am i under feeding my snake?

Question

when i first got my corn snake he was eating 2 pinkies a week, now he's bigger and feeding on fuzzies i have started to feed him every other week. is this ok?
any one know where animallovinggirlie is? not seen her on here for a while..

re: animallovinggirlie
don't worry, it's just that seem to know lot about corn snakes :-)

re monkienutz
he's between 20-22 inches long
i've had him about 4 months

Answer 1

When my babies are off pinkies I got to once a week feedings until they are adults. Then they go to every 2 weeks or so. Breeding females and females that have just layed eggs are placed on a weekly schedule until they've recovered but then go back to every 2. A fuzzy every 2 weeks for a young snake is just barely a maintenance feeding. It will be alive, but it probably won't grow much due to the fairly low nutritional value of a fuzzy.

Answer 2

Most experts recommend the "Munson Plan". You can find this and other excellent advice from the pros at www.cornsnake.com --it's a forum and can help with all your cornsnake questions...stop in and introduce yourself! :)

The Munson Plan (Sample Feeding Chart)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-When they're on single pinks (2-3g), I feed every 4-5 days. (Snake = 4-15g)
-Double pinks (3g x 2) every 4-5 days. (Snake = 16-23g)
-Small fuzzies (5-7g) every 5-6 days. (Snake = 24-30g)
-Regular fuzzies (7-9g) every 5-6 days (Snake = 30-50g)
-Hoppers (9-12g) every 5-6 days (Snake = 51-90g)
-Weaned (14-20g) every 7 days (Snake = 91-170g)
-Adult (24-30g) every 7-x days (Snake = 170+)
-Jumbo Adults (40-50g) every 7-x days (Snake = 400g+)

Note: Adult females are fed more frequently than adult males (especially following brumation). Females are fed every 6-8 days; males are fed every 7-14 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. I'm very consistent in my feedings. Some people feed every Saturday, for example. If they get a refusal, the snake has to wait for the next Saturday to get another shot. I don't do this. If a snake refuses today, he'll get another shot in two days.

Answer 3

maximum ball pythons interior the puppy commerce are imported from Africa. In Africa, they do no longer consume mice; they consume gerbils and different small mammals that scent no longer something like the mice and rats we purchase to feed carnivorous reptiles. they only do no longer understand mice as being foodstuff. they're crated up and shipped off international huge, the hatchlings sent off formerly they have even had a meal. They get dumped into puppy shops who comprehend little approximately them and could cheerfully sell them asserting "whats up, that's a great eater!" whilst in reality the animal has in no way eaten. Of late there additionally seems a worrying tendency for some reptile breeders to purchase imported balls and bypass them off as captive bred...the two that or they're doing a awful job quarantining new inventory as i've got been seeing countless "captive bred" balls who're loaded with ticks. Compound this with the reality that the animals are under pressure and heavily parasitized and dehydrated, and you have an animal that could perhaps die except it gets into the palms of somebody who's time-honored with what is going on. Feeding Ball pythons could properly be fed solely mice or small to medium sized rats (as suited to the size of the snake), and purely must be fed a week or 2. youthful snakes must be fed fuzzy mice each and every 5-7 days, older snakes must be fed a becoming style of greater desirable prey and could pass somewhat longer (i.e. 10 - 14 days). Use pre-killed prey as stay mice can injure a snake - dangling the prey in front of the snake with forceps frequently gets the snake involved.

Answer 4

In the warmer weather they move about more, use more energy and so have to eat more. I know when my snakes are hungry as they come out looking for food.

If your snake is spending a lot of time out in the open, as if he is looking for food, feed him more often.

How big is your corn snake?

Answer 5

Probably it is fine, if it is constantly searching the cage, or trying to escape, it may be hungry and looking for more food. If it isn't, odds are it is fine. I usually feed mine on a weekly schedule though, every other week is fine as long as the snake is staying healthy, not losing weight.

Answer 6

I am guessing this snake is a hatchling from last year. You can easily feed him/her 1-2 fuzzies every 5-7 days. You are not necessarily under feeding him, but he could easily eat more.

Answer 7

O.O

*gets worried at seeing her name mentioned*

i would still continue to feed your snake every 7-9 days for now. i personally would only consider feeding him every 10 - 14 days when he is on something as big as a medium to large mouse.
only start to slow down your snakes feeding when he is near grown, as until then he needs the nurishment to continue growing, only slow down his feeds once he is at a size where his body growth is almost stationary, im not telling you to power feed, far from it, i wouldnt feed a snake more than once a week, as power feeding turns them obese and as well as that can reduce their lifespan significantly.

he isnt being underfed, but at the same time, he could eat more without there being any health hazards. its your decision at the end of the day :) you could carry on as you are, or alter back it wouldnt harm the animal either way.

Answer 8

You are just fine. Every two weeks is what I prefer to feed, personally.

And snakes are not gross! Constrictor snakes under 8 feet long are one of the safest, cleanest pets on EARTH!!

Answer 9

Is he is looking at you hungrily when you open his cage... if he is, you better feed him more! :)

Answer 10

good luck!