Feeding a captive snake is one of the more uncertain aspects of the hobby. The reason behind this is simple- it’s the only part of reptile keeping over which you, the keeper, do not have total control. It’s entirely up to you how your pets are housed, whether or not they’re clean, and where you obtained them, but if they don’t want to eat, you could have problems.
- Most corn snakes available in the hobby are captive-bred these days and the vast majority will accept food without fuss. But a few can be stubborn, refusing food until there’s almost nothing left of them.
- There are ways to persuade a reluctant hatching to start feeding- these will be discussed a bit later- but if everything fails and the snake simply refuses to eat, then help should be sought initially from the source from where the snake came from (pet shop or breeder) or else should be given veterinary attention or handed over to a zoo, where an expert can deal with them.
- Getting stuck with a corn snake that withers and dies because it won’t eat is a nightmarish experience, and in the end you will more than likely be permanently turned off from the whole snake keeping hobby. Don’t let this happen.
- Please note that reptiles do sometimes go through fasting periods and simply don’t want or need any food (this is especially common with larger, older specimens). As soon as you get a new corn snake, weigh it to establish a point of reference.
- Then, if the animal decides not to eat for a few weeks, weigh it again. If it hasn’t lost any weight, then perhaps the animal is fasting. If after another two weeks or so it still isn’t eating, then you might want to consider a vet visit.
- A bowl of fresh water for drinking must be available to the snake at all times. This means you have to get in the routine of changing the water every day. It should be placed at the cool end of the vivarium- away from the heat-mat.
If you are heading off on vacation, then you could leave your adult snake quite easily without food for two weeks or more- so your friendly neighbour is spared the task of feeding and cleaning up later- he will just need to change the snakes water for you. Hatchlings and growing snakes are different- they need regular feeding and should not be deprived of food more than necessary.
