Young Corn Snake feeding Schedule

[Eiram]

So I'm still fairly new to corns, I've had mine for only 6 or 7 months. My problem isn't actually with my corn, but the corns that I work with. I work at a large retail store (boo, I know) and the corns we get in tend to be fairly young and often under weight. Most of the ones we have now are 5-8g. All the information that I've found when it comes to feeding says that young corns should be eating every 4 or maybe every 4-5 days, even the care sheets that we give customers says to feed the that often. However, the store is only feeding once a week.

It's just really killing me seeing these small skinny corns who aren't really growing like they should. When I've tried convincing the managers to let me feed them every 4 days I'm told it's against company policy, that we'd go through too many pinkies, that I should be offering them two pinkies in one feeding (this is what I was told recently by a manager who was trying to placate me, but that just seems totally against what I know about corns that size). Today, the assistant manager even said that people want to buy young small corns and that by feeding them every four days they'll grow too fast.

It's driving me insane and seriously stressing me out :headbang: Am I being ridiculous and if not, is there anything I can do since it is company policy to feed them once a week? I'm tempted to just post this story every where to get people to complain since customers have a much louder voice, so to speak, than employees. I literally can't afford to lose this job and I'm afraid that I'm starting to piss of my bosses :awcrap: I just don't know if there's anything I can do

 

[Eiram]

I mean I guess every 4 days isn't too far off from 7, but still... I don't know

 

[Lennycorn]

So I'm still fairly new to corns, I've had mine for only 6 or 7 months. My problem isn't actually with my corn, but the corns that I work with. I work at a large retail store (boo, I know) and the corns we get in tend to be fairly young and often under weight. Most of the ones we have now are 5-8g. All the information that I've found when it comes to feeding says that young corns should be eating every 4 or maybe every 4-5 days, even the care sheets that we give customers says to feed the that often. However, the store is only feeding once a week.

It's just really killing me seeing these small skinny corns who aren't really growing like they should. When I've tried convincing the managers to let me feed them every 4 days I'm told it's against company policy, that we'd go through too many pinkies, that I should be offering them two pinkies in one feeding (this is what I was told recently by a manager who was trying to placate me, but that just seems totally against what I know about corns that size). Today, the assistant manager even said that people want to buy young small corns and that by feeding them every four days they'll grow too fast.

It's driving me insane and seriously stressing me out :headbang: Am I being ridiculous and if not, is there anything I can do since it is company policy to feed them once a week? I'm tempted to just post this story every where to get people to complain since customers have a much louder voice, so to speak, than employees. I literally can't afford to lose this job and I'm afraid that I'm starting to piss of my bosses :awcrap: I just don't know if there's anything I can do

Do you sell any "snake" books there. I once saw kathy Loves first book in Petsmart. I would think that a feeding schedule would beprinted in one.
You could try to show tham that but it really come down to them just saving money on pinks. Change departments if you can or.......

 

[Eiram]

Yeah, there's books and they say the same thing. My position requires me to work all departments, but even so, I'd be even more concerned having someone else feed them as no one else in the store knows almost anything about snakes (the corns are even the only snakes we carry)

 

[Justine66]

sadly this is seen far more often then you would imagine, the snakes at your work are being fed on what is called a "maitanence diet." their being fed just enough to survive but not enough to prosper and grow..
It's horribly sad but it's practised in nearly all large chain stores that sell snakes ie. Petsmart & Petco... they only see the animals as merchandise NOT as living, breathing creatures with souls. This is exactly why i don't support these types of stores, the chances of any store ever changing this policy is probaly very slim unless some sort of law were to be made which we all know wont happen when it comes to the care of reptiles.. another sad but true fact. *No publicity is Good publicity*

all in all the best thing that you could hope for these animals it that the "cuteness factor" that the store is trying to ride on actually sells a couple and that the people that end up taking them home actually know how to take care of them..

(ughhh, i hate chain stores..)
Sorry for my lil' rant

 

[Chip]

Not to be the guy who technically disagrees with every little thing, but as long as the food sizes are appropriate -I am okay with a 7 day feeding schedule. Do I do it with my own babies? Nope! But for many years I did, b/c that was the advice given before the Internet and (gasp) even Kathy's book!

Your babies won't weigh 150 grams at one year of age on a 7 day schedule, but there should be no health issues from it either. Heck, I bought 3 month old corns from a respected breeder here that came in weighing about 8 grams each! My similarly-aged corns were all 35 to 50. But those babies are slowly catching up and are healthy in every way. Just smaller. I do not think there will be any long-term damage from feeding baby corns on a 7 day schedule, personally.

 

[Blue Apple Herps]

I've always only fed my snakes once a week. Sure you can feed more often, but its not needed. Here is what I do for all of my snakes:

Feed an appropriate sized prey item once a week (eg small pinky for new hatchling). I keep feeding that until I no longer see a lump after they eat. Then I move up to next larger (eg large pinky) and continue feeding once a week until I don't see a lump. Then move up to fuzzies, then hoppers, and so forth. I stop a jumbo mice.

This has always worked for me. Pretty much all of my snakes are ready to breed after their 3rd winter and they are fit, healthy, and not overweight. I think people tend to freak out too much over feeding frequency and prey size (eg weighing out prey items and worrying when a pinky is 1g too small or large).

Now, if the snakes at the pet shop aren't being fed an appropriate sized prey item, then that is different. But once a week is just fine assuming they are being fed an appropriate sized food item.

 

[braingarble]

I've always only fed my snakes once a week. Sure you can feed more often, but its not needed. Here is what I do for all of my snakes:

Agree 100% If you feed every 4 days, you best make sure your temperatures are pretty exact for proper digestion. I feed mine every 6 days, occasionally every 7.

Now, if the snakes at the pet shop aren't being fed an appropriate sized prey item, then that is different. But once a week is just fine assuming they are being fed an appropriate sized food item.

This ^^^ ! This is probably the bigger issue.

I think all of us are probably unhappy with a rule, SOP, or something else at our job. If you think this may jeopardize your position, you may need to accept it. Yes, it stinks, but its big business. These big box stores have virtually destroyed the mom and pop pet store industry. First it was cheap merchandise because of buyng power and now they have begun selling live animals.

Anyway, I wish you the best trying to convince your local manager, keep us updated.

-braingarble

 

[Thenewcornguy84]

I work for a big chain here in Greenville SC. I am the one who is in charge of feeding all the snakes. Now i have just bought my first snake but my manager is very knowledgeable with reptiles and would jump my butt if i didn't feed the animals properly. Most big company's don't care. But i am very happy that my managers don't care what the big bosses think and are willing to do whatever it takes to keep the animals healthy. Yes we feed once a week but we make sure its the right size if we are not sure we always offer the animals more.

 

[Eiram]

Thanks everyone. For now the food is appropriately sized, but we only receive pinkies for store use. Hopefully they won't stay long enough to out grow that. I do feel better knowing that no long term damage is likely to arise from the feeding, though. I was afraid it would.

The thing I don't get is why snakes are treated so differently than all the other animals. We have to do hourly walks and make sure every one has food and water. The hamsters always pull their food out and put it in a corner, but if the bowl is empty, we have to refill it. The young bearded dragons always have kale and mealworms and are fed crickets three times a day. People just don't seem to care as much for the snakes :/