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8 Posts |
 Posted - 19/02/2011 : 12:42:06
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My son has a baby corn we got him at Christmas and everything has gone smoothly up until last week. Firstly "Smudge" started to leap out of your hands when holding, he would be merrily be moving from hand to hand and climbing up your arm etc and then he would form an "S" go still and then leap out of your hand and as a result got dropped about 5 times (I know not great for him but to be quite honest I believe he would probably have taken a few falls in his natural habitat caus like us he is still learning!) Anyway he seemed to be ok and has eaten, drank and done his business and he is always happy to come out and be held etc. Last week he started really trying to force his way out of the viv pushing with all his might looking for a way out and seemed to just keep pacing his viv, we read various blog which seemed to point to his viv being to hot so we turned down the thermostat, for the past 2 days he has been curled up under the kitchen paper on the hot side of his viv. He last shed on 28/12/10 so I'm guessing he is due to shed, I've put a damp cloth over the top of the viv to increase humidity and just lifted the viv to check on him and he has moved each time. Today is feed day and he is normally up and hunting by now, what I would like to know is should we wake him and take him out to feed or leave him. My instinct is to leave him and let him come out when he is hungry but I'm not sure if baby corns recognise when they are hungry - I have read from various blog that corns can go for sometime without food. Any advice?
Smudge hatched 7/11/10 he shed on 5/12/10 and 28/12/10, we took ownership on 19/12/10 and he has been feeding on 1 pinkie a week without a problem. He is in a 27cm x 25cm viv at the moment with a heat pad and thermostat. 2 hides and a water bowl, we are using kitchen paper as a substrate at the moment but to be honest were due to go and buy so aspen for him today. We never thought we would be so blown away and totally taken by a snake - my son has wanted one since he was 3 we finally relented and said if he found out everything he needed to know about keeping one he could get one 5 months later here we are anxious but proud owners of a fantastic snake |
themadhouse |
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Newbie
Yearling
950 Posts |
Posted - 19/02/2011 : 13:02:48
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Hiya,
What temp is his viv at the moment? Corn snakes are notorious houdini's and will try to escape from a viv all the time, my Vin tests every inch of his on a daily basis! I'm not majorly experienced but I would have said that the sign of a snake feeling too warm is often bathing in the water bowl, he ma have just been exercising when out and about round his viv 
It's possibly he is in shed, but if him hiding under his kitchen roll in the warm end coincided with you lower the heat, he may be chilly. Get a digital thermometer and temp check, if you let us know what the temps are we'll have a better idea.
Not sure what kind of material you mean when you say damp cloth over the viv, but snakes can acquire respiratory infections if humidity is too high, so something to be careful of, hope this is a bit helpful |
1.0.0 Carolina Motley Cornsnake - Vin, 0.1.0 Brazilian Rainbow Boa - Rio, 0.1.0 IJJ Carpet Python - Luna, 0.1.0 Dwarf Sunfire Reticulated Python - Helia, 1.0.0 Royal Python - Jasper, 0.1.0 Spaniel - Jess; RIP Gypsy - a beautiful girl through and through, 0.1.0 Rabbit - Binky, RIP Indy, Jan 2010 - Aug 2011, and Ace, Jan 2009 - Aug 2011 |
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8 Posts |
Posted - 19/02/2011 : 14:06:29
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Thanks - we turned it down to about 26 which shows on thermo around 78 it was at 28. I know they do try to look at every escape route going but his behaviour seemed really erratic in that he was thumping the bottom of his viv really hard with his nose and almost forcing his nose through the gaps - he just seemed a bit stressed and as I say was just pacing his viv at all hours. We haven't got a thermometer on the viv yet cause we wanted to get one that could tell us the humidity as well and none of my local pet shops have had one in stock - we're going to pet shop today toget all the other bits we need for him.
The cloth we used was just a muslin cloth I dampened it down and put over the top - I had read that this can help them when shedding (I didn't wanna spay water around the viv just in case I'd go it all wrong and he wasn't shedding but unwell). I did put it over last night and this morning for a short time - removed it now.
He is still curled up in the same position and is usually up and hunting long before now. I thought I'd just leave him, keep checking throughout day to see if he is up and wanting food. |
themadhouse |
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lotabob
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
4334 Posts |
Posted - 19/02/2011 : 14:25:56
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It sounds a little bit like a cross between normal hatchie behaviour and normal shedding behaviour. They are notoriously quick and will quite suddenly and unexplainably take off, I think its because our hands are warmer than their comfortable temerature so afetr a while of holding they get too hot and have nowhere to go to try cool down. When I handle my snakes I put a towel on my knee and allow them to get down off my hand every now and again while still been out.
Hatchies are excellent escape artists and will try and try again every single possible escape route, even things that we know to be solid such as the walls of the viv. They grow out of it but even as adults if they think there may be an escape route they'll try it out.
Damp cloths are not required, they're not a high humidity snake, if he sheds perfectly then I'd ditch the cloth. Some snakes are problematic when they shed so a damp hide is required but most will shed perfectly with no assistance at all.
28 degrees centigrade is what I consider a perfect hot end temperature, I aim for that and have never had a problem, its a good temperature to keep them warm, help them digest and keep their immune system tip top.
When you next handle take a look at the belly, one of the first signs of a shed is a milky looking belly, though behavioural changes around a shed can happen days before that.
Other than putting your temperature right I wouldn't worry, you've clearly done your research. |
Anery Corn snake SPOT. Royal Python, DUKE. Hogg Island Boa, SANKE. Albino House Snake, HAL.
Harlequin Crested Gecko HARLEY
Albino Horned Frog WAKA
Chilean Rose Tarantula TRIXIE. Brazilian Salmon Pink Bird-eating Tarantula SAM. Orange Baboon Tarantula BORIS.
Giant Asian Forest Scorpion, SALLY.
Giant African Land Snails, SHELDON & MICHELLE.
Budwing Mantis, MAIA
Dubia Roach Colony. Silkworm Colony. Mealworm Colony. Waxworm Colony. Fruit Beetle Colony.
MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL http://www.youtube.com/user/alocheeky |
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gmac
The Scottish Admin
United Kingdom
5319 Posts |
Posted - 19/02/2011 : 14:38:01
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would turn your stat back up to anywhere between 27-30, 26 i just a wee bit too cold for your snake, also if the signs are your snake is going to shed, you can out in some damp moss in the hides for it.
It is possible it could be coming upto a shed just keep an eye see if he is dulling down.
If you want to feed him it wont be a problem if you offer him the food, he will decide if he wants it or not. |
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8 Posts |
Posted - 19/02/2011 : 15:02:06
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Thanks one and all - I'll turn the viv back up slightly and ditched all damp cloths, when he last shed he showed no signs of any kind, so this is new behaviour for us?
Should I wait for him to come out of hidding or should I seek him out to feed him (I don't like to disturb him when his found somewhere he feels safe and hidden, I don't want him to feel we're hunting him down!)
Also I got his pinkie out from the freezer this morning and have just left it to slowly defost. My question is, if he doesn't eat it today will it be ok to give it to him tomorrow (kept in fridge of course and dumped after that if not eaten). Sorry for the basic questions it just occured to me! |
themadhouse |
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8 Posts |
Posted - 19/02/2011 : 15:05:37
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| PS his tummy did look a slight milky colour when I picked up the viv yesterday and I was guessing this was a sign of shedding. Thanks for putting my mind at rest. |
themadhouse |
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Jennet
Hatchling
United Kingdom
305 Posts |
Posted - 19/02/2011 : 16:52:27
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If he's still on kitchen roll and not aspen or other bedding, put a small tub lid in there with the pinkie on and leave it in overnight (cool end). If he wants it, he'll take it, if not, take it out tomorrow and chuck it.
I always put a small damp moss hide in with my snakes that I spray lightly once a week so they have the option of going to it if they want to. (A wax moth tub with a small entrance cut in and silver foil in the bottom makes a good small hide for a hatchie). Once a snake has gone into blue, there is not a lot of difference you can make by upping the humidity, as it is when they go into blue that their skin is releasing oils under the top layer so that the skin loosens, which they then shed. At this point, their skin is more or less waterproof as such. |
www.thecornsake.co.uk
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www.theamphibian.co.uk |
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8 Posts |
Posted - 19/02/2011 : 18:40:51
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Ok thanks - I'll try that - still not out but has move I can see his little nose poking out the end of the paper so he might be thinking about coming out.
Love ya picture:) |
themadhouse |
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lotabob
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
4334 Posts |
Posted - 19/02/2011 : 18:48:37
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My corn will eat upto his eyes going cloudy, once at that point he goes off food until after he has shed. You can try feeding, its all part of getting to know your snake, if he refuses you can save yourself a mousey next time around.
We will all look forward to pictures of a freshly shed, beautiful snake in a week or two. |
Anery Corn snake SPOT. Royal Python, DUKE. Hogg Island Boa, SANKE. Albino House Snake, HAL.
Harlequin Crested Gecko HARLEY
Albino Horned Frog WAKA
Chilean Rose Tarantula TRIXIE. Brazilian Salmon Pink Bird-eating Tarantula SAM. Orange Baboon Tarantula BORIS.
Giant Asian Forest Scorpion, SALLY.
Giant African Land Snails, SHELDON & MICHELLE.
Budwing Mantis, MAIA
Dubia Roach Colony. Silkworm Colony. Mealworm Colony. Waxworm Colony. Fruit Beetle Colony.
MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL http://www.youtube.com/user/alocheeky |
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8 Posts |
Posted - 19/02/2011 : 19:10:57
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We'll be ready with the camera he is a lovely tempered corn with a grey head with a large dark smudge on the top of his head hence the name - "Smudge" he then goes a lovely orange to red back to grey.
The whole family are on a learning curve including Smudge so I guess we have to just wait and see - he is just always so active and am just a little worried that he did himself damage on his last leap for freedom - he'd climbed up onto my friends shoulder and then made one of his leaps off on to the floor - as I said earlier he has fed etc since that time and seemed ok - so we will have to hope he is ok and lesson learnt! |
themadhouse |
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lotabob
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
4334 Posts |
Posted - 19/02/2011 : 19:23:50
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| Its not great for them to fall but they are pretty bullet proof as hatchlings, once they have some bulk its more dangerous though. I'd keep him low to minimise a fall distance until he grows out of thinking he is a bird, either that or fit him with a tiny parachute. |
Anery Corn snake SPOT. Royal Python, DUKE. Hogg Island Boa, SANKE. Albino House Snake, HAL.
Harlequin Crested Gecko HARLEY
Albino Horned Frog WAKA
Chilean Rose Tarantula TRIXIE. Brazilian Salmon Pink Bird-eating Tarantula SAM. Orange Baboon Tarantula BORIS.
Giant Asian Forest Scorpion, SALLY.
Giant African Land Snails, SHELDON & MICHELLE.
Budwing Mantis, MAIA
Dubia Roach Colony. Silkworm Colony. Mealworm Colony. Waxworm Colony. Fruit Beetle Colony.
MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL http://www.youtube.com/user/alocheeky |
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8 Posts |
Posted - 19/02/2011 : 20:05:49
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| Yeah - i've got a cat that thinks its a dog, now I've got a corn that thinks its a bird. Thanks for the reassuring advice now we don't feel like such bad parents. We do try to make sure if his out we sit down and he is kept low but he is just such a climber and you wanna let him explore, now we know what an athlete he can be we'll keep him a little more under control! |
themadhouse |
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8 Posts |
Posted - 19/02/2011 : 23:40:05
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| Good news and thanks for all advice - "Smudge" stirred from his slumber when I was putting some fresh water in viv, once he decided to come out I gave him the pinkie and all is well his back in viv working off the pinkie. His eyes are cloudy and his belly milkie. As I speak his hanging head over the top of the kitchen paper (that I allow to go up the side of viv slightly) and watching me! Such a character. |
themadhouse |
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lotabob
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
4334 Posts |
Posted - 19/02/2011 : 23:53:28
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Aww he is just getting ready to shed. Now you get to play a little game soon, the sit up for hours waiting for him to shed only for him to do it when you nip out of the room or have to go to bed game.
They do have little personalities, no one ever believes me until they spend some time with them. My mum and sister came to sdtay for a few days and they were fascinated just watching him go about his business. |
Anery Corn snake SPOT. Royal Python, DUKE. Hogg Island Boa, SANKE. Albino House Snake, HAL.
Harlequin Crested Gecko HARLEY
Albino Horned Frog WAKA
Chilean Rose Tarantula TRIXIE. Brazilian Salmon Pink Bird-eating Tarantula SAM. Orange Baboon Tarantula BORIS.
Giant Asian Forest Scorpion, SALLY.
Giant African Land Snails, SHELDON & MICHELLE.
Budwing Mantis, MAIA
Dubia Roach Colony. Silkworm Colony. Mealworm Colony. Waxworm Colony. Fruit Beetle Colony.
MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL http://www.youtube.com/user/alocheeky |
Edited by - lotabob on 19/02/2011 23:54:09 |
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Newbie needing advise
