Baby Eastern Milksnake will not eat
 

I am currently watching my friend's WC eastern milksnake. It is a small thing, no bigger than a pencil and just as thick. We had found it in our lab box at work when we were getting ready to call it a day. She had it eating pinky heads. She is away for 3 weeks and I have had it for 1 week and I cannot get the little bugger to eat. I have tried braining the pinky, putting it in a paper bag with the pinky head and leaving it over night like that. Nothing. Any suggestions on how to get it to eat? I don't want her freaking out that it's not eating. I know it shouldn't be a problem, but I want her to feel more comfortable knowing it's eating for me.

suggestions? Anyone? What else can I try besides offering parts, braining, putting in a bag? Is there anything else I can try to offer?

Jessica, those are hard to get on pinkies as it is. Do you know how often it was feeding for your friend? Was it weekly, or every two weeks? It may not be ready to feed again yet.

As long as it is not losing any body weight and you are keeping water in with it so it doesn't get dehydrated, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Sometimes just changing cages or environment will set a baby snake back a bit to feed. Do you have it set up the same way your friend did?

Also, was the snake feeding on pinkie heads by itself, or was your friend assist-feeding it by first getting the pinkie head in the snake's mouth to start it? I'm working on some hatchling red milks the same way now, except it is with mouse tails. They will not take them by themselves, but once in the mouth they will go ahead and eat them.

I wouldn't worry too much about the snake unless it starts losing body weight. Another couple weeks and your friend will be back. Just make sure it knows where the water bowl is.

Scott

She had it feeding on pinky heads every 4 days and then she would leave the body in the tank and it would eat it later. She would tease it with the tongs for awhile before the snake would take it. I had it in it's original set up for the first week, but it's such a cramped set up that I moved it into one of my habitutes to give it more room. It's not losing body weight and is quite active. I figured that the move would probably set it off feed, I just don't want her worrying that it's not eating. She'll be back on the 7th. Hopefully it should be fine until then.