question about feeding amt/frqu

[serpentfinder]

Hi,
I'm not really sure how old my corn is. I've had him just over a month now. He measures about 13 (1/2?) inches long. They said he was a baby and to feed him a pinky every week. The pinky wasn't leaving a bulge for very long though, so when I bought pinkies this time, I told them I wanted the biggest pinkies they had. I also had decided to feed him on a five day schedule instead of seven day. These ones are about 35% to 50% bigger, although I'm judging by sight and I have little experience. The bulge lasts about 33 hours before dissappearing. Since the bulge stays alot longer, I was wondering if I should stick back with the 7 day schedule? I don't want to overfeed him and hurt his belly.
And if anyone can guess how old he is?
Thanks for any advice.

 

[sargeoif]

Well if hes 13 1/2 inches he has to be this years snake, probably spring baby 5 to 7 days disn't so bad I would sometimes feed mine twice a week.

 

[serpentfinder]

So either day is okay? Thats good.

I hope he is this years baby. The store didn't know for sure. I asked the store if they knew what sex it was and they didn't even know that.

He had a couple bad attitude days, but other than those, he has been a jewel. He allows me to handle him everyday, minus his after dinner time. I have seen other people write complaints thst their snake wasn't active enough or was boring. Yet he loves to be all over the place. He has his hides, but he loves to climb and search for an escape.

 

[DogStar5988]

Pet shops often under feed their snakes to keep them small. I would stick with the five day schedule, the digestion time you stated sounds about right. Do a search for "Dean's chart" and go off of that, it works pretty well.

---Kenny

 

[Yvonne112]

Here is a copy of the Munson Plan...it works very well, It gives you a good idea of what your little guy should be eating at each stage. You should definetly see a bulge after your snake eats. Lets see some pictures of your baby!!!

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.

 

[serpentfinder]

Thanks so much everyone. I guess it is time to get some scales, uh? As soon as I find the software cd that runs my digital camera, I can post some pictures. For right now, I can tell you I named him Twister (changed it from Lilith cause I think its a he) and he is georgeous! He is a snow. The white and black is so perfect, in fact I almost named him perfect. I never intended to breed him, but the more I think about it, the more I like the idea. He is really exceptional so I think that he would provide good stock. But I don't know much about genetics. I tried to read up on what makes a snow snake a snow and I got lost. I failed that part of science class.

 

[Flagg]

Get a good kitchen scale that weighs in single grams. Up to 1 kg minimum and it should work fine for the life of your corn snake.

As for the camera, if you have XP then you should be able to just plug it in to a USB port and the computer should bring up the microsoft camera wizard. I never install all the crap softwre that comes with a digital camera.

 

[Nanci]

THe is a snow. The white and black is so perfect, in fact I almost named him perfect.

If he has black and white, I don't think he can be a snow. Snows are pink and white!

Agreeing that a five day schedule should be good for him, and I've heard that if the bulge should typically be gone in 48 hours. I use the Munson Plan with my guys.

Nanci

 

[tom e]

Here is a copy of the Munson Plan...it works very well, It gives you a good idea of what your little guy should be eating at each stage. You should definetly see a bulge after your snake eats. Lets see some pictures of your baby!!!

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.

Thanks for that! I've heard lots about the famed Munson Plan. I know have a laminated copy on the wall!

 

[serpentfinder]

What do you mean a snow is pink and white? Did I get screwed?

 

[serpentfinder]

I take that back. Not screwed, but mislead? What do I have?

 

[Yvonne112]

Thanks for that! I've heard lots about the famed Munson Plan. I know have a laminated copy on the wall!

Your welcome, I keep at copy on hand all the time to

 

[mommyof2]

I'm pretty new here myself, but as far as I know snows don't have any black on them. Do you have any pictures yet? Someone here can tell you what you have when you post pictures.

I do have a question to add to the Munson Plan...once the snake's past pinkies, do you feed one or 2 mice at each feeding?

Sorry to ask on your thread, but my snake's a little larger than yours and it's a big question I've had...maybe it could help you too :shrugs:

 

[serpentfinder]

The pictures is supposed to be developed today, I hope. My freind has a way of getting sidetracked, but her daughter tries to keep her on track.

The underbelly is almost all black except for some white patches. It does resemble indian corn but only in a very abstract way cause like I said, the underbelly is almost all black. I did notice a tinge of yellow(ish) near where he poops. But I wonder if that isn't like a natural color area, like the dark area around a woman's nipples? (Not trying to be vulgar, I swear.)

You know, I fed him a pinkie on Saturday, but I thought the pinkie looked a little smaller than the one last feeding and I think I was right. The bulge was gone before twentyfour hours was completely up! So I guess I will have to stay on the five day feeding schedule. I only have enough food to last the month, so I need to stay at one pinkie for the rest of this month. I bought enough at the beginning for more than the whole month, but since I bumped up his feeding schedule...

I let my freind and her daughter watch him eat. When I first put him in the box, he tried to get out like normal. After I put the pinkie in, he still tried to get out for a couple minutes. I closed the lid because I thought maybe he was becoming stage shy, but it still took him a minute. But boy, once he started, he put on a show! It totally freaked them out the way the pinkie's feet was coming up into the snakes face until he got them down.

The daughter (age 13) loves to watch snakes, but she is too scared to touch them. I wonder though if that isn't her playing the 'role' of a thirteen year old beauty queen girl? She seems genuinely fascinated by them.