Help!!!! Any great tips are trying to get a Hatchling corn to eat?

[sacredcreatures]

At the Havre de Grace show, A friend gave me a hatchling Snow Corn because it had only eaten 4 times its whole life(with alot of work). Not sure its age but its tiny and doesn't look too good. I tryed to brain a pinky no luck, I cut the head off the pink no luck. So now I am at a loss. Any tips on getting it to eat would be great as I am a Gecko/beardie person and I have some Ball Python. Which I have had manyn hatchling and a few trouble eaters. But I did rescue for years on almost every animal/reptile poss. Alittle info Its a baby Snow and its smaller than a no 2 pencil and on the bellyside I can see his organs, hes like seethru. Any help would be appreciated. Because I do not think he has much more time. Pics coming soon. Deb

 

[Here2Learn]

Deb, I'm sorry to hear of your situation with that poor lil guy. I love corns. I've rarely encountered a problem feeder but when I used to breed kings it was much more common. One thing I did with a locality Grey Banded King that would not eat was letting a gecko bite the pinky on the head. I was actually trying to just scentthe pinky with a house gecko because it had never eaten. The gecko became annoyed and bit the pinky on the head a few times. A bit aggitated with the gecko I put him back and tried the pink anyway. To my amaement, the King ate it and took another head chewed pinky the next week. After that he was onto unscented.

This may or may not work but it sounds like you would/did try all the trick I know. Did you try the small container or paper bag with leaves and a pinky?

Good luck Deb, let us know how he does.

 

[Grinning Geckos]

Have you tried an assisted feed? If it's as dire as you say, you may want to try it. I'm sure someone can tell you exactly how it's done (I've never had to do it). The general idea is that you have the snake in one hand, pink in the other and you place the pink in the mouth and wait for the snake to bite down on it. Once it bites, it'll usually eat. That's an EXTREMELY simplified version of what to do.

This is not force feeding...that's when you force the food down into the throat. Here you're just putting it in the mouth. I've heard of people using business cards to get the snake to open up. It may be a two person job.

Try the scenting first, as it's less traumatic!

 

[nwheat]

Kathy Love's book has a detailed description of assist feeding and other tips.

Also, you may want to check out The Source - a wonderful corn snake forum. The people there would be able to give you some good advice.

Good luck!!

 

[ReptileMan27]

That really stinks , corns normally are great eaters, never had or heard of to many problems. Best of luck

 

[sacredcreatures]

Well he still hasn't eaten anything but a friend of mine has a pinky pump so Thursday I can at least get something in him. I am doing the brown paper bag right now with a pinky and the baby snake. Wish me luck!! Deb

 

[GoGo]

Ive heard of people scenting a pinky( like said above) or other mammal that your about to feed to something with lizards. So maybe try scrubbing the pinky with one of your leos or fatties?

 

[Here2Learn]

Hey Deb,

How did the paper bag work out?

(Great I hope!?!)

 

[Reptile_le00man7mm]

If none of the scenting, split brain, paper bagging..etc works, Take a adult mouse tail, rub some butter on it, this will help it go down easy. The best way to open the mouth is to take a peice of thick paper, such as construction paper, not cardboard just something a lil thicker, Hold the snakes head in your thumb, index, and middle finger. Gently slide the paper in his mouth, usually you can let go of the paper once its all the way back in the snakes mouth, the teeth will usually hold it in place. Next just slide the tail in, I have used the thicker part of the tail, and the thinner part just have to try either one. Slide the tail all the way down as far as your fingers will let it go. Once you set the snake back in his cage, usually when he starts to take off he will slide it the rest of the way down. Do this every 4-7 days this will keep him healthy enough until he DECIDES to eat on his on.

 

[sacredcreatures]

Paperbag didn't work, I went to my friend with the Pinky Pump and got one baby pinky guts into the snake. He acts fairly normal drinking and moving around but just won't eat and he is very tiny. I will try the mouse tail in a few days since we just did the Pinky pump. And I wanted to mention that in his water yesterday was some urea and poop but not much to feel good about. This had to be from when the other guy fed him since he hadn't eaten from me. So basically we will try and get him to eat for as long as it takes. Thanks for your ideas and if you have any more keep them coming. Maybe one will work. I hope so and I'll try to get pics of him today and my daughters Snow king hatchling. Deb

 

[Here2Learn]

Deb,

I'd say now that you have a little something in him, leave him alone for a week. Don't try anything... then one night around dusk pitch the smallest pinky you can in his enclosure over night.

Best wishes, I'm pulling for the little guy.

I have plenty of corn eggs in the incubator. Maybe you can entice him to pull through with promise of a hot new gal to look forward to. He just has to spring for the plane ticket!

 

[Grinning Geckos]

I agree....leave him completely alone (other than water changes) for a week. Destressing may be just what he needs.

 

[ama1997]

I breed corns and this last season i had alot that wouldnt eat. Most of them will eat when ready some take longer than others. Start off with a live pinky leave it in its cage over night. If that doesnt work try putting the pinky and snake in a small container with a lid and few small holes deli cup or something like that not clear. Set container with snake and pinky back in cage and leave over night. see if that works those two things work for me about 95%of the time. Make sure the pinky isnt to big try feeding smaller than normal pinkys. I had some this year that didnt start eating for alittle over 2 months. There are also drops you can get for i think the water or maybe to put on the pinky ask your local pet shop or check online. I think made by zoomed but not sure. When you are feeding it do you check on it alot or just leave it alone. Like others said try not to bother it to much till its eating good for you

 

[PaulSage]

This has worked for me in the past:

Take an 8 oz. deli cup to your local pet store and ask them for some of their dirtiest gerbil bedding. Put the smallest live pinky you can find in the deli cup of bedding and leave it in the cage overnight. Make sure the enclosure is completely covered/opaque and don't even look at him for 24 hours after putting the pinky in.

Good luck with the little one.

 

[sacredcreatures]

Hi All It still hasn't eaten on its own. I guess its time for the pinky pump again. I am taking pics today and you can see what he looks like. He drinks fine and even shed once but no matter what I try it won't eat by itself. It is also active. But looking at his belly it doesn't look too good. There is one black spot thats hard alittle over 1/2 way to its tail and closer to its head, maybe alittle less than midway on his body is a area that looks like a worm, I do not mean I think he has worms its just the shape like a earth worm and lastly when we feed him by the pinky pump I can see the pinky guts in him and they stay in the same place for along time. He really hasn't pooped either except for some urea and odd looking stuff in his water, right when I got him. Deb

 

[sacredcreatures]

He Passed away this morning!

Hi everyone!!!! I want to thank you all for your help. Unfortunately he passed away this morning. I actually think he was blocked, I am going to do a post Mortem myself in a few mins. I have worked with so many Vets I can do this myself just to check what the dark areas are. I want to check what that hard dark thing is in him. :main_huh: I will let everyone know by tomorrow. Again a big thank you for all your help. We did the best we could on him. Deb

 

[Here2Learn]

Hi everyone!!!! I want to thank you all for your help. Unfortunately he passed away this morning. Deb

I'm sorry to hear that Deb. I was pullin for the lil Dude.

 

[nwheat]

That's too bad! Did you find out what the problem was?