How do you use a pinky pump to feed reptile?

Another way to get a baby snake to eat a pinky is to scent the pinky (or a half pinky) with lizard. First, wash the pinky with dishwashing detergent, and rinse it very well, then dry it off. If you need to half the pinky, do that next.

Then, grind up some lizard or skin part of it, and wipe the pinky with the lizard scent, especially around the head, which is usually the first part consumed. This might entice your corn snake to eat. As a last resort, you can be shown how to use a pinky pump to force-feed your snake, but this should be performed initially by your herp vet, who can then show you how to do it should that be necessary.

I would only recommend this as a last resort, when all other methods have been exhausted. Force feeding a hatchling snake can be dangerous and can even prove fatal to a baby snake. Because it is a natural instinct for a baby snake to want to eat, given the correct conditions and prey animal, it is best to find out a way to get your little guy to eat on his own.

Make sure you are keeping him warm enough, resist the temptation to handle him until he is eating well, and try some of these suggestions. You should have your little guy eating in no time!