corn snake feeding questions

[HKzForDayz]

My baby corn has been eating 4 pinkies a week, 2 in each feeding with 2 feedings a week. I want to start feeding fuzzies, but she seems too small to eat fuzzys, But Im also new to snakes and Its crazy how much they can fit in themselves. Any suggestions? also , If I do switch to fuzzies, would it be okay to feed twice or week? or should I go to 1?

 

[Rukii]

Well what I did was feed my juvie corn snake one pinky twice a week. They really don't need more than that. When sizing a mouse for them to eat, make sure it's no bigger than 1 1/2 times the size of their head. My local feeder place always says 'You'd be surprised how much they can fit. Owners usually underestimate their snakes". But then again that doesn't mean you should overdo it of course. Just pick something a tiny bit bigger than the biggest part of their body. If the food makes no lump in their stomach, it was too small. Make sure their food leave a small but noticeable lump. Also, you could still feed your snake twice a week with fuzzies. When they become adults, people usually switch to one feeding per week. The size and amount you feed a snake depends on their size and girth and all. Corns are generally pretty small, so 2 fuzzies a week should fill them up adequately until adulthood. Once they become adults, you could probably feed them 2 mice, but it's not necessary.

 

[HKzForDayz]

Im trying to get him as big as possible

 

[Rukii]

Don't worry, he'll grow. Don't overfeed him just for the purpose of getting him to grow fast though. They would be ok with one feeding per week, but feeding them twice a week ensures proper and fast growth. So just twice a week will be fine, and will let him grow at proper rates.

 

[Floof]

Sorry, but it appears there's some misinformation here.

You shouldn't feed your snake twice a week (meaning 7 days, making your regiment every 3-4 days?). It's too much, and doesn't give them a chance to digest and defecate before you put more food into their system. At the most, you should feed every 5-7 days. Every 5-7 days works fine for hatchlings who are eating pinkies. When they get big enough for fuzzies, you should move to every 7 days... And so on, until they reach adulthood, when they should be taking one adult mouse every 10-14 days.

My favorite guideline (it's just a guideline, not a strict regiment by any means) for corn feeding is the "Munson Plan." Here it is--direct copy and paste from the original thread on the CornSnakes.Com forum:

"The Munson Plan (Sample Feeding Chart)
-When they're on single pinks (2-3g), I feed every 5-6 days. (Snake = 4-15g)
-Double pinks (3g x 2) every 5-6 days. (Snake = 16-23g)
-Small fuzzies (5-7g) every 6-7 days. (Snake = 24-30g)
-Regular fuzzies (7-9g) every 6-7 days (Snake = 30-50g)
-Hoppers (9-12g) every 6-7 days (Snake = 51-90g)
-Weaned (14-20g) every 7 days (Snake = 91-170g)
-Adult (20-30g) every 7-x days (Snake = 170+) See below.

Note: Adult females are fed more frequently than adult males (especially following brumation). Adult females are fed every 7-12 days; adult males are fed every 11-14 days.

This is by no means scientific, and not all corns will cooperate 100% with the schedule. The weight ranges I gave for the prey and snakes are approximate."

A link to the original thread: http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50106&highlight=Munson+Plan
And a link to the Corn Snake forum itself, a great and (IMO) necessary resource for any corn keeper... The BD.Org of Corns, if you will: http://www.cornsnakes.com/

Really, it sounds like you both need to seriously rethink your corns' feeding regiments.

As for the OP--if you wanted a bigger snake, you should've gone with a ball python... Your corn will get however big it will get, regardless of how much or little you feed it. If it's going to be small, all feeding it more will do is make it fat (aka unhealthy). If it's going to be big, all feeding less will do is make it grow slower (which MANY experienced keepers would say is actually healthier, so win-win there).

I hope this is of help... To both of you, actually.

 

[irishone70]

Thanks Taylor! I just went to the reptile show today and left with my first corn snake, named Stifler's Mom ( I have another pet named Finch- think American Pie! ) and I am still new to snakes. I appreciate the info and agree with you. What I've read so far says only one a week for new hatchlings; two is TOO many.

Kelli

 

[Floof]

I'm so glad my post was of help to you, Kelli!!! And CONGRATS on your first corn! You'll enjoy her!

 

[irishone70]

I already am enjoying the hell out of her! How long do their lights need to be on? Is it around the same as my beardie??

 

[Floof]

I already am enjoying the hell out of her! How long do their lights need to be on? Is it around the same as my beardie??

Well, wait, have you given her a week to settle in yet? Handling her too soon will stress her out and may cause her to go off feed. The best thing you can do for a new snake is give it a week to acclimate to its new home, no handling, no feeding, nothing. Don't even open the tank except to change water and spot clean as necessary.

I don't believe in the use of heat lights for my temperate climate snakes, including corn snakes and most other colubrids. They're too drying, the light stresses the snake out, and they're not worth the hassle when a thermostatically controlled heat pad ("set it and forget it") does the job even better. A good heat pad (my favorites are Ultratherm UTHs, sold by The Bean Farm [beanfarm.com]) controlled by a good thermostat (my favorite is Herpstat, but Alife works if you're on a strict budget; both are also sold by The Bean Farm) beats a heat lamp any day when it comes to temperate and/or terrestrial snakes like your Corn. Just one caveat: NEVER use a heat pad without a thermostat. They can exceed 140F alone--more than enough to kill your snake. Of course, so can a heat lamp if the wattage is too high or the room gets too warm while it's on.

That said, in the meantime or if you insist on sticking with a heat lamp (or otherwise choose to have a display light), your beardie's light cycle (12-14 on?) should work fine.

Have you done any reading at CornSnakes.com? It's a great site, sort of the "BD.org" of Corn Snakes. You can find pretty much all you need to know about taking care of corn snakes with the search function or directing questions to the great, knowledgeable members of the forum. Really, IMO, the CornSnakes.com forum is a "must read" for every new corn snake owner, even if you never go back to the site again after doing your research.

 

[irishone70]

Yes, I did join corn snakes site and it is awesome. They are definitely comparable to this site. I took the lights back to the store and got her a hideaway and a little plant for her tank. We do handle her some, but have slowed down dramatically. I am finding that snakes, much like BD's, are very much like raising a child. Everyone seems to have their own opinions and own ways, but you will hear different stuff everywhere you go. Even there, some say not to handle for a week, some say it is fine. Ultimately, I am doing what I feel is right for us. But the lights have gone since I received some obviously bad info originally. We are going to go get her some frozens so I can have them on hand. I am not going to feed her though until I talk to the person I got her from, since I don't know when she last ate. Thanks for all the info and the site hookup. =)


Kelli

 

[Floof]

Everyone has their opinion, and I'm one to err on the side of caution. Some snakes are easily stressed, especially hatchlings, who, of course, are natural prey items. Stressed snakes don't eat, or end up with digestive upset, sometimes resulting in regurge, other times resulting in more subtle side affects. In my honest opinion, a week without handling is worth the benefit of a more readily feeding snake who isn't suffering from excess stress. What you decide to do is up to you, though, and I hope yours is one of those that is relaxed enough to acclimate despite handling. (I know my first corn wasn't... It took a few weeks just for her to be able to eat with people in the room!)