Power Feeding?

[JrzyCornAngel91]

When i got my snake i got her from Patsmart and they were feeding the snake 3-4 pinkies every 5 days. That didnt sound right so i brought it down to 2 pinkies every 5 days. Isthat still too much? :shrugs::shrugs:

[WingedSweetheart]

It depends on the size of the snake.

[JrzyCornAngel91]

http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1272&pictureid=9523

idk if this helps but this was he shed from a few days ago

[WingedSweetheart]

Well sheds normally get stretched out longer than the snake really is. But I'd say your snake is probably big enough to eat 1 fuzzy every 7 days.

[WingedSweetheart]

Forgot to mention that to know what size food to feed your snake, just look at the thickest part of the snake. The food item needs to be the same size or just a little bit bigger than the thickest part of your snake.

[JrzyCornAngel91]

ya i noticed that but its not to much bigger then her... and ill a fuzzy next feeding. howdo i know if its to big for her. Sorry if i sound dumb. shes my first snake nd im just tryin to get as many opinions and tips as possible

[JrzyCornAngel91]

the pinkies i get r pretty big and are about her size but ill pick up some fuzzies and c the size diff against her

[WingedSweetheart]

Yeah that shed looks the size of my yearling's sheds (she is small for her age). She has been eating peach fuzzies. But has recently moved up to fuzzies.

Here's a picture for size reference:
http://i871.photobucket.com/albums/ab276/Ashley_Justice/Pets/Sigyn/th_IMG_0740sm.jpg (http://i871.photobucket.com/albums/ab276/Ashley_Justice/Pets/Sigyn/IMG_0740sm.jpg)

[JrzyCornAngel91]

Shes very pretty. Thanks for the help next time i feed her ill see how she does with fuzzies

[Korilon]

Wow kori is like 1/3 that size and she is on fuzzies already.
I am also new to the corn worl but does that shed not look really long to still be on fuzzies?

[AliCat37]

I would feed her two fuzzies every 7 days actually... I like my snakes to have a visible lump in their bellies for at least 24 hours.

[JrzyCornAngel91]

yea maybe i should. i fed her a fuzzie on monday then went to go hold her on wed and she was snapping like crazy which shes never done before. So i pulled her out and she instantly look like she was searching for food so i gave her another and she ate it like i hadnt fed her in months

[Outcast]

Can you take a picture of her next to a quarter or something. I need something of known size to compare her too. She seems to be the same size as my Bandit, but I would like to be sure before I compare them.

[Caryl]

I am also new to the corn worl but does that shed not look really long to still be on fuzzies?
Sheds aren't at all reliable as a guide for size of snake or size of prey. The shed can be 40% longer than the snake itself.

I would feed her two fuzzies every 7 days actually... I like my snakes to have a visible lump in their bellies for at least 24 hours.
A visible lump for 24 hours is a good guide to let you know that you're feeding the right size prey. While there's no harm in feeding off extra fuzzies by giving doubles, don't buy extras in order to double up. As the mice grow, are weaned and eat different feed, their nutritional content changes.

yea maybe i should. i fed her a fuzzie on monday then went to go hold her on wed and she was snapping like crazy which shes never done before. So i pulled her out and she instantly look like she was searching for food so i gave her another and she ate it like i hadnt fed her in months
Bad idea! The fact that the snake ate doesn't mean she should have done so. Feeding too soon risks a regurge, which is much more serious for snakes than for people or warm blooded pets.

[Jessicat]

Bad idea! The fact that the snake ate doesn't mean she should have done so. Feeding too soon risks a regurge, which is much more serious for snakes than for people or warm blooded pets.

I concur with everything Caryl said. You need to find an apropriate sized prey item for your snake and feed it one meal every 5-7 days. The general rule of thumb is that the prey item should be no larger than 1 and 1/2 width of the largest part of your snake's body. It looks like your snake could easily handle fuzzies, maybe even hoppers. Find out what size works the best and feed your snake one of these every week, or 5 days if you really want to push it. As the snake grows larger bump the mouse size up accordingly and feed less often. Under feeding is safer for a snake than overfeeding, but you want to make sure your snake is getting enough nutrition. An appropriately sized single item has more nutrition than several smaller ones.

Good luck with your snake, you'll get the hang of it!

[JrzyCornAngel91]

How come she was so snappy then. I couldnt even put my hand near the side of the tank. shes never been like that and she only did it that one time. I went in to check on her because i havent seen her out. (my bf said he has at night but he also says anythin to make me not worry or anythin so i just wanted to make sure) wen i went to pick her up she was fine and probably a lil more lovable. any ideas on why she did this

[Outcast]

She could be going into blue. Mine tend to get snappy when they start their shed cycles.

[JrzyCornAngel91]

I checked her eyes but they haven't bee foggy or anything

[Caryl]

How come she was so snappy then. I couldnt even put my hand near the side of the tank. shes never been like that and she only did it that one time. I went in to check on her because i havent seen her out... any ideas on why she did this
Normally gentle animals can be "snappy" for a number of reasons. The most common include going into a shed cycle (which the snake knows about before we humans can see it; it's also much harder to see on light-colored snakes), high temperatures, and smelling something that they interpret as prey or as a threat. If, for instance, you recently handled lunchmeat or chicken, like maybe you had a sandwich before checking on the snake, your corn may believe it smells prey when your hand gets near. If you've touched a dog, cat, kingsnake, or sometimes other animals, your corn may interpret that residual scent as a danger signal. If the snake is feeling unwell it can also react aggressively to human intrusion.

It's good to try and figure out the reason for any behavior change. I'm simply saying that an animal who was fed two days earlier wouldn't have snapped out of hunger. It's even possible that the snake felt threatened by being handled too soon (in the animal's opinion) after a meal. They hide to digest their meals because they're less able to evade predators and feel vulnerable during that time. The snake's metabolism works at about 20% of the rate of yours, so hunger is not the reason for the behavior you describe.