What do you feed your snake?

Question

I have a Californian Kingsnake. It is about 7-10 months old. It has always been a great feeder, and I am currently feeding it large pinkies from Rodentpro.com. It can easily eat as many as four, twice a week.

How many pinkies do you think a snake of this age should be eating? What has your experience been with this or similar snakes (milk, corn etc)?

I only said it CAN eat as many as four pinkies in one session, not that I always feed it that.

I also said LARGE pinkies from Rodentpro. The largest of these requires much effort for the snake to get it in his mouth and swallow. There is simply no way the snake is big enough to eat an adult mouse as someone suggested. I doubt it could even manage a fuzzy at this age and size.

As for shedding, it sheds perfectly, in one long piece.

Answer 1

You should be able to feed him three or four pinkies once a week. Snakes are slow metabolizers and feeding once a week at 7 months of age is adequate. My corn snake that I had years ago ate three pinkies and then graduated to 2 fuzzies when he was about a year old.

Answer 2

A 7-10 month old snake should be on fuzzies. I would feed one appropriately sized food item once a week at this age. My yearlings are taking large hoppers/small weanling mice. I would definitely get him off pinkies as there is little nutritional value to them. Once on fuzzies it shouldn't be long until he's on to hoppers.

Answer 3

You are feeding it way to much! Snakes will eat what is available to them unless they are so full they can't take anymore. Feeding your snake to much will make it grow to fast and them you'll have all kinds of bone problems. I fed my cornsnake 1-2 pinkes a week at that age during the summer, hardly anything in the winter. Watch for obvious signs of hunger before feeding. Lots of movement, looking around searching (not looking to escape) there is a difference. Make sure it is shedding well. It should shed in one long piece. Bits and pieces can often mean its unhealthy. Snakes typically shouldn't be fed more than once a week. I have worked for several zoos and we never fed snakes more than once a week, every other week is much more common. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Well how big is the snake? you should probably put him on fuzzies, they should only eat 1 a week maybe 2 at the most, so he probably should be able to eat a full grown, but you should slowly work him up to it. I'm a breeder

Answer 5

When a snake grows, you increase the SIZE of the prey, not the QUANTITY of the prey. A snake that size should be eating ONE adult mouse once every 7-10 days. You should feed a prey item that is as wide as the widest part of your snake's stomach, and no wider. And one prey item per 7-10 days is sufficient, you are feeding too often, and you are feeding too many little meals when he needs one big meal.

Answer 6

Feed it mice depending on how big it is.

Answer 7

freeze-dried rats