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May have screwed up

S

Squirt

New member
So today I fed Squirt and he ate his first pinky like a champ. I then had to leave to run an errand and when I came back I decided I'd offer him a second pinky, then a third, then a fourth. Yes, I fed Squirt 4 pinkies and he ate all 4 like a champ. I know I probably shouldn't have fed him that many but he kept searching in the little bowl for food so I let him have them. I just want to make sure he isn't going to die or anything? I know that seems extreme but next time I won't offer him more than 1 or 2.
 
I guess it depends on how many grams Squirt weighs, but unless he is a large juvenile, say 28-50 grams, that was way too much. Four pinks could be 8-16 grams of mice, or more. The equivalent of a medium fuzzy to a large hopper! So, hopefully, if you leave him strictly alone for a week, he won't regurge. You'll know soon enough. Please don't ever do that again.
 
If he's at a point where he can eat 4 pinkies, he should be upped to the next size of prey.
Typically it is suggested to max out at offering about 2 food items during one feeding.
Keep an eye out for regurges, if you think that is a possibility because you may have overfed. Check a few times daily (especially by smelling - as I've heard this is a good indicator). Make sure your temperatures are tip top! 85F on the warm side/hot spot. If the room can be 75F, I's also suggest that, since that is about the temperature when digestion begins to happen. But don't put a heat lamp or anything on, I just mean if you can turn your home's thermostat up a tad so that the tank may be about 75F IF it is not already there.
Mine is always about 76F, for example.
 
I guess I can finish off the remaining one pinky in a week at his next feed and then the following week maybe try going up a size?
 
Just because he ate 4 pinkies doesn't necessarily mean that he needs to be fed the next prey size. Corn snakes are opportunistic feeders, which basically means, they will pig out and over stuff themselves to the point of regurge. In the wild they do not know when their next meal will come, so when they find a nest of say pinkie mice they will gorge themselves. They will continue to eat what ever you continue to put in front of them

So, the simple rule for prey size is no larger than 1 1/2x the widest part of the your snakes body.

I would not bother Squirt at all for a week. I would peek in only to check on the water. The less stress the better.

How big is squirt?

For future reference here is an awesome care sheet.
http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95298
 
That makes sense - but not necessarily so for all, I'm assuming. I know that when I first got my corn when she was smaller, I attempted to give her two and she would refuse the second one. This happened with my young ball python as well until he got larger and actually wanted a second prey item.

My thinking is if they can handle 4 they can handle a size larger. In other words, it might be better to go the size up than keep feeding those small items one after another.
 
I disagree. I have many snakes who would eat as many prey items as I gave them. And some snakes are averse to multiple prey items no matter how big they are/small the prey is.

He hasn't "handled" four yet, he's just eaten them. Now we wait to see if he digests them.
 
yea, he hasn't handle 4 by any means yet. He might have gotten them down his gullet, however, that doesn't mean he is going to be able to digest them. Regurges are a serious thing with our scalebabies. Even one regurge messes up the stomach juices which could cause horrible damage. Of course that is worse case but I don't like taking that chance.

I am pretty sure some of my snakes would be able to swallow the next size prey. Would it be safe? Would they be able to digest it? Would be harmful? What would be the point?

Take it slow when feeding. You are going to have a happier, healthier scalebaby on your hands :)
 
Oh I absolutely agree with that. I am not saying the OP's snake IS handling four, but if they require that many - not necessarily in this case, just in general - that I would rather be feeding one of a larger size than a couple of the smaller, as I have heard on many occasions that they've got more nutritional value, being that the mice are more developed.

But I completely agree that regurges are to be taken very seriously.
 
I kinda let my girl pig out. I give her the prey That's as big as her body around(little bigger Maybe), weanling, and a hopper as well. I don't know why I do...But she eats it and seems to have no issues, been doing it that way for a couple months. Once every 6 to 7 days
 
Spencer said:
I kinda let my girl pig out. I give her the prey That's as big as her body around(little bigger Maybe), weanling, and a hopper as well. I don't know why I do...But she eats it and seems to have no issues, been doing it that way for a couple months. Once every 6 to 7 days
Click to expand...

What is her current weight and how much does she gain each week?
 
Well- I just did a MAJOR screw up, too! I have the babies written in a little notebook, and each page has the list of babies, and columns for days of the week they get fed. Each page holds about three feedings. After the current feeding, I write what they will be fed on the next time, in that day's slot. So there was writing in Friday, five days from Sunday. And Wednesday was blank.

I fed them on Sunday morning. Then I got home Tuesday, and glanced at the book, and what caught my eye was Wednesday, and I put it in my head that I would need to feed them the next day, and when I got home Wednesday, I did. I thought it odd that one snake who was not due to shed refused. I didn't press him. Big Moose wasn't done digesting, and I thought- he has too big of a weight gain- he must be blue- and didn't feed him. Everyone else ate.

So, yesterday I was looking at the notebook again and thought- oh crap, I just fed them three days after their meal...So I will join you in hoping for good digestion and no regurges!
 
So, aside from accidental feedings and booboos... I would like to point out to the newer keepers that even if they can successfully manage to keep down an excess of food, it's still not a good idea. Feeding excess or too frequently is generally referred to as "power feeding" and can have detrimental effects on the health and lifespan of your snake.
 
Nythain ....I wouldn't call feeding a little bit excess power feeding. Power feeding seems to be quite a bit more...power feeding seems to be a lot more than a bit extra on the same feeding day as usual. I think it would be equivalent to feeding it a size up from it's feeding level before it's ready. The studies that have been shown to be detrimental to a snakes health are usually long periods of time feeding the suggested feeding amount around every 3 days. At the same time, I've heard lots of people advocate for it for a short time. Still I wouldn't do it, kinda like why do it, I don't need it to grow faster.
Nanci... my issue is I'm not exactly sure which size is which. I'm gunna make another thread in the feeders section with pics. I may have gotten rat fuzzies.
 
Update after 4 pinkies

So as of today he has digested all 4 pinkies. I just weighed and measured him at 16 inches, 17 grams. Does that seem good? What's the easiest way to measure the length of a snake.
 
Google Serp Widgets Snake Measurer.

You got lucky. He's probably okay to eat two pinks, but no more than that.

I had one regurge from my feeding error, so far. This is day four- hopefully there's only the one.
 
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