Corn Snake Hatchling Care

Once all the eggs have hatched the noenates are housed separately in ventilated plastic lunchboxes with kitchen roll as substrate, a small hide and a small stable water bottle. This is placed half on and half off the heatmat to allow the hatchlings to thermoregulate.

Once they have shed for the first time a small pinkie mouse can be offered every 5-7 days. Start by putting the food where the snake will come across it such as the entrance to the hide. Try not to disturb the snake too much and feed at dusk which is the snakes natural feeding time. Many will take it first time, but for the others more cunning tactics may be required. Try not to transfer your own scent to the mouse and dangle it in front of the snake. If moved slightly or slowly pulled away often the snake will strike at it and take it. If that fails, try putting the snake and the food item in a small delicup over night where it feels secure and can easily find the food. Sometimes puncturing the skull of the mouse to release the smell of brains helps, but it is not a very pleasant thing to do!

If, after trying everything else, the snake still refuses to eat, hold the snakes head firmly in one hand and open it's mouth with the mouse's nose and place the mouse in it's mouth. Do not force it down it's throat. Sometimes it will suddenly realise what to do and eat it. Others flatly refuse to eat and in this case, expert advice should be sought.