My first ever corn babies have hatched!

[malawi2854]

After my panicked post a couple of months back here: http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/breed...eggs-argh.html

I really didn't expect to get more than 1 or maybe 2 eggs of my clutch of 11 to hatch.

Well, precisely, to the DAY, they started to hatch on time on Sunday. That day, I got 3 beautiful little babies - by the end of Monday I had 6, and today I am up to 9!!!
The remaining two look OK, they have poked their heads out the eggs, and so are just waiting to slither out.

I've a stunning range of colours/patterns:

3x brown striped (lengthways, not across the body)
1x black/white striped
3x black/white "normal" patterns
2x red/orange "normal" patterns

The remaining two look to be albino - who knows where that gene came from!


ANYWAY - my actual question...

As these are the first babies I've ever hatched, I am a bit lost on what to do with them now? I understand from my corn snake book that they will shed their skin in the next few days, and I should leave it until then to feed them? Is this correct?

I have them in small plastic tubs, 2 or 3 to a container (as I say, I wasn't expecting them ALL to hatch!).

Am I doing everything OK so far? I am a bit worried about leaving them unfed for so long!


Thanks!

[cathandtam]

congratulations!!

when ours hatched we kept them on damp kitchen roll until they shed. it took about a week and then you leave them another day before offering food.

good luck,
cath

[oakelm]

Congrats. Sounds like your doing fine so far, leave them to shed before offering any food. Some dont take it straight away and it is helpful to put them in something like a cricket tub or smaller overnight with the pinky. If they dont take the first feed dont panic just try again in 5 days time. They will need feeding every 5 days while they are tiny on day old mice pinks.

And sounds like you have
3 x Striped or motley normals
1 x Striped or motley anery
3 x Normals
2 x Amels

But post pics when you get chance and we will confirm for you. Also just personally I would seperate the ones that are sharing tubs as soon as you can. Welcome to the hatchling club

[malawi2854]

Thanks for your comments - as requested, please find below a link to a picture of all 11 babies!

I'll apologise now for all the names... that's what happens when you ask for suggestions!!!

http://s216.photobucket.com/albums/c...-%20June%2009/

oakelm - can I ask why you suggest seperating them? Not disagreeing, just curious! Want to do the best by my babies!



EDIT > Have just uploaded a picture of Mum and Dad on there too - I still can't believe the range of colours and patterns I had from these two! The pics of the babies were taken on the day they hatched, and the pics of the adults were taken quite a long time ago, so they are somewhat larger than in those pics now!

[mask-of-sanity]

well done on your babies........its best to seperate them into small tubs as babies can be canabelistic and you will get problems if they go for the same pinky .....you only need small tubs anything to big and they may not eat

[malawi2854]

Originally Posted by mask-of-sanity

...its best to seperate them into small tubs as babies can be canabelistic and you will get problems if they go for the same pinky .....you only need small tubs anything to big and they may not eat

Good to know, thanks.

The problem of feeding, and knowing who's not eating etc etc, I hope to solve by removing them individually to feed - easy I suppose with 11 babies... I dread to think what those of you do with oodles of them!

I'll see what I can do about individual houses... viv space is rather limited!

[messengermatt]

Some lovely little babies there, they will be quite popular i bet !

[mask-of-sanity]

Originally Posted by malawi2854

Good to know, thanks.

The problem of feeding, and knowing who's not eating etc etc, I hope to solve by removing them individually to feed - easy I suppose with 11 babies... I dread to think what those of you do with oodles of them!

I'll see what I can do about individual houses... viv space is rather limited!

all you need to use is the tubs live food comes in or small sandwich boxes ( need to make holes in ) then you can use one small viv with a stated mat attatched to the back wall...just stack the tubs up against it

[oakelm]

Originally Posted by malawi2854

oakelm - can I ask why you suggest seperating them? Not disagreeing, just curious! Want to do the best by my babies!

Originally Posted by mask-of-sanity

its best to seperate them into small tubs as babies can be canabelistic and you will get problems if they go for the same pinky .....you only need small tubs anything to big and they may not eat

Beat me to it.

Also I would suggest seperate tubs as a just in case because if something is wrong with one and you see weird poop, a regurge, etc you dont know which one it is. Well not easily anyway.
You only need something the size of a cricket tub while they are tiny. I used to end up taking all my books out of a bookshelf and converting it into a temp hatchling rack. I remember one year when I first started, I had hatchlings everywhere. Brought loads of heat strips and just looked for flat surfaces. A good load ended up on top of a wardrobe so had to get the step ladders out each day to check and water. So glad I dont have to do that anymore.

[malawi2854]

Hello again all - could you let me know if you think these would be suitable?

Triple 8 Reptiles - Lees Herp Haven Mini rectangle

It's the "Mini Rectangle" one I was looking at - nice and cheap, but is it too small?

Do the babies need a hide, or is the Aspen in there OK for that? I've given them all various sorts of hide (all mashed together by me in a hurry from yoghurt pots etc.!), but none of them seem to use them - they all prefer to bury themselves.

Thanks again!