The Corn Snake Forum
The Corn Snake Forum
Home | Profile | Register | Active Topics | Members | Search | FAQ
Username:
Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

 All Forums
 Corn Snake Posts
 Corn Snake Health
 Snake wont eat
 New Topic  Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Author Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  

Aztec2
Snake Mite

South Africa
4 Posts

Posted - 19/04/2012 :  10:13:46  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hi All

I have a corn snake that is 3 months old now. It used to eat frozen food perfectly with no worries. It had its first shed on the 5th of march 2012 two weeks before its shed and up and till now she has not eaten any pinkies. The temps are right the cage is right size enough hiding places etc.. She focus more on trying to get out the viv then anything else and is very active. When i feed a pinkie she just circles it and moves off. I have pinched the nose off, brained it and opened the guts still not interested.

Please advise

tordyjo
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
2036 Posts

Posted - 19/04/2012 :  11:26:22  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
you say your temps and viv/faun size are correct, can you tell us exactly what they are so we can better help you.

How are you controlling temperatures?
Do you have a thermometer and thermostat and where do you have them placed?
Are you recording weight of your snake, if not when they stop eating (especially when little) its best to keep an eye, just weigh before feeding.
How often are you offering a feed?
Are you still handling?

When they stop feeding, don't handle until they've taken several consecutive feeds, only offer a feed a the usual intervals 5-7 days no more it can put them off, have a look at the thread for scenting with chick thighs for non-feeders really useful advise.

If you can answer some of the above questions it will really help us to focus our advise.

LillyCrystalHarry
1.2.0 corns, 1.1.0 cats tropical guppies who continually breed

Go to Top of Page

Aztec2
Snake Mite

South Africa
4 Posts

Posted - 20/04/2012 :  10:23:05  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hi

I have a heat pad in one corner for heat.
My thermometer etc is placed about 10cm above the heat pad and is about 28 degress the cool side of my tank is 24 - 25 degrees. Iam not recording weight as i do not have a scale sensitive enough to weigh her on. i was offering food every day but since she was not eating and the pinkies where going to waste i started feeding once a week. I have stopped handling her now for about 15 days now.

Thanks
Go to Top of Page

kev 5
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
3065 Posts

Posted - 20/04/2012 :  10:35:02  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
its to hot - the thermometer needs to be directly on the heat mat. a digital thermometer with a probe is best



Go to Top of Page

Georgina
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
2382 Posts

Posted - 20/04/2012 :  10:36:33  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Its far to hot, the thermomter should be in contact with the center of the mat, that's propb why he's not eating and also offering every day can stress them out. I suggest turning your mat off, getting a stat if you havnt and getting the temps to 28 degrees. I wouldn't handle or feed for another 7 to 10 days.

1.0 western hognose (hero)
1.0 phantom reverse pin dal brindle crested gecko (goyle)
0.2 red dal red harly (sprite) 99% full pin Harley crested gecko (TuLong)
0.0.3 miomantis paykullii
0.0.3 Bombina orientalis (oriental fire bellied toad)
0.3 fancy mice (snap, crackle and pop)
1.0 yorkshire terrier (jasper)
2.1 cats (echo, shadow and pokey)
Go to Top of Page

tordyjo
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
2036 Posts

Posted - 20/04/2012 :  10:48:15  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Aztec2

Hi

I have a heat pad in one corner for heat.
My thermometer etc is placed about 10cm above the heat pad and is about 28 degress the cool side of my tank is 24 - 25 degrees. Iam not recording weight as i do not have a scale sensitive enough to weigh her on. i was offering food every day but since she was not eating and the pinkies where going to waste i started feeding once a week. I have stopped handling her now for about 15 days now.

Thanks



Do you have a thermostat to regulate your heatmat making sure it doesn't get too hot? It can also prevent a fire in your home, there are pictures on here of melted fauns from mats that are too hot and mats that have reached over 40C without a stat attached quite quickly too. If not you can get one quite cheap from surrey pet supplies over the internet. You really need a digital themomter to monitor temperatures, again you can get these for around £2-£3 on ebay. The dial ones on the side of your tank will only measure the ambient temperautre and not the temp of your mat.

If you are really worried about your snake you would make these simple changes to ensure its health. It might be worth also investing in some really cheap digital kitchen scales, thats all i use to weigh mine think i got a set for a fiver in tesco, worth it to make sure they are gaining and not losing weight and peace of mind.

LillyCrystalHarry
1.2.0 corns, 1.1.0 cats tropical guppies who continually breed

Go to Top of Page

Georgina
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
2382 Posts

Posted - 20/04/2012 :  11:01:00  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Yeah my scales are from tescos, I think they are salter brand, I know that most of us use them x

1.0 western hognose (hero)
1.0 phantom reverse pin dal brindle crested gecko (goyle)
0.2 red dal red harly (sprite) 99% full pin Harley crested gecko (TuLong)
0.0.3 miomantis paykullii
0.0.3 Bombina orientalis (oriental fire bellied toad)
0.3 fancy mice (snap, crackle and pop)
1.0 yorkshire terrier (jasper)
2.1 cats (echo, shadow and pokey)
Go to Top of Page

Aztec2
Snake Mite

South Africa
4 Posts

Posted - 20/04/2012 :  11:04:51  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
the heat pad i bought has no dial to set temps but they do not get very hot either. Many of them have set temps and do not get hotter. Many people here in South Africa just place them in there tanks with no covering over it and have no issues. i have placed carpet over my heat pad and through out my whole cage to. I have followed my set-up like majority of the others here and they have no problems. My second corn is in exactly the same set-up and i have had no issues with her either. she feeds well etc. It is just this specific corn of mine that has unusual behaviour and feeding habits.
Go to Top of Page

tordyjo
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
2036 Posts

Posted - 20/04/2012 :  11:31:32  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Aztec2

I have followed my set-up like majority of the others here and they have no problems.



Do you mean here as in on the forum or where you live??

You'll find that many here on the forum actually have digital thermometers and thermostats to control the heat which is why they do not have problems.

You asked for advise which you have been given, it IS your choice whether or not to follow it, but seen as you are having problems with your snake to me its a no brainer.

this is a link to a thread about non using a thermostat

http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=22086&whichpage=3&SearchTerms=burnt,heatmat

on page 2 is a picture of how hot a mat can get without a thermostat which is over 40c which is far too hot

LillyCrystalHarry
1.2.0 corns, 1.1.0 cats tropical guppies who continually breed

Go to Top of Page

Mamma
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
4494 Posts

Posted - 20/04/2012 :  11:31:51  Show Profile  Visit Mamma's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Aztec2

the heat pad i bought has no dial to set temps but they do not get very hot either. Many of them have set temps and do not get hotter. Many people here in South Africa just place them in there tanks with no covering over it and have no issues. i have placed carpet over my heat pad and through out my whole cage to. I have followed my set-up like majority of the others here and they have no problems. My second corn is in exactly the same set-up and i have had no issues with her either. she feeds well etc. It is just this specific corn of mine that has unusual behaviour and feeding habits.



it might not seem hot to you but your body temperature is hotter than a cornsnake needs. Get a thermostat. If you dont you risk your snake receiving horrific burns. You just have to google images of snakes that have been in rubs/vivs that have been too hot. Some of the pictures you get out there are horrific.



Please feel free to add my photography page on facebook .... or check me out on deviantart :
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MaliskaRodgersPhotography/
http://maliskarodgers.deviantart.com/
Go to Top of Page

Georgina
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
2382 Posts

Posted - 20/04/2012 :  11:39:17  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Our advise is to properly control the heat in your set up, and we do this by using a stat. We cannot offer any more advise until your set up correct.

1.0 western hognose (hero)
1.0 phantom reverse pin dal brindle crested gecko (goyle)
0.2 red dal red harly (sprite) 99% full pin Harley crested gecko (TuLong)
0.0.3 miomantis paykullii
0.0.3 Bombina orientalis (oriental fire bellied toad)
0.3 fancy mice (snap, crackle and pop)
1.0 yorkshire terrier (jasper)
2.1 cats (echo, shadow and pokey)
Go to Top of Page

tordyjo
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
2036 Posts

Posted - 20/04/2012 :  11:41:54  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
another thread showing how hot a mat can get without a thermostat http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9675&SearchTerms=heatmat,fire


LillyCrystalHarry
1.2.0 corns, 1.1.0 cats tropical guppies who continually breed

Go to Top of Page

Aztec2
Snake Mite

South Africa
4 Posts

Posted - 20/04/2012 :  13:09:58  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
All advice has been noted and changes have been made accordingly. I would have to look at importing a heat pad with a stat as their is nothing like that really available here. For now can i probably put my heat pad on a timer saying 2hours on 1 hour off. as i am heading into winter now.
Go to Top of Page

smart bunny
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
5091 Posts

Posted - 20/04/2012 :  14:18:23  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Stats are sold separately to the heat mat, you just plug the mat into the stat. Try seeing if you can get a habistat thermostat where you are, this is what we would recommend if you were over here: http://www.surreypetsupplies.co.uk/habistat-mat-stat-thermostat-100w.html There is no need to cover over the mat - as long as it is not too hot it is perfectly safe for the snake to lay directly on it.

Go to Top of Page
  Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  
 New Topic  Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Jump To:
The Corn Snake Forum © 2000-11 thecornsnake.co.uk Go To Top Of Page
Snitz Forums 2000