Weight - okay or feed less often?

[azhketh]

I know this gets asked a lot, but hey, every corn is different. Plus he's my one and only, so I just don't know. Figured I'd come to the experts. Should I cut back on how often I feed Spyro? I usually feed him a large mouse (usually around 35-40g) every two weeks. He's about three and a half years old and four feet long. On 12/15 he weighed 504g, today he weighs 578g. Mainly I ask because there's such a difference between his body and his tail (pictured below).

 

[Dorgrim]

whoa that really looks prego O_O you dont feel any lumps when you run him through your hands slowly do you? about the size of a quarter?

but yeah if you see some pudge you can prolly cut back. the tail and body should flow together with no lumps. Hes not like HUGE omg freak out! but a little pudgy if thats all fat

pretty snake by the way

 

[dan803]

He might actually be a she. The tail tapers quickly and looks a little short. Males usually have thicker, longer tails.

 

[dan803]

Oh, and don't cut back on feeding. A mouse every 2 weeks is about the minimum you can feed. Something you can try is putting him in the bathtub under supervision for exercise. Also promotes bowel movement!

 

[ShenziSixaxis]

I doubt he's fat. My corns look like that when they need to poop, and I actually thought Lotem might have been ovulating at some point because she was literally so full of crap.

Answer this: is he squishy and not very strong? If his body is firm and he's strong he's probably fine with one mouse bi-monthly.

 

[bitsy]

A mouse every 2 weeks is about the minimum you can feed.

Whilst true for the majority of Corns, I have had some particularly inactive males that have needed to be kept on 1 adult mouse every three weeks (or 1 small one a fortnight) or they run to fat.

I don't brumate but most of my healthy adults go down to 1 adult mouse every three weeks for a while over the winter. Since going to that, I've found their muscle tone generally improving and have had less trouble with the breeding females laying.

Nothing's set in stone with a Corn!

 

[Naagas]

On first impression, it looks like a corn that is going to poop soon.

Or a female ovulating.

 

[azhketh]

Thanks for the answers guys.

I'd heard before about the tail thing relating to gender, so that's one possibility. Spyro was labeled as a he, but I bought him at 2-3 months old, so that could have been wrong.

Supposed he is a she, Spyro has had no contact with other corns, so unless it's the second coming, he/she is not preggers.

He did eat recently, and I noticed last night that he defecated, though I haven't pulled him out of the tank to take another look at his tail region.

He doesn't feel squishy to me. XD I've read somewhere that you can test a corn's fitness either by holding him near the head or the tail and letting him 'climb' his way back up onto your arm. He can do that either way. Maybe I'll let Spyro go swimming sometime. If nothing else that would certainly be fun to watch.

 

[azhketh]

Er, *supposing that he is a she

 

[dan803]

I believe they ovulate no matter what. It just means egg follicles start to grow inside her but go away if they don't get fertilized.

 

[hippiebrian]

I believe they ovulate no matter what. It just means egg follicles start to grow inside her but go away if they don't get fertilized.

Not always...see my thread in Health Issues...sometimes they lay a clutch anyways, and scare the *()^ out of you for a bit! lol

 

[Naagas]

Snakes can lay eggs without them being fertilized.
Just like a chicken.

 

[Dreamsnake]

My '09 snow is starting to look like that. I got him as a male, but suspect he's a she. I keep Zara on the proper Munson Plan diet. She's gotten a little bubble right at the vent before the stubby tail. Mine is much smaller then yours since she's still growing; I just she her growing into that shape. Give your Spyro more exercise or a bigger viv with something to climb. When you put your snake in water make sure it is not too hot; they like the low 80's.

 

[Jessicat]

I'd heard before about the tail thing relating to gender, so that's one possibility. Spyro was labeled as a he, but I bought him at 2-3 months old, so that could have been wrong.

It's rather difficult to sight sex a snake's tail at the angles of your photo. I would actually guess from the photos that he is a male. His tail looks long to me and doesn't seem to taper right away. A picture of his tail straight on from the ventral side would make it easier for us to tell.

Here's Kathy Love's classic "snake sexing" picture/ guide.