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Am I feeding large enough mice?

OzzysMom

OzzysMom

New member
I just adopted my cornsnake Ozzy one week ago. I have never owned a snake before, so I am usure if I am feeding Ozzy adequately.

I am feeding him weekly (I fed him one week previously at his old home) with one adult frozen mouse. But it is hard to see the bump in as little as 3-4 hours after he has eaten.

I do not know how much Ozzy weighs, or how to weigh him....... but he is around 44" long and is about 4" around in the middle.

If anyone can offer advise as to whether I need to feed him larger than adult mice, I would greatly appreciate it.

Also, how do weigh a snake?
 
If you have a scale that weights in grams it is the best..place an empty tupperware container that Ozzy will fit into..onto the scale and zero it out if it is a digital one.. if not you have to manually do it with a non digi one. Then place Ozzy into the tupperware container.. then get the weight in grams... or convert it... then follow this I can't remember the guys name who made the chart but I follow this like the bible and tell others too.


-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.
 
Well PAINs got it pretty much covered and it's called "The Munson Plan", which was devised by one of our moderators (Roy Munson) as a guide for feeding corns :)

I've got a big male that I feed defrosted/frozen adult mice to on a 7 to 14 day schedule, he doesn't have much of a lump the day after feeding, but he's not too happy taking jumbo mice. He weighs about 600g now and if I feed him too frequently he starts to get too fat and flabby, and as with humans fat and flabby is not good for their health.

If you can get a weight on him, the plan will give you a good guide to work with.

Good luck and best wishes,
 
Thanks!

Thank you both for your responses. I will go pick up a scale tomorrow and weigh Ozzy just before I feed him tomorrow evening.

I am very glad to have a forum like this to learn about being a good mom to my new family member Ozzy. He is a very cool snake.

Thanks again!
 
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