The corn didn't eat.... again.

[jorgasm]

So my corn snake didn't take any interest in the f/t feed we presented it tonight. This is the third week in a row it has refused to even acknowledge the existence of food and I'm beginning to fear that it won't last too much longer without eating. I'm at my wits end and don't understand what I'm doing wrong! The temp is stabilized on both sides, I haven't been handling it all week just in case it was stress from me handling it, and the environment is perfectly suitable for a corn snake and it still won't eat! What do you think I should do? Switch to live pinkies? I've tried braining, pricking the body with a needle, soaking it in chicken broth and cutting the little bugger in half... everything and the corn won't even look at the food.

It doesn't move around that much anymore either-- I'm really worried about it. We got it three weeks ago and we know it didn't eat the week before we got it-- I know it isn't healthy for it to go that long, but.... how am I supposed induce feeding? Everywhere I look I see things saying how hardy of eaters corns are... well, mine isn't like that. =|

Help?

[kjhowland]

Actually snakes can go awhile without food. My corn hibernates for about 3 months yearly. I would try live pinkies if you can get them. IMO, you don't have to go crazy with the temp and humidity controls with a corn. My ten year old has been in room temperature and has survived well. I'd leave it alone for a few weeks, then try feeding it. Worse comes to worse, you can try a pinkie pump.

[FloridaHogs]

try live and/or anole scented. (try live first though)

[jorgasm]

Thanks guys-- we know of a place near us that sell live pinkies and so we're going to go that route. Should I really leave it alone for a few weeks before feeding it?

[wilomn]

Thanks guys-- we know of a place near us that sell live pinkies and so we're going to go that route. Should I really leave it alone for a few weeks before feeding it?

No.

If it's a hatchling you should keep trying to feed it weekly.

If it goes more than 6 or 8 weeks without eating it's time for forcefeed.

Put the snake in a small paper bag with a live pink. Put the bag back in the cage but over or under a direct heat source. Leave it overnight.

If that doesn't work, then you need to consider force feeding or a stay in the freezer.

[jorgasm]

"If that doesn't work, then you need to consider force feeding or a stay in the freezer."

I must still be asleep, because your last sentence didn't make much sense to me. A stay in the freezer?

[Blue Apple Herps]

I must still be asleep, because your last sentence didn't make much sense to me. A stay in the freezer?

He means to cull it.

I agree, try live and see what happens.

[anendeloflorien]

I had a couple of problem eaters too, the thing that seems to work the best for them is live pinks in a deli cup with nothing else in it overnight in their tub. It worked for me 95% of the time and now they're taking f/t just fine (though I do still have to use the deli cup method from time to time with one of them).
Good luck with her!

[greghall]

some times they just won't eat going though the same thing now with a hold back anthristic going on 4 weeks two others eat every three days,live pinks are the only thing to try till they start feeding real good.

[jorgasm]

So I tried feeding the corn again last night, I put it in a deli cup with a f/t pinkie and left it overnight with him... and he didn't eat it. He just lied there with it and did nothing. I'm going to grab a live pinky either today or tomorrow- and hopefully he will eat that...