My baby corn snake won't eat....?

Question

Hi all, I have two baby corn snakes, which are probably about 5 or 6 weeks old. One is eating well and is 4 times her birth size, the other one (a red one) won't eat anything and just seems to be getting smaller. He has no interest in live pinkies that we put in with him and just cuddles up with them on the heat rock. Any suggestions for other food items we could give him just until he grows bigger...all the webpages i found just say to give them baby pinkies...which I've tried. Please help me..I don't want him to die :-(

I tried force feeding him once and he just kept pulling his mouth off the pinkie. Tried isolating him...again he just cuddled the pinkie til it died. Hhmmm.....

My snakes are captive bred.
I just had him force fed, and he actually took the mouse, so hopefully he won't regurgitate it. Fingers crossed....Thanks for all the advice :-)

Answer 1

First of all..ditch the "heat rock". They are a poor heating choice, and can cause many problems. Get an under tank heater, and regulate it with a thermostat or rheostat.

Now that you seem to have successfully assist fed him, perhaps the next time he will take it on his own. If not, braining (please, only use an already dead pink for this technique!) is usually pretty successful, and also sometimes soaking it pinky in chicken broth (weird, I know...but it works!) before feeding works as well. Or....if you really think the whole pinky is too large, try just feeding the head to him. (Again, ONLY use this on an already dead pinky).

Answer 2

One trick is to isolate him with the food in a small opaque container like a plastic yoghurt container and leave him overnight with the pinkie. Another trick uses a frozen/ thawed pinkie that has been "brained". Use a pin to pierce and expose some of the brain fluid of the dead pinkie and isolate the baby with that prey. This additional scent will often trigger problem feeders.

Answer 3

Hello..hopefully these are captive bred not wild caught snakes for one thing, if you bought these, best to ask the people you bought them from..am not sure how 2 snakes are in one place ..usually they seperate after birth or when they go off on their own..if these are wild caught, am not sure if my site will be able to help you, but they are reptile experts & only deal in legal captive breds ..but if you want to try it's east bay vivarium ...Take Care :)

Answer 4

ok first of all if this snake is only a week previous it in all likelihood has no longer shed yet. they in a large number of cases received't take their first meal until eventually they shed. And those variety of cases you're trying to feed it you're in all likelihood stressing it. So in basic terms make useful he has water and a disguise and warm temperature source. go away him on my own til he sheds. Then wait yet another couple of days. you are able to attempt a stay newborn red. another options are: F/T newborn red braining the red scenting it with a lizard something so basic as putting it in a deli cup (with air holes) on my own with the red-- this entices him to devour bc he has no room to roam round and could ultimately devour So in basic terms make the effort and attempt a stay or F/T red first component. desire this helps and solid luck!!

Answer 5

force feed him, I have done this with other breeds and it usually works, however during the time they are shedding they will refuse to eat then also, hope this helps