Corny goes to the vet

[tttaylorrr]

When was his last shed? Most snakes seem to know long before we do when they are going into a shed, and while some will continue to eat, others do not. Shedding takes extra hydration (water) from the snake's body, and so does digestion: therefore, many snakes instinctively sense that they should not eat if & when they feel a shed coming on. In captivity, many snakes will continue to eat when in shed & if their owner offers it, with no difficulty...because unlike in the wild, they've got a bowl of water sitting right there. But others may have trouble eating at that time & shed in a zillion pieces, or even get "stuck". If I see a snake refuse a meal, the first thing I think of is that perhaps he knows something that I don't...that he's going into a shed cycle.

shed records:

When I mentioned the idea of "tube-feeding" it was meant to reassure you, not stress you out. If you ever need to do that, I'm a good coach & truly it's not that hard. But I just wanted you to think of it as another means to help a snake that's having trouble- I've found it a very useful skill over the years. What you actually need at the moment is patience...

And yes, moving him to a different room adds a bit of stress...and certainly the vet visit did. So that alone could make him refuse food. Again, be
patient.

i think what i need is patience. again, thanks for your replies.

[tttaylorrr]

One more thought: How long is Corny? You mentioned feeding him a large mouse in your first post, & most corn snakes do not need that much food,
it makes them fat. It is possible that you've been feeding too much? You also mentioned the vet said 'no' to large mice but suggested, if I recall, that instead you offer him 2 smaller ones? But that can do the same thing...possibly too much food. Offer one smaller mouse per meal.

Corny is pretty darn long; well over 4ft. you're right about the large mice, as i've now learned during this whole ordeal.

What would really help here is a photo showing Corny next to a sample of the 'large' mice he's been eating. Especially since "large" means different things
to each person. It's possible that you've been over-feeding & that's why he just doesn't want to eat yet. I hardly ever weigh my snakes, btw: unless I need to calculate a dose of medicine or there is a serious issue of weight loss, it's not needed & can stress some snakes.

i will try to get a photo comparison. thank you, again .

[tttaylorrr]

Oof late again. So sorry Corny refused!! I know how you feel, when Geno was fasting I held my breath everytime I offered and felt so defeated when I saw a mouse in his tank the following morning! But even though corn snakes don't typically, it's not unheard of for them to go off food for a while! If vet says all is well, I'd trust her/him and relax You have such a big heart, and although it's gonna be hard, just let the baby be and don't stress! Don't forget about it, but don't let it bug you! I thought May was a goner the other day and she was in my head all day. I didn't even want to look in her tank because I was so scared I'd find a dead snake! But I think she's gonna be A-OK! Same with Corny

Bogertophis-
And yes, moving him to a different room adds a bit of stress...and certainly the vet visit did. So that alone could make him refuse food.

Best wishes Tay!

[tttaylorrr]

We’ve got three corn snakes (well, two are my husband’s and one is a long-term boarder), and the two bigger ones definitely go off feed at times. Tanis, the big girl, has the added bad habit of hiding her un-eaten mice. Pew. Henry and Aurora are more reliable, but Henry refuses sometimes, too. They all get what Big Cheese classes as medium adult mice, which are 19-29 grams, once a week.

The last time Tanis and Henry were on an extended refusal run, offering day-old rabbit kits snapped them out of it. I’d gotten the rabbits to give my carpet pythons and the boa some variety, and then realized they’d be what the corn snakes would likely be eating in the wild, and offered. Definitely popular!

If you want to try a kit in a week or two, ping me and I’ll see if I’ve got any the right size left (the last one is thawing for Fezzik the boa, and I think the latest batch from another supplier are all bigger), or if you go to Scott Smith’s All Animal Expo on Saturday or June 17th, I get them from Rat Pack Feeders; they’re usually around the middle of the wall nearest the parking lot. (I get their large mice for the corn snakes, based on eyeball evaluation of size).

i've been wanting to try rabbits with him. thank you so much for the offer! i will PM you.

[tttaylorrr]

Just a note to say I'm holding your hand in cyber space. These guys can break your heart when they struggle. Deep breath and day by day.

XOXO,

thank you so much, hila.

[tttaylorrr]

tttaylorrr,

First, big cyber hug!!!!!!

Katie sends a big one too!

Okay, deep breaths. Let's look at the facts and what you can do now.

You are great Snarent! You care so much about Corny, and your other little ones, and are doing what needs to be done. There is no need for "coulda, shoulda, or woulda," you can only move forward.

Snakes skip meals, not just BP's . Figment, my corn, almost never skips meals, but did the other week prior to shedding.

As said, if you've been feeding him a lot, he might just be slowing down a bit. No way to know.

Now, some opinions, from me, who is not a vet, but keeps multiple species, and has for more than half my 38 years.

If you have had Corny for a long time and he's had trouble gaining weight since you got him, he could have come with some sort of internal parasite, etc. He has been able to gain weight, but that could affect him. The odds of it all of sudden getting really bad, especially when, I believe the vet said he looks good otherwise, is unlikely. The two (him not eating and a potential parasite issue), may not be related right now. He was also stressed going to the vet.

I had a similar situation. I adopted a 5 year old corn a while ago, who was thin, and was fed a live mouse monthly. I switched him to F/T pretty quick, but he was not gaining weight easily. Turned out it was a parasite and a few doses of meds and he was gaining like a champ. He did fine after that.

Of course, it could be something bad, but this has been a long-term/ongoing issue.

Remember, reptiles get sick slow and get better slow - slow metabolisms and they don't like to show they are uncomfortable, that equals weakness.

I would talk to the vet and explain your concerns. Ask if they can preventively treat for stomach/intestinal parasites. The treatment may be similar for a wide array of parasites, but I am not sure. It doesn't hurt to ask.

Corny will probably eat soon and poop after and you can bring it in for testing. However, consider the above if you want to be proactive and waiting is killing you.

I love in Connecticut, and take my reptiles to a vet in Westchester, NY. It's 2 hours from my house, but I trust them, and although pricey, have always been good to me and my pets. I am close with the team there and can run this by them as well, if you think that might help.

I would also recommend reaching out to a breeder or two of corn snakes. I have bought several animals from BHB and they have always been helpful when I have a question, even if it's not an animal I bought from them. Not sure who you know, but it might be worth an email or call and who knows, maybe you get a corn from them down the road!

Hang in there, we are thinking of you and Corny, and although not a clairvoyant, or emotionally involved here, logically, I think things will be okay. Regardless, focus on what you can do now and continuing to be the best parent possible to Corny and the rest of the crew.

thank you, thank you, thank you for all the advice. i will try reaching out to some breeders and hope for some guidance.

yes. having to be passive about this and not knowing what to do is torturing me. i am not a "sit back and wait" type of person!

[Bogertophis]

A few afterthoughts: A young (slim) adult mouse would be the right size for your 4-5' corn snake. My largest (& oldest @ 20 years) corn snake is
about 6' long & could take a large mouse but he actually prefers small adult mice. My other 4 corns (fyi) are all 10 years old att.

Even though Corny's last shed was only about a month ago, it's "possible" (especially if he's been eating large mice) that he's already shedding again.
It's a "wait & see". Their sheds don't always happen on schedule.

Weighing your snake: in your case, it seems to be even more stressful to you than to Corny? I mean this with love: you lean towards being a "helicopter"
snarent, lol. Focus on his weight can mislead you: the amount of undigested food in his system or how much water he drank will just mess with your head.

Activity: Corny sounds perfectly normal to me. This time of year my corns (I have 5, currently) are active, climbing in their branches, hanging out, alert.

And honestly: rare is the snake-keeper that takes a snake to the vet for one missed meal. A couple meals would get my attention, but not just one. Relax.

[tttaylorrr]

Weighing your snake: in your case, it seems to be even more stressful to you than to Corny? I mean this with love: you lean towards being a "helicopter" snarent, lol. Focus on his weight can mislead you: the amount of undigested food in his system or how much water he drank will just mess with your head.

Activity: Corny sounds perfectly normal to me. This time of year my corns (I have 5, currently) are active, climbing in their branches, hanging out, alert.

And honestly: rare is the snake-keeper that takes a snake to the vet for one missed meal. A couple meals would get my attention, but not just one. Relax.

i am absolutely a helicopter mom, to an obvious fault lol. patience, patience, patience...

thanks for all your input and advice. i really do appreciate everything you've shared with me.

[Prognathodon]

Even though Corny's last shed was only about a month ago, it's "possible" (especially if he's been eating large mice) that he's already shedding again.
It's a "wait & see". Their sheds don't always happen on schedule.

Hoo, yeah! I’ve got a Honduran milk snake that is *still* shedding once a month at almost three years old. Every time I turn around that boy is blue again!



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[tttaylorrr]

Even though Corny's last shed was only about a month ago, it's "possible" (especially if he's been eating large mice) that he's already shedding again. It's a "wait & see". Their sheds don't always happen on schedule.

Hoo, yeah! I’ve got a Honduran milk snake that is *still* shedding once a month at almost three years old. Every time I turn around that boy is blue again!

hm...i did notice some skin coming up on his face like 4 or 5 days ago...i just chalked that up to him burrowing.......