Maintainance feeding v.s. 'regular' feeding (long)

[Cas]

Okay... I have 8 2002 corns that, for various reasons, I put on a 'maintainance diet' while they were still eating pinkies - instead of feeding every 5 to 7 days, I've been feeding them about every 1 and 1/2 to 2 weeks. Tonight they all got their first meal of 2 fuzzies at once (hopefully they'll all be on hoppers in a month or so). My 4 adult corns have also been on this schedual. Now that I have the time, I plan on going back to feeding every 7 days again. My corns are all in good condition, and my 2002 corns <i>are</i> growing, just slower than they would have on a weekly schedual.

Anyway.... tonight while I was cleaning and feeding, I really took a good look at my snakes and I noticed something......... my corns heads and necks seem much more in proportion to their body thickness than many of the pictures I've seen. I've noticed that a lot of corns (especially younger ones) tend to be "pin headed", with necks that taper a <i>lot</i> right after the head and then widen out again quite fast.
In contrast, my guys have a much more gentle taper behind their heads, and a smoother transition from their necks to their bodies. I guess you could say thay have more 'adult' corn proportions..... I think they actually look better, condition-wise, than many corns I've seen.....

So, I was thinking maybe the "every 5 days" feeding schedual may not actually be the ideal (at least as far as general condition at all times is concerened) unless the idea is to get to breeding age as fast as possible without sacrificing the general health of the animal. Maybe for more natural growth in the younger years, a more spaced out schedual might be the way to go.

Any thoughts? And, does anyone else have any corns raised on a slightly more spaced out diet? I'd be interested to know what their condition was/is like, and what adult size was reached....

Dawn

 

[CornCrazy]

I only feed very young hatchlings every 4-5 days. As soon as they are switched to fuzzies, they go to once a week feedings. My snakes are growing at a very good rate on this schedule, and they are in great shape.

Here is a picture of a 2003 hatchling which is eating one fuzzy a week.

 

[CornCrazy]

And here is a picture of one of my 2002 corns (which weighs almost 400 grams but only gets fed once a week).

This picture was taken a couple of months ago. And if you are wondering why she is laying in such a weird position...it's because I have an oddly shaped water bowl that has holes at the bottom of it. This snake likes to get under the bowl, so when I lifted the bowl to snap a picture she was coiled in this funny position.

 

[carol]

I think snakes all develop differently and the "pin headed" look is not always caused by feeding schedules. Some just grow that way, some will out grow it when they are older and some won't. I have one snake that is not power fed and she still has a small head compared to her body. Awhile back I was considering putting some of my corns on a maintainance diet but I decided to email Don S. about it and get his opinion. At the time I was suggesting a once every two week feeding schedule. He said that in his many years of experience, doing so was not a good idea for any length of time. Of course there are the times they are in shed or after a regurge. However, he said that he noticed that corns kept on that routinely seemed to eventually become fussy eaters, some began to have regurgitation problems, and some seemed to just waste away. When he tried to return them to the normal feeding schedule, their regurgitation problems were worsened and he had a hard time with most of them. Of course after hearing all that I didn't touch maintainance feeding with a ten foot pole. He suggested that if I wanted to slow them down, to still feed once a week, but just don't bump up the size as soon.
I consider "every 5 days" to be power feeding and it may or may not be harmful. I have heard different opinions but I have never really seen any harmful effects myself besides egg binding. I am still not sure which way to go on that one, but I do think a basic, once every 7 days is best. Of course, JMHO.

 

[pinatamonkey]

I've heard that the head size is mainly a function of age and not neccessarily body growth. So maybe feeding less: less growth, and the snake's body grows at more or less the same rate as it's head, leading to a more proportioned look. Can't say whether growing faster is unhealthy, though.

 

[CornCrazy]

Carol...do you consider it power feeding even when they are on pinkys? That's the only time I ever feed mine closer than 7 days apart.

 

[Alex Dew]

Hey all

BTW how much should the avarge corn grow in one year???

Thanks

Alex

 

[paulh]

I've read that Colubrid snakes are generally approximately double the hatchling size at one year and three times hatchling size at two years. After that they are sexually mature and growth slows down.

BTW, the babies I've raised were fed on a weekly schedule, and none were pinheads or obese. Growth was roughly the above. I think that optimum temperature conditions help, too.

 

[mary]

hello there now that you mention the subject of temperature wot is the correct temp for corns could some one tell me if my temps are ok during the day its 90f at the hot end of the viv and room temp at the cooler end and it drops to 80f at night time. thanx

 

[carol]

Sorry Terri, I guess I forgot to check back in on this one. I don't think every 5 days is power feeding for hatchlings, but once they get to the size of eating large hoppers or mice I try to go to once a week. Of course this is just my own opinion but I found that I have had more problems with egg binding on females that are feed every 5 days as adults. # 1 I think it makes their high weight a false sense of security # 2 I think it is good for them to have a few days where they are hungry. If they are always digesting, they don't have much time to exercise. That is why it bugs me to see people use ONLY weight as a determining breeding factor. A young overweight two year old is not going to do as well with a clutch as a five year old with the same weight. Just my limited observations.
Mary, your temps sound fine to me, 90 is OK, but make sure the whole cage doesn't get that hot.

 

[CAV]

Terri,

I also feed pinkies 2x/week until they are on fuzzies. At that point I change to every seven days as the norm. Will your adults eat every 7 days? Normally, my adults will only eat every 10-14 days, even if they are offered food sooner.

 

[CornCrazy]

CAV...

Yes...most of my adults will eat every week if I offer food to them. I have a couple of adults that are a bit chunky. They get fed smaller food items every two weeks, but they look for food every week when I am feeding the others!

 

[Alex Dew]

Hey

My 2 1/2 corn and my 3 1/2ft corn eats every week fine.

BTW, a 2-3ft corn should grow about 1ft in a year, right???

Thanks

Alex