And much less stressful for the noodle too imo.
It’s much easier to get them actively swallowing instead of trying to dislodge something they didn’t want
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It’ll definitely be the first thing I try when I do have to go that route.
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It’s truly a difficult struggle. I’ve been there. It’s helped my patience to think about the fact that the stubborn ones basically aren’t recognizing the mouse as food. As Olivia said several years ago, no matter how hungry I was I wouldn’t eat a tire; it’s not food. You’ve tried a lot of things, to be sure. Here are a few other ideas.
Jess had success with a VERY stubborn nonfeeder by brushing quail egg onto the mouse. If you live near an Asian market, they often have quail eggs. This does make sense scent-wise as corns and quail live in the same areas, so eggs and young quail are sometimes meals for wild corn snakes. (It always baffles me that some go for stuff like tuna, salmon, fried chicken, hot dogs, bacon. When would a wild corn snake even encounter these?!?)
The “shipping as appetite stimulant” can be somewhat mimiced by putting them in a deli in a box and setting this on the washing machine and/or dryer for an hour or two. Jounce then a bit to stir up the adrenaline and hopefully the appetite. Wait a day and try feeding.
I do think that exercise helps them to want to eat. I’ve found that some of them who won’t eat any other way will eat in hand. Maybe bopping them in the nose with their intended meal gets their interest. Maybe holding their head really still and holding the prey right against it gets them to focus and eat. Sometimes it takes prying their mouth open and stuffing the pinky inside and holding it there a minute or three, then they actually eat. And yes, sometimes they need to be force fed. It stinks, but most of them come around to voluntarily feeding before too long.
Wishing you much luck. It’s a very stressful thing to deal with.
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This is a great thought. It helps immensely. I have been so baffled but this really puts things into perspective.
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Well, time is working its magic! I had two more babies—Io and Gamma—take their first meals without forcing it on them. Hooray! I would have taken photos but I don’t want to bother them any more than a tiny peek…and one punished me even for that by spitting out his mouse when I looked at him 
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That’s good that you didn’t get photos to post here because those types of photos are not allowed here.
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Well, it would have been a full-belly photo, not a feeding photo 
I just don’t want to jinx it regardless! Too many of these little ones aren’t eating…want to make sure they keep it down!
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Oh I gotcha! Full bellies are always welcome! 
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Full bellies as promised:
4 babies took a tail and full pinkie willingly
5 babies took a tail and head forced, kept it down
5 babies took a tail and head forced, then spit out the head 15 min later
1 took a tail and full pinkie forced, the pinkie made it all the way to the back of throat and behind jaw, then she spit the full pinkie back out. Stinker!
The entire process took me 2.5 hours. This is unrealistic to repeat every five days. Please tell me I’ll get better at it and it will go faster!!!
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You will! But also they will. It sounds like you made pretty good progress today.
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