munson plan for rats

I made up the muson plan for rats. These are using rodent pro weights. Nanci gave me the ones for the mouse factory I think she said, and those are on the bottom. If anyone wants to add anything feel free to.
-When they're on single pinks (5-8g), Feed every 5-6 days. (Snake = 5-17g, if smaller feed mouse pinks)
-Double pinks:feed every 5-6 days. (Snake = 18-26g)
-Small fuzzies (9-13g) every 6-7 days. (Snake = 27-33g)
-Regular fuzzies (14-19g) every 6-7 days (Snake = 34-56g)
-Pups (20-29g) every 7 days (Snake = 57-110g)
-Weaned (30-44g) every 7 days (Snake = 111-170g)
-Small (45-84g) every 7-x days (Snake = 170-230g)
-Medium (85-174g) every 7-x days (snake = 230+)
When you think ready you can switch to a larger rat, but that would be a BIG cornsnake.


Pink = 9g
Fuzzy = 19g
Pup = 27g
Weaned = 35g
Small = 55g
Med = 80g

by the way, I would say a BIG cornsnake would be over 5 or 600 grams, and that would be about right for large rats or higher. Those would be the size for Becky's giant corns, or whatever she has named them!!

i think you would end up with a very fat snake using that plan.

i don't even try rat pinks(5-6 grams) until the hatchling is over 20 grams, and the only get 1 until they are over 30.

my adults only get 30 gram adults every 7-10 days and they still put weight on.

I don't feed rats, but eventually, some snakes get too large for mice, or too large for rats, or whatever.

I actually do have one snake who eats rats because he regurges appropriate-sized mice. Maizey, adult corn, 400+ grams, thrives and gains weight on two rat pinks one week, three rat pinks the next. So apparently rats are...nutritious? Good for maintaining weight?

Rodent Pro has a comparison table of various prey types. You can find out _exactly_ what the differences between rats and mice are.

The high end of that "plan" needs some work. I'd like to see a 230g corn snake take down an 85g rat. It's not going to happen.

Only the largest of adult corns could handle a rat of maybe 65-70g max, I wouldn't ever go any higher than that, and even that is way too big a meal.

There is really no need to attempt to re-write Munson's plan, since everything is done by weight you just substitute the same weight of rats for mice.

I'm a bog fan of feeding rats. As soon as they are large enough, I switch my snakes over to rats. I have no idea what the nutritional value of rats vs mice is, but I know that my snakes gain weight easier, and keep a good build on rats.

There are a few flaws to that plan. There is no way a 5-11g hatchling can take a rat pink. I generally switch them to rat pinks once they hit maybe 6 months old, depending on size. As a matter of fact, there's really no way that alot of those weights can take those sized prey items without risking serious damage. Thats asking for a regurge, or worse.

My adults get small-medium rats every 2 weeks, and they do wonderful on them. Only the largest are able to tackle mediums. My largest corn is about 600+ grams, and he still has a pretty big bulge after attacking a medium. I don't think there is a corn snake big enough to handle a large rat. I feed those to my 1-2 year old boas... big size difference.

The rat pinks I get are about the size of a plump mouse fuzzy.

The problem with trying to label the age of the rat as pinkie or fuzzy is that depending on the rat colony, some can have babies twice the size of other rats at the same age. Depends on the parent size mainly. My pet store breeds rats that grow faster and reach larger sizes then average so I do believe none of my corns will ever need a rat larger then two weeks old from those colonies. If it's eyes are open then it's too big for sure!

trying again........

I decided to try again after i saw dean had come out with a revised edition of the original Munson Plan:http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50106

Here is my second attempt:
-When they're on single pinks (2-7g), I feed every 5-6 days. (Snake = 4-15g)
-Double pinks (3g x 2) every 5-6 days. (Snake = 16-50g)
-fuzzies (9-20g) every 6-7 days (Snake = 51-170g)
-pups (20-30g) every 7-x days (Snake = 170+)

This is just an attempt. Weights are approximated, but were compared to match through rodentpro weights for rats.

i am welcome to any edits from anyone to help this schedule. if you want, i can try to add larger sizes above 170 grams.


Please don't bash me if this is off again.............

I didn't see a single person bash you. I saw where they pointed out flaws in the plan, but no bashing.

i didn't say they had... i had sort of a hunch that it MIGHT happen.....