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What all can you feed your cornsnake?

BuckeyeSnake

BuckeyeSnake

New member
Obviously, mice and rats will always work, but with the goal of adding a little variety, what else can be fed to corn snakes?

I've heard mention of Gerbils and Hamsters and seen a couple video's of snakes taking down Parakeets(adult snakes, obviously). Are these viable options?

I've also heard mention of Lizards being a part of some snakes diets. Are they good for Corn Snakes? Any specific type of lizard that would do best?

Thanks for any responses!
 
Your best bet is to stick with mice and rats. The occasional African Soft-Furred rat is a nice treat every now and then.
I wouldn't recommend lizards. Anoles are just too expensive as feeders, and if you're living in an area where you can catch them, they'll most likely be loaded with parasites.
I've heard of people using birds for corns, but it makes their poo VERY runny and INCREDIBLY stinky. I know some people on here use chicken gizzards and hearts and what-not to get difficult feeders going, but again, it's not recommended for the long haul.
 
Thanks for the quick reply! Don't get me wrong, I fully plan on feeding my corn snake a mojority mice, but just thought he/she may appreciate some occasional variety in his diet.

I've already got my breeder mice ready to roll. Now I just need my snake! :cheers:
 
I've also heard that if you offer things like gerbils,hamsters,etc. you could potentially put them off of their "staple" diet. Just what I heard!
 
And one more question...


does incest not matter when producing feeder colonies? I assumed you couldn't/shouldn't, but it seems like many on here just pair the new babies up together to get another colony going. If you can, I found a lady near by with ASF rats, and I may try to breed some.
 
Incest does matter when breeding mamals, so try not to do it when keeping a colony.

I've thought about varying my snakes diet, eating the same thing over and over again does seem boring. But in the wild they eat mostly the same thing, plus they grow fine on what they eat so I just go with mice. I thought about dipping them in chicken broth or something for flavor though XD Never actually did it, but I'm not sure they can even taste. >__>
 
Mice incest, is not a big deal, You can get many generation before incest is a factor in mice. I am not sure about rats.
 
VickyChaiTea said:
Incest does matter when breeding mamals, so try not to do it when keeping a colony.
Click to expand...

Don't get all hung up on inbreeding feeder rodents. Your not keeping them for pets or shows. Sadly for them, their sole purpose in life is to become food. So any genetic defects or problems will just turn into poo, in the end.

Wayne
 
Just a note, I recommend bottled water too. Tap water is usually chlorinated, which kills the natural flora in the snakes stomach, and ends up with regurge problems.
Also, inbreeding isnt a problem in feeder mice, but it should be easy enough anyways to create new colonies from the offspring using females from different bloodlines than the male...at least that's how I do it.
 
medusacoils said:
Don't get all hung up on inbreeding feeder rodents. Your not keeping them for pets or shows. Sadly for them, their sole purpose in life is to become food. So any genetic defects or problems will just turn into poo, in the end.

Wayne
Click to expand...

That was exactly what I was going to say! You're feeding them off so it really shouldn't matter what they "look" like or if there is a deformity. If there does turn out to be a major deformity and obviously you don't want them to suffer,then kill 'em off as pinkies and don't breed that one anymore.
 
Brothers & sisters, sons & mothers, fathers & daughters,....always worked just fine for me. When I was breeding and raising feeder mice. If a female gives birth, to a live mouse, that a snake will eat,....what's the problem?
It will take many generations of serious in-breeding and time for problems to occur.
A lot of the hangups and taboos that we have, in this regard, are dreamt up by humans. A species with a proclivity towards dreaming up things.
Animals, left to themselves, need much less Psychiatry and much less Sunday School than some humans seem to have evolved to "need". :D ;)

EDIT : Note, to clarify, I am talking about the pairings of mice/rodents here. It occurs to me that this reads not-quite-right without the clarification.
 
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At one pet store I worked at we had a customer who fed his corn goldfish. Never struck me as a particularly good idea, but he said he'd had the snake for years and it seemed fine. 0-o
 
:uhoh: :eek1:
As for diet and foodstuffs, just do some thread searching. You'll find all sorts of reading. From longtime breeders, with much wisdom and experience.
:eek: :sidestep:
 
As fa as incest with FEEDER colonies it doesn't matter too much IMO. They will not last long and are being bred to death anyway.

I am breeding Mice, Gerbils, Dwarf Hamsters, and ASFs. They are not "bad" for your snak you just run the risk of one or so deciding they do not like mice anymore then you need to breed more of that one kind for that snake. To ME no biggie. So far my snake has eaten Mice, ASFs and DHs with no problem switching back an forth and not had any issues with her poo. This may change when she is eating adult rodents but for now its fine.

Disclaimer: This is my oppinion and how I do things as wellas my experiences to date with my one and only snake.
 
I have heard of people feeding there snake pieces or raw chicken, and also big worms.

I think worms would be good for babies, no?
 
gabegt said:
I have heard of people feeding there snake pieces or raw chicken, and also big worms.

I think worms would be good for babies, no?
Click to expand...

Worms have nowhere near the nutritional value needed for a baby corn's growth. Worms are good for some snakes, though (ringnecks, baby garters, and a few other small snakes).
Chicken isn't recommended for the long run, but can be used in a pinch (specifically gizzards, hearts, and those other random nasty parts).
 
I acutally have a quick question about the Munson Plan. So far my yearling opal snake is eating 1 pinky every Sunday and Wednesday. I'm not sure when to move him onto two pinks if i start the munson plan. and when i do start the plan will i have to feed him 2 pinks in 1 sitting only once a week?

Thanks it would be much appriciated :)
 
Yes a yearling should be up to fuzzies at least by now and only fed once a week not twice. I would wait 5-7 days after your last feeding an then feed 2 pinks at once.
 
he's about 16-18 inches long, and has a complete diameter of the tip of a between a pinky finger and a mechanical penicl. i'm not sure of his exact birthday cause the breeder only said he was hatched in 2008. i guess i could feed him 2 pinks on sunday until july 12thish or 19th, which is when i'll move him up to peach fuzzies
 
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