Trying to solve my fasting corn mystery

[Snipes]

Ok, i got it late October, it ate once in early November. It is a little over a foot long. I have been told that it probably is doing a winter fast. I was wondering what might have made it think that? The house is not very cold, but for quite a while i had it in front of the window and it probably noticed the short day cycle and long night cycle, and i was wondering if that was what sent it into a winter phase. I put it into my room where it was warmer so it might eat, but it hasnt. I have brained, served warm, served cold (f/t) sauteed in tuna water and chicken broth. It does not look sickly. It can be quite active, flicking its tongue and moving nicely. I have seen it drink water occasionally. Its color is bright and there does not seem to be any sort of evidence of a RI. I took some pics a few weeks ago of what i believe to be some poo in the water and i dunno if they are healthy or not.

Does the poo look healthy? Should i put it by the window again so it can see when the days become longer?

 

[Kid Dragon]

Not sure about the snake poo, its really hard to tell from the picture. You can try heating the enclosure with a heat lamp and if your baby corn still won't eat you can force feed it.

Cut the head off of a pinkie mouse. Hold the corn snake behind the head. Push the head of the pinkie firmly between the upper and lower mandibles of the snake. When the snake opens its mouth, slowly push the pinkie head down its throat. You can use the eraser end of a pencil to GENTLY push the pinkie head into the snakes gullet. BE CAREFUL TO GO SLOWLY NOT TO RUPTURE THE ESOPAGOUS. Hold the snake's mouth closed until it shallow the pinkie head. You might have to do this every third day for a few weeks. If your snake stays strong, it will eventually eat on its own. Be sure the enclosure has a heat lamp to provide an area 80 degrees to assist digestion.

 

[Snipes]

I heard of doing force feeding with pinkie tails, might that be slightly easier than heads? But then again, heads would be more nutricious. Anyways, thanks for the input on how to do it if i need to. For right now it still looks pretty healthy by my eye, so thats a last resort for me, i dont want to do more harm then good.

 

[Snipes]

does anyone have any opinions about the poo or the window?

 

[Schlyne]

Poop in the water isn't going to help us much. No way to tell how runny it was before it went into the water, etc.

What are your cage temperatures?

 

[Snipes]

70 on one end, 85 on the other. I have a heat pad under one side.

 

[boidaddic]

Force feeding should always be a last resort. I have a trick that i do with picky eaters and it seems to work almost everytime. Get a paper lunch bag and put the snake and a warm or live pinky in the bag with it. Leave the snake and pinky in the bag overnight and check it at about noon the next day. This might work it has been quite succesful with pickey corns. Btw dont forget to staple or tape the bag shut
Eric Weintraub

 

[Snipes]

I would like to try live pinkies but petco doesnt sell em and they t pretty much the only place in my area. Getting a male and a female and breeding them would not work til summer.

 

[boidaddic]

i'd still try it with a f/t pinky for some reason alot of them will start eating with this technique.
Eric Weintraub

 

[Schlyne]

I would try bumping up the overall temperatures of your setup about 5 degrees.

While 70 isn't going to hurt your cornsnake, it's not going to be very hungry at that temp.

 

[Snipes]

Im sorry to report that I found it dead this morning. It just wouldnt eat. Sigh, its so sad. I want to get another one now.