Fuzzy size too big?

[anadyne]

Hi all,

I have a young corn and have not weighed him yet, but he's just as long as his 10 gallon viv, ~ 18". I've had him since Feb 5th. I'd been feeding him frozen/thawed pinkies every 5-6 days, and eventually started to get the feeling that 2 pinkies were no longer enough for him. No bump after feeding, regular poop but very small amounts.

The only store around for frozen rodents is PetCo, and their frozen mice sizes go from Pinky to Fuzzy - no 'peach fuzzy' or 'small fuzzy' - just "fuzzy mouse".

I bought some, and they look HUGE after feeding pinkies. I thought there was no way little J could get something that size down, but I thawed one and injected it with Nutri Bac and he ate it with gusto. He had some trouble getting the arms bent back (they stuck on the corners of his mouth at first) but he was very clever about coiling his body to push the arms down and after that it was moments before he had it all the way in. It took him about 5 minutes total and he had a really large bump after. I was worried when I saw him stretch out that way, but he promptly hid under his aspen and emerged 3 days later looking just fine.

I have since fed him another pinky and again I just worried to see him stretch himself so much. I feel like the amount of food is working for him and in whatever way I have as a human to sense such things, I feel that he's a happier snake from having his larger meal. Also, he poops like a champ now. So he's digesting well. But the stretching of his neck and body worries me. I'd estimate the fuzzy is nearly twice his girth, rather than the 1.5x recommended. To see him sliding that size bump around is very weird!

So after all of that, my questions:

- should I perhaps cut the fuzzy in half? and feed him both halves?
- or special order "peach fuzzies"?
- or stop worrying about the stretching of his little bod as long as he otherwise looks completely healthy?

and if I should be feeding a smaller fuzzy size, is there an online source I can trust? (I've looked at rodent pro, but the bag of 100 is far too many for the amount of time he'll be eating that size....)

Thanks very much!!

[airenlow]

I would suggest feeding 2 pinkies until he is big enough for the fuzzies. The 1.5X rule is pretty much the max I would feed any of my corns. Have you found the Munson Plan yet? I usually have it bookmarked but I'm not on my comp...so you'll have to search for it. It also recomends the "double pinkie" step for the problem you are encountering. Good luck!

[Nanci]

He's only going to be on peach fuzzies for a few meals, though- like less than ten, I'd guess. How big are the fuzzies compared to the widest part of his body? Oh wait- nearly twice as big. That's too big. You could cut a fuzzy in half while still frozen and just feed him half! Even though he got one of the big ones down, I definitely wouldn't risk it a second time. A regurge will set him way back, and can be life-threatening. Will there be a show near you where you can find a smaller amount of fuzzies? Is there a herp store that will let you look through their frozen mice to pick out the right size?

[anadyne]

I have read the Munson plan and since I only have a scale at work, I've only weighed him once a while back. I was feeding him double pinkies for a while and will go back to that now until I can source some smaller fuzzies or larger pinkies.

I live south of Boston - is there a web site that lists upcoming shows? I'd love to go to a show, and if they have a better range of mouse sizes, all the better!

The closest herp store I know of is in Providence, RI. If I found a source for frozen mice, I could take a cooler and stock up. But if they're live, they'd have to be some place I could drive to easily during the week.... which is why I've been buying at PetCo.

[Nanci]

I think Reptiles Magazine, on their website and in the magazine, has a list of shows.

[anadyne]

Thanks all! I have found the New England Herp Society meetings and shows, and they also sell feeder mice at their regular meetings - how lucky!

[minks]

[F][/FONT][QUOTE=anadyne;882288]Hi all,

I have a young corn and have not weighed him yet, but he's just as long as his 10 gallon viv, 18". I've had him since Feb 5th. I'd been feeding him frozen/thawed pinkies every 5-6 days, and eventually started to get the feeling that 2 pinkies were no longer enough for him. No bump after feeding, regular poop but very small amounts.



hi i have a mail corn:laugh:who eats like a lion i have to feed him a large mouse every 3 days. he is really healthy and is not over weight at all, i find i know when he needs feeding when he continuely goes around the tank and keeps on trying to get my attention by climbing every where and looking at me tp see if i have noticed :him As soon as i go to the tank with his mouse he comes over and darts at the food in my hand as i have always fed him by hand since he was born he has never bitten me or anyone for that matter.:What iam trying to say is if you watch your snake alot watch his behavior you will know just how much he needs to feed.one of the other things he will do to get attention is but the light in his tank several time a night.



I bought some, and they look HUGE after feeding pinkies. I thought there was no way little J could get something that size down, but I thawed one and injected it with Nutri Bac and he ate it with gusto. He had some trouble getting the arms bent back (they stuck on the corners of his mouth at first) but he was very clever about coiling his body to push the arms down and after that it was moments before he had it all the way in. It took him about 5 minutes total and he had a really large bump after. I was worried when I saw him stretch out that way, but he promptly hid under his aspen and emerged 3 days later looking just fine.

I have since fed him another pinky and again I just worried to see him stretch himself so much. I feel like the amount of food is working for him and in whatever way I have as a human to sense such things, I feel that he's a happier snake from having his larger meal. Also, he poops like a champ now. So he's digesting well. But the stretching of his neck and body worries me. I'd estimate the fuzzy is nearly twice his girth, rather than the 1.5x recommended. To see him sliding that size bump around is very weird!

So after all of that, my questions:

- should I perhaps cut the fuzzy in half? and feed him both halves?
- or special order "peach fuzzies"?
- or stop worrying about the stretching of his little bod as long as he otherwise looks completely healthy?

and if I should be feeding a smaller fuzzy size, is there an online source I can trust? (I've looked at rodent pro, but the bag of 100 is far too many for the amount of time he'll be eating that size....)

hi i have a mail cornwho eats like a lion i have to feed him a large mouse every 3 days. he is really healthy and is not over weight at all, i find i know when he needs feeding when he continuely goes around the tank and keeps on trying to get my attention by climbing every where and looking at me tp see if i have noticed him.As soon as i go to the tank with his mouse he comes over and darts at the food in my hand as i have always fed him by hand since he was born he has never bitten me or anyone for that matter. What iam trying to say is if you watch your snake alot watch his behavior you will know just how much he needs to feed.from munks::one of the other things he will do to get attention is but the light in his tank several time a night: has anyone got a snake that behaves like mine or is it not the norm for a cornsnake to act like abraham dose oh thats his name by the way abraham

[danielle]

Every three days is waaaaaay to often to be feeding your snake. If its on small mice I assume it is an adult and maybe you need to bump him up a size and go to feedings every 7 days or so but no earlier than 5 days. They cruise around not just when they are hungry, but when trying to escape, breed, or just cruise.

[Corny Noob]

I don't know what you managed to do with that post minks, but I did also get the part about you feeding your snake a large mouse every three days.

That is way too often, your snake will become obese and you run the risk of regurgitation as the stomach only has so much room for digestion.