Feeding by weight?

Hi everyone.

When I bought my corn snake last week I was told she was eating "medium" mice once every seven days. The guy said that she looks like she's struggling at first but does get through it in the end.

I weighed her today and she is 114g, and about 27inches long. I bought a bag of the medium mice and weighed one today at 20g.
Having looked at the Munson chart, it looks like the mouse will probably be too big for her.

I just wanted to see what others thought of this before I feed her tomorrow?

Thanks!

Becky


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I fed my boy something about half that weight when she was ~114g, but by the time she was 130g I was feeding her ~20g of prey every seven days. You could try one and she how she takes it.

I use the chart as well but you have to interpret it mathmatically.

For example, a snake weighing 91 to 170 grams eats a mouse weighing 13 to 20 grams.
You said your snake weighs 114 grams. That's toward the "Low end" of that scale, so the mouse you feed should be towards the low end also. No reason to toss out the 20 gram mice you bought, you can still use them very soon, but you'd be better off right now feeding a 14 to 16 gram mouse.

Having said that, your snake could probably still handle the 20 gram mouse, if you've already fed it, but I'd opt for just a tad bit smaller right now.

My snake is at the upper end of that same scale, he weighs about 160 grams and I just now started feeding him the 20 gram mice.

I stopped weighing feeders while my first corn was still on pinkies, haven't weighed a mouse in years. It's easier to eyeball it, especially if you have a variety of mice to choose from.

Just pick a mouse that is about the same size as the fattest part of the snake. The mouse can be a little bigger or a little smaller than the fat part of the snake.

If you have a bag of mice, it's probably best to put them in order from smallest to largest and start feeding in that order, smallest first*. It has to be eaten sometime.

* assuming the smallest isn't already too big

I know it sounds gross, but you can defrost them mouse and then wrap it in a paper-towel so that it looks like a burrito kinda, then place the rolled up mouse on the counter top or other hard, flat surface and roll it back and forth under the palm of your hand while applying pressure. Doing this will dislocate and break the mouses bones enough that when it you unroll it from the paper towel it will be cylindrical and easier for the snake to swallow. You can also add a few small, cross-directional cuts with a knife across the mouse's back to help your snake more easily digest it.
Good Luck!
~Beau

Amanda47 said:

I haven't weighed a mouse in years. It's easier to eyeball it, especially if you have a variety of mice to choose from.

Just pick a mouse that is about the same size as the fattest part of the snake. The mouse can be a little bigger or a little smaller than the fat part of the snake.

Click to expand...

Yes !....

Amanda47 said:

I stopped weighing feeders while my first corn was still on pinkies, haven't weighed a mouse in years. It's easier to eyeball it, especially if you have a variety of mice to choose from.

Just pick a mouse that is about the same size as the fattest part of the snake. The mouse can be a little bigger or a little smaller than the fat part of the snake.

If you have a bag of mice, it's probably best to put them in order from smallest to largest and start feeding in that order, smallest first*. It has to be eaten sometime.

* assuming the smallest isn't already too big

Click to expand...

I agree. I love having a variety of frozen mice to choose from. This is easier for folks with more than one snake. Even having two makes stocking more food in a variety of sizes, easier.

BUT, I'm horrible at eyeballing relative sizes. I can't tell 2 grams from 2.5 grams from 3 grams by eyeball. 5 grams and 7 grams look pretty much the same to the extent that I've totally guessed wrong without weighing said fuzzies. So if like me you don't have calibrated eyeballs, use a scale. My digital mouse weighing scale was about $6. It's a tool. If you need it use it.

I eyeballed it and it seemed to be about the same size as her widest part... Maybe a little bigger. So I decided to go with it, and she managed to finish it in about 4 or 5 minutes! x


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that's great news. Keep an eye on her weight/appearance to make sure she doesn't gain too much too quickly and you'll be fine.