goes.

[ChristinaP]

Thanks. We moved him from my sons room to the closet, it's quiet, less traffic but has a light overhead so we can keep day and night cycles. Hopefully he'll eat for me in a few days.