Serious Feeding Problem!!!!

Okay, heres' the deal. After 5 weeks, my little anery is still refusing. Specs are right:
10 Gallon tank
undertank heater on rheostat
she's kept by herself
temp 74-84
humidity 25-50
she has several hides
covered with a blanket
I'm at a loss here. I have a lot of limitations as to methods i can try. Everyone refuses to sell live animals for feeding where I live. I've used the paper bag, deli container, left it in the tank over night, brained the pinkie, danced the pinkie. What can i do now. I don't want to have to force feed, but i'm getting close to that point. She still has lots of energy, but she's constantly freaked out. I've contacted the breeder and she's been helping me, but I'm still waiting on a reply from my most recent message. I have heard of using a pinkie head, or anoles. I would have to buy a live anole and kill it if i were to use it. I don't know if i could kill an anole, and I'm not equipped to house one. Please help me guys. I'm so worried about her. She's still drinking and everything. I'm ready to cry here. My local store told me not to worry about it, and that she'd eat when she's ready, but that's a bunch of poop. It's a problem now, and it's only going to get worse. I need some help guys.

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Originally Posted by Alicia Marie

Okay, heres' the deal. After 5 weeks, my little anery is still refusing. Specs are right:
10 Gallon tank
undertank heater on rheostat
she's kept by herself
temp 74-84
humidity 25-50
she has several hides
covered with a blanket
I'm at a loss here. I have a lot of limitations as to methods i can try. Everyone refuses to sell live animals for feeding where I live. I've used the paper bag, deli container, left it in the tank over night, brained the pinkie, danced the pinkie. What can i do now. I don't want to have to force feed, but i'm getting close to that point. She still has lots of energy, but she's constantly freaked out. I've contacted the breeder and she's been helping me, but I'm still waiting on a reply from my most recent message. I have heard of using a pinkie head, or anoles. I would have to buy a live anole and kill it if i were to use it. I don't know if i could kill an anole, and I'm not equipped to house one. Please help me guys. I'm so worried about her. She's still drinking and everything. I'm ready to cry here. My local store told me not to worry about it, and that she'd eat when she's ready, but that's a bunch of poop. It's a problem now, and it's only going to get worse. I need some help guys.

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Alicia,has she ever ate in your care? I cant remember if you said in your pm if you just got her? If you just got her did you follow the at least a week of no handling her? Why do you have the blanket of her enclosure? If she is kept in the dark at all times and then you pull it back to feed her you might be freaking her out from the sudden light changes.Corn snakes are not like ball python babies so i would remove the blanket.Since your pet stores will not sell rodents for a snakes meal buy a pair of mice and breed them yourself.If they will not sell them to you have a freind buy them:P .Please answer these questions and we can go from their:) .PS RELAX

Temps are too low and the animal most likely lacks the security needed to feel safe enough to eat.

82-84 on one side, 92-94 on the other for 2 - 3 weeks ... also add small tight hides that just barely cover the animal as well as a bunch of loosely crumpled newspaper ... 2 - 3 weeks like this and then try a small F/T mouse left in the cage overnight.

An animal that is refusing food will have a hard time adjusting to F/T off the bat ... you might have to find a way to concur that animal.

The anole thing doesn't work with ball pythons, they aren't natural lizard eaters to begin with ... and braining pinkies is useless with balls as well.

99% of the time when a young ball python refuses to eat it's a husbandry problem ... correct your husbandry and the animal will eat.

-adam

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Originally Posted by joepythons

Alicia,has she ever ate in your care? I cant remember if you said in your pm if you just got her? If you just got her did you follow the at least a week of no handling her? Why do you have the blanket of her enclosure? If she is kept in the dark at all times and then you pull it back to feed her you might be freaking her out from the sudden light changes.Corn snakes are not like ball python babies so i would remove the blanket.Since your pet stores will not sell rodents for a snakes meal buy a pair of mice and breed them yourself.If they will not sell them to you have a freind buy them:P .Please answer these questions and we can go from their:) .PS RELAX

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Hey Joe. . . I've calmed down a little. No, she has never eaten in my care. I did go one week without handling her, except to put her in the tank. The breeder said it would be okay to hold her for a few minutes before we put her in. She was very calm when we held her. After that, we haven't handled her, except to take her out to feed her in a seperate container. The blanket is on there because my local store told me to cover her up. I've come to the conclusion they are dummies. Should I take the blanket off then? Also, my gf refuses to feed live, and it's really her snake, but I care for it. I could breed the mice, but how long is their gestation period. My other snake is already moving up to fuzzies. Is it really easy to sex and breed mice? Hope my answers help. Thanks again Joe. :D Oh, and it's been 4 weeks since I've bought her. I try feeding her in her tank now as well.

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Temps are too low and the animal most likely lacks the security needed to feel safe enough to eat.

82-84 on one side, 92-94 on the other for 2 - 3 weeks ... also add small tight hides that just barely cover the animal as well as a bunch of loosely crumpled newspaper ... 2 - 3 weeks like this and then try a small F/T mouse left in the cage overnight.

An animal that is refusing food will have a hard time adjusting to F/T off the bat ... you might have to find a way to concur that animal.

The anole thing doesn't work with ball pythons, they aren't natural lizard eaters to begin with ... and braining pinkies is useless with balls as well.

99% of the time when a young ball python refuses to eat it's a husbandry problem ... correct your husbandry and the animal will eat.

-adam

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Adam, this is a corn snake.The 92 to 94 temps will cook the little girl.I am not being rude just letting you know:)

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Originally Posted by joepythons

Adam, this is a corn snake.The 92 to 94 temps will cook the little girl.I am not being rude just letting you know:)

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My bad ... didn't look at the forum name ... sucks being sick.

Ignore what I posted ... I'm a dolt.

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Temps are too low and the animal most likely lacks the security needed to feel safe enough to eat.

82-84 on one side, 92-94 on the other for 2 - 3 weeks ... also add small tight hides that just barely cover the animal as well as a bunch of loosely crumpled newspaper ... 2 - 3 weeks like this and then try a small F/T mouse left in the cage overnight.

An animal that is refusing food will have a hard time adjusting to F/T off the bat ... you might have to find a way to concur that animal.

The anole thing doesn't work with ball pythons, they aren't natural lizard eaters to begin with ... and braining pinkies is useless with balls as well.

99% of the time when a young ball python refuses to eat it's a husbandry problem ... correct your husbandry and the animal will eat.

-adam

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Hey Adam. . . ummm. . . it's a corn snake. lol :P thanks for the advice though! :D

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Originally Posted by Alicia Marie

Hey Joe. . . I've calmed down a little. No, she has never eaten in my care. I did go one week without handling her, except to put her in the tank. The breeder said it would be okay to hold her for a few minutes before we put her in. She was very calm when we held her. After that, we haven't handled her, except to take her out to feed her in a seperate container. The blanket is on there because my local store told me to cover her up. I've come to the conclusion they are dummies. Should I take the blanket off then? Also, my gf refuses to feed live, and it's really her snake, but I care for it. I could breed the mice, but how long is their gestation period. My other snake is already moving up to fuzzies. Is it really easy to sex and breed mice? Hope my answers help. Thanks again Joe. :D Oh, and it's been 4 weeks since I've bought her. I try feeding her in her tank now as well.

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Nice to read you are calm now:) .Are you sure your girlfreind is not handleing her? The pet store is in need of a clue lol.Yes take the blanket of of her enclosure,this might be why she is still scared.Think about it if you were in a box with a blanket over it and all of a sudden someone pulled the blanket back and all you see is bright lite with someone reaching to grab you.Would you freakout? I would lol.Give her 5 days with no handleing or disturbed only for water changes,then try her and the pinky in the deli cup.Place the deli cup( with them inside) inside her enclosure.Make sure the delicup is not on the heat mat.Leave them alone for a half hour then check them,if not ate yet leave for another half hour.Let me know how it goes.I am sending positive words to the snake to eat:cool:

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

My bad ... didn't look at the forum name ... sucks being sick.

Ignore what I posted ... I'm a dolt.

-adam

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Hey we all do it:) .Sorry to hear you are sick:(

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Originally Posted by joepythons

Nice to read you are calm now:) .Are you sure your girlfreind is not handleing her? The pet store is in need of a clue lol.Yes take the blanket of of her enclosure,this might be why she is still scared.Think about it if you were in a box with a blanket over it and all of a sudden someone pulled the blanket back and all you see is bright lite with someone reaching to grab you.Would you freakout? I would lol.Give her 5 days with no handleing or disturbed only for water changes,then try her and the pinky in the deli cup.Place the deli cup( with them inside) inside her enclosure.Make sure the delicup is not on the heat mat.Leave them alone for a half hour then check them,if not ate yet leave for another half hour.Let me know how it goes.I am sending positive words to the snake to eat:cool:

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LOL thanks for the positive words!! I know for a fact that she is not being handled. I will take the blanket off. One problem though. She HATES the deli cup and we can never keep her in it.:rolleyes: She's always trying to get out of everything. :eek: Anything else I can put her in? Or should I just put the lid on it?

The temps and humidity seem a little low.

Also warm up the food really well. Blast it full on for a minute with a hair dryer.

Is the enclosure in a high traffic area? Is it on the ground? Snakes can pick up on vibrations very easily, and being around a high traffic area or on the ground will just keep them on extra alert, stressing them out. My snakes are in the back corner of my bedroom, which I'm only ever in to sleep, so there is no traffic going on by them. (as my bed is in the opposite corner, as are all the colthes I wear).

If worse comes to worse, by a live mouse from a petstore. You don't have to tell them it's for feeding.

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Originally Posted by Alicia Marie

LOL thanks for the positive words!! I know for a fact that she is not being handled. I will take the blanket off. One problem though. She HATES the deli cup and we can never keep her in it.:rolleyes: She's always trying to get out of everything. :eek: Anything else I can put her in? Or should I just put the lid on it?

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Yea my babies hate going into a delicontainer also.If you have say a small butter bowl(1lb size) poke a few holes in it for air and see how she does.Make sure you do not catch her tail in the lid though.

arcane: She is off the floor in my bedroom away from any traffic. Thanks for the advice.
Joe: I will try that, and I'll let you know how it goes. Thank you for all your help :D.

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Originally Posted by arcane

The temps and humidity seem a little low.

Also warm up the food really well. Blast it full on for a minute with a hair dryer.

Is the enclosure in a high traffic area? Is it on the ground? Snakes can pick up on vibrations very easily, and being around a high traffic area or on the ground will just keep them on extra alert, stressing them out. My snakes are in the back corner of my bedroom, which I'm only ever in to sleep, so there is no traffic going on by them. (as my bed is in the opposite corner, as are all the colthes I wear).

If worse comes to worse, by a live mouse from a petstore. You don't have to tell them it's for feeding.

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Arcane,how are the temps low? Corn snakes only need 80 -85 on the hot side.This is a baby corn if you heat up the pinky with a hair dryer is going to blow a gut(no pun intended).I do agree with you on the high traffic comments.

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Originally Posted by Alicia Marie

arcane: She is off the floor in my bedroom away from any traffic. Thanks for the advice.
Joe: I will try that, and I'll let you know how it goes. Thank you for all your help :D.

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No problem as thats why i am here for:cool:

Yeah pinkies tend to explode when they are "cooked" aka warmed up to much. It's not a pretty sight to see when it happens.

all right. . . note to self. . . pinkes pop like popcorn ewwwwwwwwwww:puke2:i just let mine thaw naturally. . . guess it pays to be patient :D lol

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Originally Posted by lillyorchid

Yeah pinkies tend to explode when they are "cooked" aka warmed up to much. It's not a pretty sight to see when it happens.

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O yea and the smell will gag a horse:P

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Originally Posted by Alicia Marie

all right. . . note to self. . . pinkes pop like popcorn ewwwwwwwwwww:puke2:i just let mine thaw naturally. . . guess it pays to be patient :D lol

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I may never be able to eat popcorn ever again:( :zerb: :rofl: :rofl:

Hi,

Dont know if it is of any intrest/use but we used to use a small brown paper bag to encourage feeding.

Use a pin or something and put a number of ventilation holes (note to the daft - do this BEFORE putting the snake in ) in the bag put a nice hot f/t pinky in then the snake and gently fold the top of the paper bag shut talking care you don't have her tail. Then leave it at the warm end of the tank (but NOT on the heatmat or in the basking spot).

The bag cuts down light interference and smooths out shadows etc while making them feel secure by being quite dark.

We used to put the snakes in last thing at night and check them first thing in the morning.

It's a tough thing your going through because everytime you try something new the change can spook the snake again and block the feeding response.
Sometimes just hiding the pinky in their hidewhile they are otherwise engaged about the tank can help.

The fake mouse nest trick is quite effective if you know anyone who keeps mice - just put used mouse bedding in a tub with a hole in it in her tank and refresh the bedding every day or so.Hoppefully once she gets used to it being there she should investigate it to check out the smell.After about a week pop a pinky in there and hope.

Hope you gte her to eat soon.


dr del

my little corns (i get hatchlings) have had some issues with eating at first. i always put them into a tupperware container approx 6"x6"x6" with the very warm pinkie mouse and i put a towel over top. when i have a really picky eater... i put an adult mouse in the tupperware for about 15 minutes before putting in the pink... that way it smells like dinner!

i would suggest however that you follow joe or dr dels advice as both sound really good.

how old is your corn?

I either hadnt heard or forgot the fake nest idea. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by joepythons

Arcane,how are the temps low? Corn snakes only need 80 -85 on the hot side.This is a baby corn if you heat up the pinky with a hair dryer is going to blow a gut(no pun intended).I do agree with you on the high traffic comments.

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Yeah, I meant just the humidiy. 25% and all. I shouldn't be posting and watching America's Next Top Model on Youtube at the same time. And I have heated up pinkies that haven't exploded. It can be done!

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Originally Posted by arcane

Yeah, I meant just the humidiy. 25% and all. I shouldn't be posting and watching America's Next Top Model on Youtube at the same time. And I have heated up pinkies that haven't exploded. It can be done!

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No problem we all have it happen:) .I agree its hard to do multiple things and type at the same time lol.I almost forgot about the exploding pinky popcorn,until i read that part about heating them up :( :8: :8: :8:

My baby finally ate today:pinkele::fest:. . . she was sooo cute and awkward. She eventually figured out that the foot is a bad place to start and so she moved to the head. After that, it was gone in no time, and now she's digesting her first meal in 6 weeks :D I'm going to celebrate!!!!! :carrot: She seems very content now. Thank you Joe!!!! You are the MASTER!!! LOL:bow: :sweeet:

Thats awsome!! Remember dont hold her or desterb her funtill she eats more regulary!

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Originally Posted by Alicia Marie

My baby finally ate today:pinkele::fest:. . . she was sooo cute and awkward. She eventually figured out that the foot is a bad place to start and so she moved to the head. After that, it was gone in no time, and now she's digesting her first meal in 6 weeks :D I'm going to celebrate!!!!! :carrot: She seems very content now. Thank you Joe!!!! You are the MASTER!!! LOL:bow: :sweeet:

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You think they look awkward eating wait until she grabs it in the middle and attempts to eat it that way:eek: .I thank you for the compliment but it was really a team effort(you,the snake and myself:P ).I will tell you seeing this post from you just helped me out alot.I just found 1 of the childrens pythons i have dead in its tub:( .I have no idea of why it died:confused: .It did refuse to eat the other day so:confused: .I am sorry if i hijacked your thread but i wanted to let you know you also have helped me now:) .

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Originally Posted by joepythons

You think they look awkward eating wait until she grabs it in the middle and attempts to eat it that way:eek: .I thank you for the compliment but it was really a team effort(you,the snake and myself:P ).I will tell you seeing this post from you just helped me out alot.I just found 1 of the childrens pythons i have dead in its tub:( .I have no idea of why it died:confused: .It did refuse to eat the other day so:confused: .I am sorry if i hijacked your thread but i wanted to let you know you also have helped me now:) .

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I'm sorry to hear about your loss Joe.:( My thoughts are with you. :) Just know that you are a great person and care a LOT for all of your animals and others as well, and what you do for others does not go unappreciated. At least the little one had a very loving owner (probably couldn't have had a better one) and I'm sure it was happy while it was with you. Best wishes Joe!:hug:

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Originally Posted by Alicia Marie

I'm sorry to hear about your loss Joe.:( My thoughts are with you. :) Just know that you are a great person and care a LOT for all of your animals and others as well, and what you do for others does not go unappreciated. At least the little one had a very loving owner (probably couldn't have had a better one) and I'm sure it was happy while it was with you. Best wishes Joe!:hug:

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Why thank you for the thoughts:)