THE MUNSON PLAN - A Question...

[RustySpringfield]

-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+)

Scar weighs around 65 grams.

I have around 10 small fuzzies but can't get hold of hoppers at the moment. Would it be ok to feed Scar 2 small fuzzies instead of 1 hopper as the total 'weight in mouse' would amount to the same?

I don't see why not as 2 small fuzzies is still not a huge meal. But then again, we're talking about length now; not just girth.

Any opinions are gratefully received.

Thank you.

 

[Roy Munson]

That would work fine.

 

[Nanci]

I do that all the time with snakes that prefer smaller or maybe less hairy mice.

 

[Susielea]

As Mr Munson himself said it's fine, (He should know, he's the guy that wrote the plan as a guideline for us).

I often use up the last of a particular size by doubling up, before moving up to the next size prey item.

Best wishes,

 

[RustySpringfield]

Thanks for the replies!

Good to know.

 

[patm1313]

Thats fine... It may not be a good idea to feed more then 2 at a time though, I read that in either Kathy Love's book or Don Soderburg's book.

 

[RustySpringfield]

Thats fine... It may not be a good idea to feed more then 2 at a time though, I read that in either Kathy Love's book or Don Soderburg's book.

Thank you.

I would never exceed 2, as I realise the length of the meal could then be a problem. I know it's fine to feed multiple pinkies, but I probably wouldn't feed 2 of anything bigger than a small fuzzie, and even wanted clarification on whether that would be OK.

I've just purchased Kathy's book on Saturday and I've read a fair chunk of it already. I must say, it's a fantastic book. I've already learnt things that I haven't seen mentioned here in the month or so I've been here. Every Corn Snake owner should own this book!

 

[patm1313]

Thank you.

I would never exceed 2, as I realise the length of the meal could then be a problem. I know it's fine to feed multiple pinkies, but I probably wouldn't feed 2 of anything bigger than a small fuzzie, and even wanted clarification on whether that would be OK.

I've just purchased Kathy's book on Saturday and I've read a fair chunk of it already. I must say, it's a fantastic book. I've already learnt things that I haven't seen mentioned here in the month or so I've been here. Every Corn Snake owner should own this book!

Yah, they are both really comprehensive, I like Kathy's book because of its talk on breeding and genetics.

 

[RustySpringfield]

Scar weighs around 65 grams.

I have around 10 small fuzzies but can't get hold of hoppers at the moment. Would it be ok to feed Scar 2 small fuzzies instead of 1 hopper as the total 'weight in mouse' would amount to the same?

I don't see why not as 2 small fuzzies is still not a huge meal. But then again, we're talking about length now; not just girth.

Any opinions are gratefully received.

Thank you.

I successfully fed Scar 2 fuzzies last time around, but she would only take 1 fuzzy when I fed her today.

Should I try again with another fuzzy tomorrow, or wait a few days, or perhaps miss it and wait until the next feed? With only one fuzzy in her belly she shouldn't even have a lump by this time tomorrow.

 

[Susielea]

I would just wait until the next feeding day.

When I've doubled up, I have had a refusal of the second item on alternate feeds, sometimes. I've even alternated single and double on occaision before moving up a food size, but only with the smaller items.

Hope that helps a bit,

 

[patm1313]

I successfully fed Scar 2 fuzzies last time around, but she would only take 1 fuzzy when I fed her today.

Should I try again with another fuzzy tomorrow, or wait a few days, or perhaps miss it and wait until the next feed? With only one fuzzy in her belly she shouldn't even have a lump by this time tomorrow.

Until next feeding day. If you feed her too soon, she could become stressed.

 

[RustySpringfield]

Thanks folks!

 

[Lennycorn]

Until next feeding day. If you feed her too soon, she could become stressed.

Corn are known to be opportunist eatter... so implying that it's stressfull, I question...now regurge is anothing thing...

 

[Hydroxy]

I'm following the Munson Plan for my little wriggler, although rather than feeding her mice I've moved to rats (heard somewhere that they were more nutritious). I'm being cheeky and putting my question in this thrad btw, lol.

She's on small rat pups atm, once every 5 days rather than a fuzzie (she weighs just under 50g). And I noticed the other day that the rat pups weigh less than the fuzzies did! Is it alright to still follow the munson plan but just "replace" the mice sizes with the rat sizes?

 

[TWGarland]

Hydroxy I'm following the Munson Plan for my little wriggler, although rather than feeding her mice I've moved to rats (heard somewhere that they were more nutritious). I'm being cheeky and putting my question in this thrad btw, lol.

I don't know about nutritional value, i've heard they're more fatty :shrugs:

Hydroxy

Is it alright to still follow the munson plan but just "replace" the mice sizes with the rat sizes?

Mice weights with rat weights more like

 

[Hydroxy]

Mice weights with rat weights more like

oh right, thanks for that. At the moment her rat pups weigh 4g, is that too small? I mean, according to the plan, she should be on prey weighing 5-7g, although, I am feeding her the smaller rat pups, maybe the regular sized ones will be heavier.. I was just wondering as she seems to be hungry and looking for food quite soon after having been fed, only like a couple of days later she'll be out and about looking for food.

But to be fair, she has always been like a garbage disposal unit, just eats and eats, always wanting more. She's got a feed today, but as these smaller pups no longer leave a bump on her, I was going to move her up a size hence the question about replacing mice size with rat size =)


Oh, also.
Could I move her back to mice from the rat pups? Don't wanna be feeding her something that is too fatty

 

[Blue Apple Herps]

Plenty of people feed rats or mice with great success. I think of it as like the apple v. windows debate. There's no real answer, only whatever works best for you. So if you want to feed mice, then feed mice. If you want to feed rats, then feed rats.

Also don't stress out too much over the weight of the prey. So long as it's less than 1.5x the widest part of your snake, they won't care if its off by a gram or two.

 

[Hydroxy]

thanks alot guys!
I think I'm gonna move the little wriggler back to mice, just to make it easier for myself to follow the munson plan, lol. As if there isn't any real difference between them, I'm planning on making it as easy for myself as I can :crazy02:

 

[Flagg]

4g rat pups? I've never seen a rat pink that small. Mine are like 6-7g when newborn.

Rats or mice shouldn't matter, it's the weight that counts. 4g rats instead of 5g mice isn't all that much of a difference so I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Morph Collector]

I have read in several snake books that Mice are not as good for the snakes as Rats are. I am not a vet at all, so I don't know for a fact, but I assume that its true because of muscle density, and fats that the rats have and mice do not. Theres no way that its strictly rats OR mice though, because im sure people do it both ways, and the snakes benefit, I just prefer to use rats (because one colony of Rodents is enough for my wife). lol.