That is a lot for a small snake. She looks great so I wouldn’t worry too much yet, but as a tip for the next attempt~
Sometimes baby corns just need time with the prey to realize it’s safe and it’s food. The easiest way to do it is a little ‘critter keeper’, a deli cup or a brown paper bag. You can leave it in the dark for a couple of hours in the big cage so the smells are familiar and she can’t escape if she breaks containment. Lol.
Hopefully she eats well for you soon. She’s adorable. =)
I don’t know how you offered, but I’d feed in a ventilated container so small that the snake can’t ignore the mouse. Then I’d cover the container and leave in a quiet, dark area for an hour. And I’d do this just after sunset. I would wait 2-3 days between attempts. Do it this way until she’s an established feeder.
I think you got her last Wednesday? You may not have waited long enough since that was only 4 days ago. I thought for sure she would eat for you though! Give her at least 5 more days before you try again. I’m assuming you checked with her breeder to see how he/she was feeding her! Tongs? Or drop feed?
Sorry your baby didn’t take the first offering for you. Hopefully she’ll take take the next one. Do find out how she was being fed by her breeder, if you can. It’s perfectly possible to switch her to whatever method you choose once she’s a solidly established feeder in her new home. If you present it in the way she’s used to getting food, it can help her settle.
She’s been really active in the evening, scooting around from her wood half log to under the paper towels she’s on at the moment (only until I get her eating and defecating, she’ll be moved to proper substrate then!) I wonder if I tried feeding too early in the day as opposed to her not being hungry? I fed around 12 PM. She looked like had slight interest, not enough to eat but enough to go into the “I’m about to strike it, but I don’t really know if I want to strike it…” Pose, and tongueflick at it when I drop fed in the deli.
That might be interest in food. It might also be “I’m a bit worried and nervous.” Babies don’t generally strike at their meals. They just start eating. Actually, only a couple of my adults will strike or wrap their meals. They’re mostly really chill about the whole process.
It was more along the lines of looking, less strike pose.
I did get her a PVC elbow because I had to stop at Home Depot for some plumbing supplies. Should I save it for when she moves to the bigger bin, or introduce it to her in the little critter keeper she’s living in now?
Is this a small 6 quart tub or something similar with a heat mat on one side? You might want to post a picture of what she’s in. Ideally you want to provide a cozy hide on both the warm and cool ends. You can add lots of fake greenery for that secure feeling.
If you have her in an actual “Critter Keeper” inside of the large enclosure this is probably why she’s not eating for you. Also “half logs” are not conducive for that secure feeding. Snakes need to feel secure enough in their environment to elicit a feeding response. I’m sure she came straight from a very small breeder tub where her whole tub was like a secure semi dark hide so eating for her was not an issue.
Her temporary home, she’ll be moving into a bigger, more cluttered 6 quart bin once she takes food in any manner. (As you can see she wanted to be the star of the show here…) The green thing is a water dish, and the whole setup is in a dark area of the house. She used the paper towels as her cool side hide before, so that’s why I wanted to try out the PVC pipe.
Ok got it! The only thing I would change is the half log. She will feel more secure if she has a hide with 3 sides and a smaller entrance opening. Half logs just don’t make good hides imo. Amazon carries black plastic hides in several different sizes that are great for making babies feel secure. Also you can put a bit of fake greenery in there too so when she is out of the hide she’s not out in the “open”. I just don’t think she feels secure enough to eat.
Remember that she was probably away in a small breeder bin in a rack system before you got her. I’m a tub keeper so I use the 6 qt sterilite tubs to keep my babies in.
She didn’t take it. It’s odd that a snake that was comfortably eating f/t pinks before she got here just shut down, and refused especially a baby known for being a good eater. I’ve done everything to try and make her more comfortable and not stress her out, but she still didn’t take the washed mouse.
I’d rather not brain or feed live but it looks like I might have to go down that road, either that or get Nido, Crypt serpentes, and other infectious disease tests.
I’m so sorry you are having such an issue! Have you tried feeding her in a deli container? Sometimes that helps to get the snakes attention because it creates circular close quarters. Especially if you put the container in a dark place. But I would wait and 5 days or so before you attempt another feed.
Waited around 7 days from the last feed, that was offered in a deli. She also refused that. There’s a few things I can think of when this baby refuses to eat, and I hope it isn’t a GI blockage or Nido, so if she doesn’t take it next feeding it’s off to the vet for a health check.
