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How can I tell if my new corn snake is happy?

I just got a new snake, it wont eat, but I dont know if thats becuase its not happy, or becuase its just not hungry. How do I know if it is comfortable in its new enviorment?

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  1. Temps should be about 86F on the warm side and 78F on the cool side. It's okay if it's not exactly those, but should never exceed 90F or be less than 72F. There needs to be a temperature gradient, meaning you have a range of temps in the cage. This is because snakes require different temperatures for different metabolic activities like digesting. Your corn needs at least one hide on each side (warm and cool) of its cage. A hide is anything the snake can crawl into or under, ranging from shop-bought hides to margarine tubs with a hole cut in them. Move the water bowl onto the cool side to avoid too much humidity building up. Your substrate should allow the snake to burrow and hide away. It shouldn't be made of pine or cedar as these are toxic to snakes. If you have plenty of hiding spaces - smaller the better, they like to squeeze themselves into little spaces to feel secure - and the correct temps and humidity, all you need to do is sit back, relax and allow your corn to get used to its new home. Don't bother it at all for the next week except to change its water and remove any poos you see. It just needs time to adjust, don't worry.
  2. If this is a recently aquired snake, it might take a week or so of being left alone for it to become accustomed to it's new home. You haven't said how you're feeding it, what your feeding it or where. If your new snake is too scared to eat in a seperate container, you might consider taking out the substrate and feeding in the enclosure. You can take a pinky, place it by the hide that your snake is in at dusk and then leave it alone. Most of the time, when they feel secure enough, they will take it. Usually you won't need to do this more than half a dozen feedings. After that, you can feed in a dark box. Make sure your frozen thawed pinky is very warm. Live prey is usually 100-101 degees of body temperature. Sometimes washing with a mild soap and then rinsing well in hot water will remove most of the mouse smell and it will eat that. It's possible that your snake is due to shed. Many will not eat a week or two before they shed, although some will. You also don't say where you got the snake from, or how old it is. If it's from a petstore, there's a possibility that it had never taken a meal before it was sold off. Part of the reason it's best to get established eaters from breeders. If you've only tried frozen/thawed, you might try a live pinky to see if it will take that. I've had a few babies from clutches that for a while, would only take live. Hope you can get your little one to eat.
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