Does size of Viv affect snake growth?
 

I was reading in another thread where a 3-4 year female corn snake was only 75 grams and not very long. Assuming that the snake was fed properly, I am wondering if inadequate housing could have caused this slow growth.I have heard that if a reptile is kept in a small viv that their growth rate can be slowed down or even stunted. I was just wondering if there is any credence to this theory. My snake has been kept in a 29 gallon high since he was a year old so no worries for me personally, I was just curious.

No, it won't affect the size of the snake, but it is still not good to have a viv that is too small. It is hard to give them a good temperature gradients, and they can't exercise by cruising around their tanks adequately.
Right now I have a couple of snakes housed in smaller tubs than I would like, but that is temporary brumation housing.

Agreed. It's not the size of the viv that will stunt a Corn's growth - you can't bonsai a healthy Corn just by jamming it in a smaller space.

Lack of growth is more likely due to a restricted feeding regime or some sort of health problem. Also, some Corns - albeit a very small number - refuse to take normal-sized prey and will only eat pinks/fuzzies their entire lives. This can affect growth rate as well.

Okay, thanks for your replies. I now know the correct response to someone when I here it again. Thank you :D

Just to reinforce how much you can restrict growth by restricting food...

I took a california king snake from my roommate's care that was at LEAST 2.5 years old. It weighed 23g when I took over it's care in April of this year. She had been feeding it, as far as I can figure, about 1 (very small) pinky every 2-4 weeks.

I put the snake on the Munson plan and after 6 months I put it up for adoption. When I sent the snake to bekers (on these boards) it weighed in at ~140g. This is despite the fact that for the first 4 of those months it was kept in the same size enclose as my roommate had had it in.

The snake had no health problem keeping it small, it was simply fed a very limited amount that did not permit for growth. As far as I can tell the snake gained essentially no weight in the entire time my roommate had it. Even living in the wild it should have been nearing adult size and sexual maturity by that age. Under a normal captive feeding regime it would have been at LEAST 3 feet long and 250+g.

Along those same lines, I am currently raising my first baby corn, ~9 month old Reverse Okeetee, and I have him in a 20 gal atm, its not his permanent residence, but I am going to keep him there until he outgrows it due to me traveling so much (40 gal is just too much to put up with if i dont have to).
I think I remember reading on these boards that a good indicator on when to switch is when snake length= tank length+tank width, can anyone confirm/refute this?

Yes, that's a good guideline to follow.

Oh good rule. That indicator is a good way to tell. Thanks a lot!