Newbie Snake Owner - Feeding Questions

[ashesc212]

Hello - When I bought Weaver home from the reptile expo, I feed him a thawed pinkie mouse immediately. He gobbled it up and acted like he wanted more. He kept going over to the spot it was in and smelling it. I know most say to feed juveniles twice a week, but he seems so hungry. I decided to just feed him another two days later, and he gobbled it up really quickly like he had been starving. Again, he continuously went over to the spot the mouse was in like he was looking for another. I'm thinking about giving him another today, because it's been another 2 days. Is this safe or is there a reason why they are only supposed to get fed twice a week? ...or all they always ready to eat even though they aren't supposed to?

 

[PastorAaron]

Hey There,
I'd think about offering either multiple prey items or something a little bigger. Kings are garbage disposals...Just don't feed him so much that he regurgitates. Other than that you should be okay.
God Bless,
Aaron

 

[Stigma]

what kind of snake is it and how big is it?

 

[Dave94]

Snakes are opitusic ( sp?) feeders and will accept food even if they don't need it, because in the wild they won't find food every day or week so they eat alot because they might not see food for a few months.

 

[PastorAaron]

Snakes are opitusic ( sp?) feeders and will accept food even if they don't need it, because in the wild they won't find food every day or week so they eat alot because they might not see food for a few months.

Snakes are opportunistic as a rule, but if the animal is showing such definite signs of hunger I would suspect that feeding should be bumped up. If the animal is a neonate (baby) feeding a little more frequently like every 4 days isn't a detriment.
God Bless,
Aaron

 

[ashesc212]

Interesting, thanks for the help.

what kind of snake is it and how big is it?

It's a Cali King and it's about 14" long. I have some pics that I want to put up as soon as I get a chance...he's beautiful!

 

[Dave94]

Snakes are opitusic ( sp?) feeders and will accept food even if they don't need it, because in the wild they won't find food every day or week so they eat alot because they might not see food for a few months.

Snakes are opportunistic as a rule, but if the animal is showing such definite signs of hunger I would suspect that feeding should be bumped up. If the animal is a neonate (baby) feeding a little more frequently like every 4 days isn't a detriment.
God Bless,
Aaron

Overfeeding can cause "pin-head". I don't know if it happens in "exotics" but Aussies snakes especially The antaresia group can get it from overfeeding.

 

[supertrisha]

not to sound dumb, but what does the term "pin-head" describe?

 

[ashesc212]

not to sound dumb, but what does the term "pin-head" describe?

Yeah, I don't know either. The internet was not really helpful on this. Can someone let us know what this is?

 

[zimbabwepegasus]

Wow, Dave94!
I had to google that one!
I'm not sure if it's Aussie snake specific problem (certainly seems to be more of an issue over there, or at least with Aussie pythons) OR if it is Aussie snake lingo! Apparently pin-head syndrome is when a snake's head doesn't grow as fast as the rest of it's body. Leaving you a fat snake with a little head... it's actually kinda a funny mental image...

The two explanations I read stated:
1. the snake is overfed
2. the snake is fed prey items that are too small and has no need to grow its head.

Frankly, I don't think either of them make a lot of sense. Don't think it's an issue with a kingsnake. Feed prey right about the same size as the width of your kingsnake. I find that when feeding frozen/thawed, you can feed a little bit bigger.

At 14 inches, you can bump him up to large pinkies or small fuzzies almost definitely... Maybe even normal fuzzies depending on his width. I think of kingsnake's as being just a little heavier bodied than corns and both my corns were eating large pinks around 14 inches. As long as your temps are good shouldn't have any regurge issues.

 

[PastorAaron]

Hey Guys,
Pinhead is something that only really happens in boids and it's not so much a syndrome as it is a really fat snake with a normal sized head. If an eight foot Burmese python weighs 30 lbs it will look pretty normal, but if it has been pushed and weighs 50 lbs the head will seem much smaller...make sense? Never happens unless some "interesting" keeper (IE an *****ic money hungry person) power feeds the animal.
God Bless,
Aaron

 

[supertrisha]

Wow, Dave94!


The two explanations I read stated:
1. the snake is overfed
2. the snake is fed prey items that are too small and has no need to grow its head.

Thanks for the info... the worst feeling in the world is having an animal you're not too familiar with and someone comes and tells you it might have a problem.... lol thanks for the silly mental image. PastorAaron, thanks for the reassurance that it's not too common!

 

[Dave94]

Wow, Dave94!


The two explanations I read stated:
1. the snake is overfed
2. the snake is fed prey items that are too small and has no need to grow its head.

Thanks for the info... the worst feeling in the world is having an animal you're not too familiar with and someone comes and tells you it might have a problem.... lol thanks for the silly mental image. PastorAaron, thanks for the reassurance that it's not too common!

What? I never said anyones snake has a problem.. I said getting fed to much (ie power feeding, over feeding etc) it CAN get pinhead.. and The other members have told you what it means..