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Loopy's Thread
- Thread starter kdickens
- Start date
Karl_Mcknight
Common Sense Holder
Seriously though, I used to have a Boa and her sheds were like that all the time. She would always soak in her water bowl a day or 2 before her shed and they came off all rolled up like that. They were also very damp. Perhaps Loopy had a good soak before his shed? Did it feel sort of wet?
Karl_Mcknight
Common Sense Holder
I agree, he looks very happy. In fact I see a distinct smile in that 2nd picture.
kdickens
I Yam What I Yam
Today was chow day! Also vitals were taken.
He's 3 ft 2 in! And his weight ... well, gee whiz ... after several feedings he's gained one gram. Now 269 g. :shrugs: What's that all about? Maybe a glitch in the scale or scale user?
Maybe it's a correct weight and he really did just 'maintain' his weight?
He's not skinny and he hasn't LOST weight. I've been feeding him 'small' mice and the next size up will be adult mice. But I have a bunch of these and don't want to pitch them. It seems like feeding him two of these would be too much.
I'll have to weigh them I guess. Also ... major clean up day! I tossed in a flannel shirt of mine and put the lid on his feeding bin. While he ate I cleaned up!
He's 3 ft 2 in! And his weight ... well, gee whiz ... after several feedings he's gained one gram. Now 269 g. :shrugs: What's that all about? Maybe a glitch in the scale or scale user?
Maybe it's a correct weight and he really did just 'maintain' his weight?
He's not skinny and he hasn't LOST weight. I've been feeding him 'small' mice and the next size up will be adult mice. But I have a bunch of these and don't want to pitch them. It seems like feeding him two of these would be too much.
I'll have to weigh them I guess. Also ... major clean up day! I tossed in a flannel shirt of mine and put the lid on his feeding bin. While he ate I cleaned up!
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Karl_Mcknight
Common Sense Holder
Probably not a glitch. They definitely "Slow Down" in their growing process as they get older. Rufus has weighed pretty much the same now for the past 3 or 4 months. And I have fed him probably 10 or 12 times and he has shed twice, yet he still weighs about the same. (He actually lost a few grams last shed because he didn't eat.)
We get used to them growing fast as babies. I suspect Rufus is about as big as he will get. Having said that, maybe 10 years from now he will be a foot longer and 200 grams heavier, but that's hardly even noticeable in a month to month basis.
We get used to them growing fast as babies. I suspect Rufus is about as big as he will get. Having said that, maybe 10 years from now he will be a foot longer and 200 grams heavier, but that's hardly even noticeable in a month to month basis.
DollysMom
It never gets old!
Loopy looks wonderful! I love his “boomerangs” so much. His color is outstanding.
I agree two are too much. How often are you feeding? Unless you are already feeding every 7 days you can drop down to that if you like, and he wants to eat that often
Cleo lost with her last shed, too. She was 277 and went back down to 272. She’s eating a 15 gram mouse every 8 days. She didn’t seem to be getting enough at every 10 or 12 days.
Mandy eats one of those same size mice every 10 to 12 days to maintain her weight of 550 to 575. Each snake is different.
I agree two are too much. How often are you feeding? Unless you are already feeding every 7 days you can drop down to that if you like, and he wants to eat that often
Cleo lost with her last shed, too. She was 277 and went back down to 272. She’s eating a 15 gram mouse every 8 days. She didn’t seem to be getting enough at every 10 or 12 days.
Mandy eats one of those same size mice every 10 to 12 days to maintain her weight of 550 to 575. Each snake is different.
kdickens
I Yam What I Yam
Karl and Gail ... thanks!
I was kinda concerned, but now a bit more at ease. He eats about every 8 or 9 days and once in a while when I'm not watching the calendar close enough maybe 10 days. I figure since snakes can go a month or two a missed day here or there won't hurt too much, as in the wild food doesn't just appear every 7 days! I just checked on him and he's under his log(s) on the warm side all curled up. I used to only have one cork round (split) in his viv but after cleaning today used the other half to make a long hide. I think that was a Karl idea!
I was kinda concerned, but now a bit more at ease. He eats about every 8 or 9 days and once in a while when I'm not watching the calendar close enough maybe 10 days. I figure since snakes can go a month or two a missed day here or there won't hurt too much, as in the wild food doesn't just appear every 7 days! I just checked on him and he's under his log(s) on the warm side all curled up. I used to only have one cork round (split) in his viv but after cleaning today used the other half to make a long hide. I think that was a Karl idea!
Karl_Mcknight
Common Sense Holder
One thing you could look at:
I tried to feed Rufus meals that were 10% to 13% of his body weight up until he passed 350 grams. At that point I just continue to feed the same. (He currently weighs about 410 grams but I am feeding 30 to 35 gram mice and will continue to do so.)
You stated you had small mice you were feeding Loopy but that doesn't tell us what those mice weigh. Being that Loopy weighs 269 grams he could easily eat about 26 to 33 grams per feeding. So you could weigh the mice, and as long as 2 don't exceed that, you could feed 2 at a time.
I tried to feed Rufus meals that were 10% to 13% of his body weight up until he passed 350 grams. At that point I just continue to feed the same. (He currently weighs about 410 grams but I am feeding 30 to 35 gram mice and will continue to do so.)
You stated you had small mice you were feeding Loopy but that doesn't tell us what those mice weigh. Being that Loopy weighs 269 grams he could easily eat about 26 to 33 grams per feeding. So you could weigh the mice, and as long as 2 don't exceed that, you could feed 2 at a time.
DollysMom
It never gets old!
Great on the new hide! Sounds wonderful.
With four now, if I didn’t have feedings on my calendar I’d get all confused. I’ve had to push feelings back or forward because I was going out or going for the weekend. Absolutely right that varying it doesn’t hurt. I also don’t feed in shed, even the ones that will eat. Just no need for it.
I have no doubt you’ll figure it out for Loopy. Feeding a growing snake is an ever evolving thing. I’m so far off the Munson plan. I’m on the Cleo plan.
With four now, if I didn’t have feedings on my calendar I’d get all confused. I’ve had to push feelings back or forward because I was going out or going for the weekend. Absolutely right that varying it doesn’t hurt. I also don’t feed in shed, even the ones that will eat. Just no need for it.
I have no doubt you’ll figure it out for Loopy. Feeding a growing snake is an ever evolving thing. I’m so far off the Munson plan. I’m on the Cleo plan.
kdickens
I Yam What I Yam
Chow day! Mmmm!
Another mouse! I can only hope Loopy doesn't get too bored with my meal selection. (Anyone ever think of that? What if you could only have one thing for the rest of your life?) Anyway, he seemed to enjoy it! This is a pic just before eating. I weighed him too and (drum roll please ... ) he's now at 324g! Gaining all the time. I checked the food chart I have and it says at that weight he could eat a normal size mouse. He's still at the 'small' mouse size right now. I'll have to order some soon I suppose! Also ... he hasn't shed for quite some time. Another one of those "I'll show you how long I can go!"
Another mouse! I can only hope Loopy doesn't get too bored with my meal selection. (Anyone ever think of that? What if you could only have one thing for the rest of your life?) Anyway, he seemed to enjoy it! This is a pic just before eating. I weighed him too and (drum roll please ... ) he's now at 324g! Gaining all the time. I checked the food chart I have and it says at that weight he could eat a normal size mouse. He's still at the 'small' mouse size right now. I'll have to order some soon I suppose! Also ... he hasn't shed for quite some time. Another one of those "I'll show you how long I can go!"
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Karl_Mcknight
Common Sense Holder
He's Huuuuuuuuuuuge......!
You can give him different treats to mix it up a bit if you want to. Some folks give baby chicks, quail, quail eggs (not scrambled, but still in the shell).
You can give him different treats to mix it up a bit if you want to. Some folks give baby chicks, quail, quail eggs (not scrambled, but still in the shell).
kdickens
I Yam What I Yam
Roller Coaster Ride
Well it's been awhile since reporting in ... I've had a feeding issue. Grrrrr!
March 16: Refused mouse! WTH? This was a first eating problem since he was a baby
March 21: Ate okay
April 2: Refused
April 5: Refused
April 12: New shipment of mice delivered, Reg. adult size
Refused new freshly frozen mouse
April 16: Success! Today he ate his first 'big boy' mouse! I still am at a loss to the crazy eating. Maybe season change? And mating season? Shoot, he's not even 3 yrs old! Anyway, I'm now going to start feeding every 2 weeks and see how that goes. Is that okay? Crazy snake. I was going to put him in 'time out'...This pic was from a couple days ago on an outside walk. He is now 3 feet, 4.5 inches long.
Well it's been awhile since reporting in ... I've had a feeding issue. Grrrrr!
March 16: Refused mouse! WTH? This was a first eating problem since he was a baby
March 21: Ate okay
April 2: Refused
April 5: Refused
April 12: New shipment of mice delivered, Reg. adult size
Refused new freshly frozen mouse
April 16: Success! Today he ate his first 'big boy' mouse! I still am at a loss to the crazy eating. Maybe season change? And mating season? Shoot, he's not even 3 yrs old! Anyway, I'm now going to start feeding every 2 weeks and see how that goes. Is that okay? Crazy snake. I was going to put him in 'time out'...This pic was from a couple days ago on an outside walk. He is now 3 feet, 4.5 inches long.
Attachments
Karl_Mcknight
Common Sense Holder
My guess is mating season. I just went through the same thing with Rufus. He ate one mouse on Feb. 10th, and didn't eat again until last Saturday (9 weeks without food). He was fine though. Didn't lose any weight, still rambunctious as ever. He finally ate last Saturday.
I'm sure Loopy is fine. The part I hate is throwing out all those mice every time I tried to feed and didn't. I think I tossed out about 5 or 6 mice during that time. (We're on a 10 day feeding schedule...... when he's eating, LOL).
I had this same thing happen last year too, and Rufus was about the same age as Loopy. I think it can start in males around the 2nd year, for sure by the 3rd year.
As long as they aren't losing weight or acting sickly, don't worry about it. I've actually heard of a corn snake going 5 months without food, and then resumed eating again and was just fine.
By the way, Loopy looks handsome for sure.
I'm sure Loopy is fine. The part I hate is throwing out all those mice every time I tried to feed and didn't. I think I tossed out about 5 or 6 mice during that time. (We're on a 10 day feeding schedule...... when he's eating, LOL).
I had this same thing happen last year too, and Rufus was about the same age as Loopy. I think it can start in males around the 2nd year, for sure by the 3rd year.
As long as they aren't losing weight or acting sickly, don't worry about it. I've actually heard of a corn snake going 5 months without food, and then resumed eating again and was just fine.
By the way, Loopy looks handsome for sure.
DollysMom
It never gets old!
Of course both of my corn snakes are girls, and with no male pheromones to distract them they eat every time. I agree wholeheartedly with Karl. Seems like a male feeding strike. Though not a corn, I see the same pattern in my male house snake. Except they mate year round so I throw out mice about 3 months of the year. He drops a little weight but gains it all back. He will break his fast once when he gets hungry enough and go back to it for another week or two before he eats steady for a while again.
Like the country song, Loopy is looking for love in all the wrong places!
Like the country song, Loopy is looking for love in all the wrong places!