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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
 Posted - 02/06/2009 : 21:43:14
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6 weeks ago bought 4 and a half year old male corn snake. Was told he was healthy, had recently shed and fed a couple of days before. Came in vivarium with hide and plastic plants.
Since then have tried feeding him on defrosted mice but wont feed, doesnt even show any interest.
Got advice from reptile shop that his behaviour showed he was horny as very active and trying to get out of vivarium. Calmed down after couple of weeks but still didnt feed.
Went very quiet, stayed in hide a lot of time then went 'blue' and shed 3 days later. Healthy shed.
Still not showing any interest in food. He is just under 4 feet long. Didnt weigh him to begin with, but did a couple of days ago. He weighs 672g. Seems happy in viv, relaxed when you change water and straighten substrate (even drank while my hand was right by water bowl). Ok being handled, likes roaming around floor.
Has excreted runny yellow 3 times while out of viv.
Seems happy and settled just not interested in food. Hasnt eaten for 6 weeks now.
Any ideas, can anyone help? |
  
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74 Posts |
Posted - 02/06/2009 : 22:02:25
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| Hi Kellog, its breeding season, that could be one of the reasons. Another reason is that you could be feeding him something else, are you feeding him what he was fed by his previous owner do you know?? He might be used to mice or rats, i would advise you to try & feed him on mice, as they have all the vitamins in them that a snake needs, when he starts eating from you, for a treat you could give him a rat for a change. Corn snakes can go without food for around about a year, its nothing to worry about, just if you see a change in your snake, like weight loss, i would advise you to go & see a vet, or if you are just worried about him, pop him to the vets to get him checked out. But i wouldnt worry about it, start worrying after a year when he still hasnt taken food from you. Hope this has helped, i dont know alot about corns, but i know the odd stuff, if you would like to know anything else, just do another post, im sure me or other members of the snake forum could help you. :) Thanks :) |
0.0.1 Snow Corn- Xavier |
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74 Posts |
Posted - 02/06/2009 : 22:10:05
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| Also Kellog, it might be a good idea if you post some pictures of your viv setup & pictures of your snake. Have you checked the tempreture of your viv, have you got a hot & cold area in your viv, have you checked simple things like is you heat mat working properly?? Post some pictures, it might help a little bit :) |
0.0.1 Snow Corn- Xavier |
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 02/06/2009 : 22:14:25
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heya and welcome 
like Quib said his set-up might be putting him off his food, what are your temps like? (hot and cold end) how are you heating the viv?
he sounds happy enough, it's just coming to the end of the breeding season really, do you have any other snakes? particularly female corns? 627g is a pretty healthy weight for a male, my adult male weighs 675-750g depending on the time of year, and my OAP corn is a hefty 1300g, far too porky!!! |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2009 : 03:27:38
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Thanks Quib and Gingerpony, your replies are reassuring. He is in the viv he came in which he has been in a while. Has hot and cold end, have increased heat as was around 75 hot end and have upped it to nearer 85. Have offered him same mice previous owner used. Tried to do exactly what previous owner did.
No other snakes, this is our first experience - just our luck that this not eating came at the same time we bought him.
We handle him fairly often as he seems to be more interested in coming out and being handled than eating but wondering if I should stop this until he eats? When I had him out yesterday he did a strange juddering motion when I stroked him occassionally, not all the time - maybe tied in with mating I guess?
Thing I am most worried about is this yellow runny excretion he has done on my carpet - looks like uncooked scrambled eggs.
Am not very computer aware - how do I post pics of him??
Thanks again.
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2009 : 10:48:12
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| Bit of extra info, when I changed his water and tidied his viv this morning all he wanted was to come out, was a real difficult job stopping him from sliding up onto me. Have read that I shouldn't handle him if he isn't eating, but he seems to want to come out and be handled. Any opinions? |
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2009 : 20:59:15
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i've started using *C so i don't know what 85*F is, lol. ideally the warm end should be about 29-30*C, with the temperature in the warm end measured on top of the subsrate in or next to the warm hide. he should have a hide at each end (one in the middle wouild be great but isn't essential) so he can thermoregulate and remain feeling safe/hidden.
how are you heating the viv and measuring the temperature?
i would definitely not handle him until he's feeding again, but keep monitoring his weight weekly or fortnightly. while he's not losing weighthe should be fine and they can keep their weight on despite not eating for quite a while.
how are you heating the mouse? is it definitely thawed through and heated well before offering it to him? have you tried leaving it in his viv over-night? |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2009 : 21:00:51
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BTW his poo sounds about normal (as best i can tell without a pic of it!!)
and have a read of this re. posting pics http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14
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cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2009 : 20:24:34
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Thanks for advice re: pictures. Looked it up but looks very complex and am careful about giving out my info. All photos I have show a beautiful healthy cornsnake.
Will weigh him again on Monday and post it so you can tell me if he is still an ok weight or is loosing too much.
How do you know when is right to try feeding him again? Previous owner used to dangle mouse so he could strike at it, I know other owners just leave the mouse in.
Have stopped handling him as suggested and am really missing it. Every time I change his water and tidy his viv he tries to wrap himself around my hand and climb out!
I guess it is now just a matter of time....but will be so much happier when he eats!!!!!!!! |
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2009 : 20:59:27
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quote:
Originally posted by Kellog
Have stopped handling him as suggested and am really missing it.
good on you, i must admit it's easier when you have several snakes so you can just get a different one out to play. 
i'd try him with a mouse every 5 days ish, more frequently than this and the constant feeding attempts could stress him more, making him less inclined to eat.
do you have a spare tub with a lid that you could feed him in? if you have put him in the tub with the warm mouse, make sure he can't get out, put a towel over the tub so he's got some privacy and leave him completely undisturbed for 10 mins. one of mine is a shy feeder and that works for her.
alternatively you could try feeding in the viv as it's somewhere he feels safe. trying wiggling the mouse and leaving it still, each method can be effective depending on the individual snake. have you tried leaving it in the viv overnight? |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 09/06/2009 : 09:09:39
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| Hi. Weighed Kellog yesterday and he had put on 2grams in a week - assume that is water intake. Its a relief to know he is not losing weight. Seems much calmer so will try to feed tonight. For photos of him check out the Facebook site, just added some. He is a real beauty - but then I am a biased owner! |
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 15/06/2009 : 18:26:39
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Update on Kellog - nervous owner still needing reassurance!!! ;-)
Weighed 1st June 2009 - 672g
8th June 2009 - 674g
15th June 2009 - 660g, so he has lost a bit this week, should I be concerned?
Have tried feeding him every 5 days but still takes no interest, not when mouse is dangled nor when it is left in overnight.
He seems very calm in the viv although he continues to try to get out, sliding up and down sides of glass door and especially where glass doors meet. Will try and slip past me (unsuccessfully) when I change his water etc. When I stroke him sometimes he gives a juddering motion, which I wonder whether it is connected to mating but am not sure. Was calm enough and happy to be handled when I got him out this morning to weigh him, wrapped himself around me. Hated putting him back without a proper handle. Will he become less handlable if we continue not to handle him while he is not eating? Is churning up sawdust a lot, making tunnels etc.
Last ate 13th April with previous owner - NEED HIM TO EAT!!
Is everything ok, do we just continue to wait, weigh and offer mouse every 5 days? Please reassure me!!!!!!!!! |
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 15/06/2009 : 18:33:16
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it's not a drastic weight-drop, i still wouldn't be overly concerned yet.
did you try putting him in a small tub with a hot mouse, covering him up and leaving him undisturbed for a while? you could probably try leavig him there for up to an hour off heat but i personally wouldn't want to do it for any longer than that.if you can put the tub half over the heatmat in the viv you could leave him overnight which might prove successful
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cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 19/06/2009 : 22:13:36
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| Still no change in Kellog, am trying to feed him tomorrow and will weigh on Monday. New query - am concerned about his nose rubbing. He goes up and down glass, especially in middle where two sliding glass doors meet. Have covered exposed edge with a plastic paper binder so he is not rubbing against glass and cant try to squeeze between glass doors. Hasnt stopped him from rubbing his nose up aand down, assuming he is trying to get out..? Think he might have rucked up a scale on his nose but not sure, cant see clear enough. Advice please??? |
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SexyBear77
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3796 Posts |
Posted - 20/06/2009 : 19:04:43
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| My male rubs on the glass ALL the time when he is awake- I have always just assumed he is attempting an escape! He has been doing it more since his new girlfriend turned up next door, and he has rubbed his nose till it gets sore sometimes. He's just a nosy bugger. Just make sure that he cant push the doors open at all- Casper has figured out that if he pushes to the side for hours and hours he can squeeze his head out, and then he goes for a jolly. |
9.11 Cornsnakes
1.1 Hogg island boas
1.0 Dwarf Burmese python
Location: Watford
Website- http://rassnakes.yolasite.com/ |
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 21/06/2009 : 20:46:15
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Thanks SexyBear77! Nice to know it is normal enough behaviour for Kellog to be doing this, just worry about his poor nose! Have found the plastic paper binder has stopped him even attempting to squeeze between glass and must also be softer on his nose than the glass edge.
Have noticed a few scales slightly peeling up, amost looks more like splinters of scales. Is this anything to worry about?
Tried to feed him again yesterday but no luck. Even brained mouse (actually husband did) but no blood or anything to smear around and the smell didnt make any difference to his reaction - totally ignored it. When it is left in he almost seems to slide over it and squash it as much as possible in disgust! It was a very flat mouse that I took out this morning! But it has been 8 and a half weeks since we have had him and 10 weeks since he has eaten. NEED HIM TO EAT!!
Am weighing him tomorrow and will post weight. |
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 22/06/2009 : 09:40:57
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Just weighed Kellog.
1st June - 672g
8th June - 674g
15th June - 660g
today - 655g
means a total loss since we started weighing him of 17g but only a loss of 5g over this past week.
Any comments?????? |
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Brookestar
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
2361 Posts |
Posted - 22/06/2009 : 09:44:15
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| i woudlnt worry too much kellog. 655g is a healthy weight. but if his wait keeps declining then maybe try rats? higher in fat so would boost his weight. but for now dont worry mate |
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 22/06/2009 : 19:28:12
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| Thanks Brookestar. I know I am probably fussing but as a new owner of a snake that hasn't eaten since we got it is a bit worrying! Offering him large mice (which the previous owner had recently moved him up to from middle sized mice), but problem is he doesnt even show any interest, so not sure offering something different would help. He is a lot calmer now, just seems to want to come out. Lies with his head resting against glass door waiting for me to open it - and I so much want to open it and handle him! When he looks at you with those gorgeous eyes....... |
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 23/06/2009 : 09:36:25
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| Have tidied viv this morning and cheated slightly, as I have done a few times, by taking Kellog out for a ride on me while I changed his water bowl. He got totally tangled in my hair! But thats not reason for post. Have noticed this before when I was handling him regularly, but seems more noticeable now that I've stopped handling him til he's eaten. When I stroke him he seems to judder, not all the time but on occassion as I stroke him he arches his body against my hand and it is almost like the movement of an orgasm (sorry, best way to explain it!). He definitely doesnt want to go back to viv and then spends lot of time resting his head against corner of glass door where I open it - as mentioned in last post. But he is still not eating and his weight is ok according to everyone. What is going on??/ |
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 24/06/2009 : 20:45:24
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| Finally managed to post photos of Kellog! Look in Corn snake photos and say hello! |
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new snake not feeding
