| T O P I C R E V I E W |
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Posted - 01/10/2010 : 16:30:32
Hello! My name is Donny, I live in Tennessee USA. I just got my first corn snake a little over a week ago. His name is Aries and he is approximately three months old. He is the offspring off a Miami and BloodRed Morph so I'll be posting a picture of him soon that way you can help me classify his morph. I stubled across this site in desperation yesterday when my baby corn got out of his enclosure and slithered into the bathroom wall. Happy to say I have him now, he just came out on his own about 12 hours later. Thankfully he did, couldn't believe how upset I was after this happened. That's when I knew I was a real snake lover.  thanks to previous posts on here I learned a great deal about how much they love to escape in the middle of the night. I had no idea that this site had such a community in it! Happy I can be with some folks of my own!! Have a good day all! Be on the lookout for a picture of Aries. |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
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Posted - 16/10/2010 : 23:06:43
Well its official, I went to the shop today to find out the sex of my little buddy and it turns out the he is in fact a she. Guess thats a good thing should I decide to breed one day, but for now she'll do. Hope everyone is good over there in the UK. You already know things are crazy here in the US with the nut jobs we put into office. Have a good rest of the weekend all...... |
| Kellog |
Posted - 12/10/2010 : 04:03:33
Kehhlyr is definitely right about the non-handling (and not feeding) while their eyes are blue being something you will work out with Aries as you get to know him and know what he will tolerate....as he says, some snakes will be ok about being handled (and some will feed) but others wont. Just be aware of the fact that despite his eyes clearing his eyesight is still compromised so he wont be able to see properly until he has shed....so if you do decided to handle it is a case of handle with care !
And I am definitely with Kehhlyr in hoping that you get to see Aries shed. I've been lucky enough to see Kellog do it a number of times and it is truly amazing  . I've never managed to see Silvesta do it as he always chooses to shed when I am in bed....except for the one time he had a bad shed and luckily I was awake and 'helped' him shed, which was a great experience but not one I would want to go through again or wish on any snake owner - I would rather never see my snake shed but have them shed cleanly than go through what I did with him  . But there is absolutely no reason why Aries shouldnt shed cleanly and fingers crossed that you will see it.
Oh dear....checking out different morphs already, always a bad sign. Over here we use IansVivarium as our morph guide....it may be interesting for you to have a look and see if there is much difference to your list of morphs. Let us know if there is.
xxx
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Posted - 11/10/2010 : 03:02:05
quote:
Originally posted by Kehhlyr
However, if you get the chance to watch him shed, then do it. It's incredibly fascinating.
Thanks, I defintely will watch it if I catch it. I'm always looking in his enclosure. As far as the handling when he sheds I'm not sure. I'll take heed as to it being a "private affair" for them and will wait for his eyes to clear before I do, if I do. Thanks! I absolutely LOVE the corn snake. I hope to obtain another one day. Perhaps a "Charcoal" type morph, there are so many of them. Looked at a breeder here in the States and it offers over 100 morphs at least. http://www.cornsnakes.net/index.php3 |
| Kehhlyr |
Posted - 11/10/2010 : 02:31:03
The entire non-handling until eyes have cleared is something that you'll figure out as you get to know the snake more and as the snake learns to tolerate you (cornsnakes don't tame, they tolerate ).
However, if you get the chance to watch him shed, then do it. It's incredibly fascinating. |
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Posted - 11/10/2010 : 02:07:02
Aries eyes have gone blue!!!! I'm exicted! Won't handle him until his eyes clear, or at least thats what I gather from the information on here. Will post pic's as he sheds or after! |
| dizzie85 |
Posted - 07/10/2010 : 14:35:22
Hi :D Aries is gorgeous!! Love his marking :D |
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Posted - 07/10/2010 : 14:29:24
quote:
Originally posted by Kellog
As there was a definite bump when he had eaten his pinkie then I would think it is fine to leave him on 1 pinkie for now.
Ok great! I've learned something new! I wasn't sure when to graduate him to 2 pinkies or even the next size, but you reply gives me a great idea. When theres not so much of a bump then 2 pinkies may be needed, or perhaps after the next shed or two, move him up to 1 fuzzy every feeding. |
| Kellog |
Posted - 07/10/2010 : 10:28:58
quote:
Originally posted by jackdaniels007
KELLOG- There was a definite bump after the feeding. DEFINITE. I chose the fatest pinkie out of three and I should have went with the smaller ones.......
As there was a definite bump when he had eaten his pinkie then I would think it is fine to leave him on 1 pinkie for now. I know you chose the biggest pinkie but he obviously ate it fine without a problem. I am no expert with little ones but keep him on 1 pinkie for a while until you are sure he is feeding well and then once the bump is not as noticeable you can move it up to 2 pinkie. There is no rush to feed him up, as long as he is putting on weight steadily that is all that is important.
It certainly would help (and put your mind at rest) if you could weigh him. In the UK we have cooking scales that are digital and will register the weights of hatchlings so maybe it is worth having a look around.
And no thanks is necessary....that is what the forum is for !
xxx
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Posted - 04/10/2010 : 15:06:44
KELLOG- There was a definite bump after the feeding. DEFINITE. I chose the fatest pinkie out of three and I should have went with the smaller ones. He ate it perfectly though, I'm thinking I may have to give him two next time . I don't have anything capable of weighing him on at the moment. We have a scale but it could by no means register his tiny weight. I would like to get a postal scale, I think that would do the trick. I'm guessing you always want them moving up in weight, until they mature and it stays constant. I'll start keeping a log on feedings, and take the feedings down to five days as opposed to seven. Thanks. |
| gingerpony |
Posted - 04/10/2010 : 11:42:03
heya and welcome
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| Kellog |
Posted - 04/10/2010 : 05:10:11
The way a snake behaves is definitely connected to how the owner is behaving/feeling....if the owner is nervous or scared then the snake can tell and reacts accordingly, whereas with you Aries is obviously calm because you are calm, perfect !
So glad today's feed went well. Do you know how much he weighs? (if not it would be a good idea to start a record) Normally if you are feeding with pinkies you would feed every 5 to 6 days rather than once a week. Does he have a bump when he has swallowed the pinkie? If he doesnt then it may be an idea to move up to 2 pinkies for his next feeds. Give him the first 1 and then wait until he has swallowed it and the 'bump' has moved to about half-way down his body before offering him the second. Dont jump him straight up to fuzzies but try him with the couple of pinkies first. What you must make sure of when you do move him up is that the fuzzie's girth is no bigger than 1.5 times the size of the widest part of the Aries's body girth. But there is no rush, as long as he is eating and putting on weight then everything is good .
xxx
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Posted - 04/10/2010 : 04:50:43
quote:
[i] How long are you handling him for? Just the fact that he has fed shows that he is probably happy with how things are, although that is assuming today's feed goes ok as well.
Since I got him I have handled him pretty much every day for about ten to fifteen minutes. After feeding I leave him alone for a couple days. Todays feeding went exceptionally well. I'm only giving him one pinky every seven days, I'm a little concerned that maybe I should give him two. Today I gave him the fattest pinky out of the three I had left. I have a plan to try a fuzzy on him in three weeks if he looks up to it. He ate tonight with no problems though, no hesitation. He is very relaxed when I handle him. Yes he slithers through my fingers and down my wrists, then sometimes he just sits there and checks everything out. I do have a very calm demenor to myself and haven't expressed any nervousness with him, it'd be cool if he picked up on that, and that would attribute to his settling in so quickly. Can't wait for him to start shedding. |
| Kellog |
Posted - 04/10/2010 : 03:32:07
To be honest Donny it sounds like you have a really laid back and stress-free snake ! And that probably has a lot to do with how you are dealing with him...I would guess you are a pretty relaxed and confident guy so you arent giving Aries any negative vibes when you handle him by being nervous or tense.
Him scurrying away when you go to handle him is natural behaviour....you try and imagine a giant hand coming down to pick you up  , but he will slowly get used to the fact that you are not a threat and will settle down. How long are you handling him for? Just the fact that he has fed shows that he is probably happy with how things are, although that is assuming today's feed goes ok as well. To educate yourself on what to lookout for you can checkout Signs of stress, but you dont seem to be describing any behaviour that would signify stress to me.
So just continue as you are (leaving him for the 48hrs after feeding of course ), cos it sounds like you are doing a great job .
xxx
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Posted - 03/10/2010 : 07:49:23
Thanks for the welcoming from all of you! Kellog I'm glad that you are here you've given sound advice. One question though how can you tell if your snake is stressed? I got my snake from a private breeder, and wasn't told about the time to settle in. I've been handling him pretty much everyday. Haven't gotten bitten, he does try to scurry away when my hand goes in the enclosure but I would think this is normal behavior of a snake on general. He's very active at night, ate his first pinky great last Sunday and will be feeding again tomorrow. I'm now on day seven with him without the relax time for him that is recommended. Should I go ahead and take the time to do this after the feeding tomorrow? Seems kind of pointless now, as I haven't noticed any signs of depression or stress. Then again I'm a newbie so......I'm all ears to you more seasoned Corn owners. |
| Mort13 |
Posted - 02/10/2010 : 10:13:49
Hi,and welcome. Wow you were lucky to find him so quick....the little tinker eh! Amazing how quickly they cast a spell on you isn't it I've had mine just over 6 weeks now and I couldn't be without him.
Lovely name for him by the way
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| Kellog |
Posted - 02/10/2010 : 03:50:15
So glad you have introduced yourself and Aries officially Donny , I am just sorry you found us under such upsetting circumstances....I was so relieved to read that Aries had turned up so quickly . And I am not surprised how much it upset you, even though you had only had him less than a week you've already gotten attached - its the corn magic . You've obviously already experienced what a great forum this is, with lots of experienced owners happy to give their advice and support. You also get lots of fun and friendship . I am not sure how much information you already know about corn snake keeping, so sorry if I am repeating information you already know....but it is better heard twice than not at all.
I am sure you have already browsed the TCS site and forum, and found that it provides great information. The best place to look is Care Sheet helpful. Also have a look at Your 1st snake and as it is a hatchling you have then Setting Up A Hatchling Corn Snake - My 101 is definitely required reading as it gives great information not only on how to set-up your little one's faun but other stuff as well.
I know you have now had Aries for about a week, but dont know if you were advised to let him have a settling in period. We always suggest you follow the one-week rule (it is more of a guide than a rule but worth adhering too!)....no handling or feeding for the first week to allow Aries to get over the stress of the move and for him to get used to the new smells and his new surroundings. This means just putting your hand in to change the water daily and straighten the substrate, so he can get used to your smell and not be threatened by you. You mustnt worry about your corn not feeding for that week, corns are a lot hardier than we realise and going for a week without food will not do them any harm, no matter how small they are. You are rarely advised this in a lot of pet shops  but it is an important way of getting your snake to de-stress and feel safe with you. If you havent done this, and especially with the little adventure Aries has just had which will have scared him and stressed him out, it may be worthwhile starting that week from now.
You will find that there is a large amount of conflicting information out there about corn keeping – on the internet, in books, etc. Even on here you will find that people have different opinions.....but at least you have a place to ask what you need to know and get the answers from experienced owners. Then you can decide what to do with what you are told.
I am not sure what it is like in the USA, but over here unfortunately a lot of us have found that many pet shops cannot be trusted with what they are telling you . Like the fact that so many shops will sell a snake with a starter set up, but not let you know that you need a thermostat to control the heatmat and a digital thermometer to monitor the heat - 2 vital pieces of equipment. I know that I double check anything I am told on here. On this forum no question is regarded as a silly question....it is much better asked and answered, you will probably find others who want the info too! First place to look is in the top right hand corner of the screen where there is a search button....type in what you are worried about and see if you can find an answer. I know you can get swamped with different topics including what you are searching for, so it is a bit daunting but worth a look. If you cant find the answer you are looking for then dont hesitate to ask!
I am not sure if you have thought of doing this with Aries, but I keep my own 'Snake Diaries'....noting things like weight, length, feeding dates and what you feed, shedding dates, health problems, when you do full viv cleans. I know it seems a bit over the top but it is actually really helpful keeping track of your snake's health - I even note when Kellog and Silvesta poo  !!
Unwritten forum rule - pics as soon as possible! This link will help - How to - Post images using photobucket. I cant wait to see what he looks like....a cross between a miami and a bloodred sounds amazing.
You have already discovered you are a real snake lover, so now you need a warning - corn snakes are addictive.....and yes, the majority of us have stood up, said "hello my name is ****, I am addicted to corns........! And I am proud of it!" You have just started down that corn path so be warned!!
xxx
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| Figs |
Posted - 01/10/2010 : 21:10:22
Hello and welcome! |
| HannahB |
Posted - 01/10/2010 : 20:02:10
hey and welcome!
glad he decided the wall wasn't much fun to hide in!!
look forwards to piccies |
| herriotfan |
Posted - 01/10/2010 : 18:21:05
Hi
Welcome to the forum
Look forward to photos!! |
| mozacchio |
Posted - 01/10/2010 : 17:47:26
Hello and welcome..! |
