Considering a hatching corn snake, advice on set up...

[johndavidwoods]

I don't see any harm in trying. The standard advice is to let them settle in for a week first, but I've pretty much always fed my new snakes on day 1, and they have always taken it.

Just try to do it unobtrusively - offer the defrosted pinkie on tongs and if the snake doesn't immediately take it, just leave it there for it to find in its own time. Best time to try is the evening, and remove the pinkie in the morning if it is still uneaten.

[benson1990]

So today will be my third attempt at feeding, he's shown no interest as of yet.

Any tips or tricks?

[Malc]

Originally Posted by benson1990

So today will be my third attempt at feeding, he's shown no interest as of yet.

Any tips or tricks?

It's only been two weeks since you got the snake so it may still refuse food whilst it settles in.

Assuming all your environmental conditions are right, then try warming up the mouse in warm water (40-50c) for a few minutes, dry off with kitchen towel and then offer late afternoon / early evening (ideally using feeding tongs)

[benson1990]

I was letting it thaw at room temp and then offering it to him, I'll do the warm water thing today when I try, he normally gets active around late evening so thats when ive been trying him.

I was reading about braining the mouse, would that be worth a try yet?

[ian14]

Originally Posted by benson1990

I was letting it thaw at room temp and then offering it to him, I'll do the warm water thing today when I try, he normally gets active around late evening so thats when ive been trying him.

I was reading about braining the mouse, would that be worth a try yet?

If your corn was an established feeder on defrost food then braining isn't the answer. That's really for hatchlings that are refusing food from the off.
Corns are tough hardy snakes so as long as it was feeding before you got it, the chances are it's more to do with your set up, or how you are offering food.

I wouldn't worry about heating it up, they do not have heat receptors so rely on scent, not heat.
Check with the person you bought it from as to how food was thawed and offered, then do exactly the same.

[benson1990]

As for set up he's in a small fuanarium at the moment, hot side 28 - 29 degrees with the cool side being low 70s.

Two hides one on hot side the other cool side with a water bowl.

I have not handled him since putting him in, only change the water bowl every couple of days.

The person I bought him off of isn't sure how he was being fed only said he's had 5 feeds in him at around 7 weeks old. If scent is the thing what about scenting the mouse with tuna, ive been told this can work?

[ian14]

Originally Posted by benson1990

As for set up he's in a small fuanarium at the moment, hot side 28 - 29 degrees with the cool side being low 70s.

Two hides one on hot side the other cool side with a water bowl.

I have not handled him since putting him in, only change the water bowl every couple of days.

The person I bought him off of isn't sure how he was being fed only said he's had 5 feeds in him at around 7 weeks old. If scent is the thing what about scenting the mouse with tuna, ive been told this can work?

No, forget scenting.
If he's had 5 feeds then he should be feeding without scenting. I'm concerned though that the seller cannot tell you how the snake was being fed though. Its not difficult to remember how you fed a snake five times!
How are you heating the faunarium? They are an ful for heat retention due to the fully ventilated lid. I would also raise the warm end to 30/32C.

[benson1990]

Originally Posted by ian14

No, forget scenting.
If he's had 5 feeds then he should be feeding without scenting.
How are you heating the faunarium? They are an ful for heat retention due to the fully ventilated lid. I would also raise the warm end to 30/32C.

Im keeping the fuanarium inside my 3ft vivexotic vivarium which is being warmed by a ceramic heat emitter.

I have a small heat mat under one side a little under 1/2 the fuanarium length.

I'll raise the temp of the mat to 30/32.

Also just to add he didn't eat for the person that sold him to me, she ordered him from a breeder who said he had five feeds in him.

[ian14]

Originally Posted by benson1990

Im keeping the fuanarium inside my 3ft vivexotic vivarium which is being warmed by a ceramic heat emitter.

I have a small heat mat under one side a little under 1/2 the fuanarium length.

I'll raise the temp of the mat to 30/32.

Also just to add he didn't eat for the person that sold him to me, she ordered him from a breeder who said he had five feeds in him.

That sounds dodgy as hell.
Given that most breeders won't yet have hatchlings I'm intrigued.
There's a good chance he may have never fed. Who did you buy him from, was it a shop?

Also, if you have the ceramic then you don't need the heat mat too. As faunariums have feet, you also need to stick the mat to the base of it, not that you need it.
Are you measuring the temperature inside the faunarium?

[benson1990]

I bought him from a reptile shop, I asked for a hatchling corn and they ordered it for me.

I have the fuanarium pushed down the cool end of the viv. I have it resting on the mat and im measuring the temps inside, ive a digital thermometer underneath the hot hide and its measuring 28 - 29 degrees, im also confirming this with an IR gun, same for the cool end.

But if I don't need the mat how will I get the heat required? if I put the fuanarium directly under the cearmic couldn't it melt the plastic and be too hot in general?