Are shedding and feeding related?

Quick question as I am a newbie. My corn that I got Sept 18 just shed for the first time yesterday Oct 4. Now I have him on a normal pinkie feeding schedule once a week on thurs so he is due tommorrow on oct 5. But I was just making sure that there isnt like a minimal time of wait you are suppossed to wait after they shed before you feed. Just checking. If anyone could be of help please let me know. Thank you.

Jason

Hi Jason,

No there is no minimal time. Some snakes will actually all during their preshed phase and immediately there after, others prefer not to eat during those times. the best thing to do is to leave it up to them by offering the food on the planned schedule.

If your new snake is young , as it sounds, you might want to feed every 5 days for a while. Young snakes dont get much nutrition from those pinkies so a more frequent feed schedule is often followed. I actually feed all my juveniles, every wednesday and Sunday. I have seen a very healthy growth pattern at this rate, then as they move up to fuzzie size food I drop them back to once per week feedings.

Best wishes to you.

Wrong Dates

Sorry I meant he shed yesterday Oct 3 and I was going to feed him tonight (Oct 5). But I want to be sure it's ok to feed that close to the date that they shed on. Thanks.

Thanks for your input. Quick question though. I'm not looking for substantial growth very fast but yet slightly moderate. It will not hurt the snake to keep him on a weekly feeding will it? Also isn't there some gut loaded insects or frozen rodents or insects you can get that have better nutritional value? I don't want to jeopordize the health of the snake but I figure if I can find some of those or know where to look for them maybe that will help?

Lastly the other thing about feeding twice a week is I love to handle my corn. I heard when they are digesting it's best not to handle them for a few days and my corn gets aggitated easier when he is not held often. So won't feeding him more often cause for less handle time? Thanks again and I appreciate any more input you may be able to provide.

Jason

Hi Jason,

There are no specialty gut loaded food for snakes. The mice are a balanced diet in themselves. If you are feeding live, I would reccomend switching to Frozen Thawed soon before the snake gets too old. As the snake grows so would the rodent size needed and the older the mouse the more chance it could harm the snake.

I understand your liking to handle him often. So yes, feeding once a week will be sufficient as long as you are feeding enough in that one meal. The food should leave a small lump in the snake for a few days till its digested. When one pinky is handled easily , then start giving him two, when he handles that easily move him up to a small fuzzie, etc.

Ok sounds good. I have seen him digest the first two fine. Took him about 5-6 mins the first time (he did not constrict but just went right for the head). The second was slightly bigger so he constricted it and it took him about 7-10 mins. But he did not regurgitate at all. I think I will keep him on live if it will not impact his health too much. I'm giving him the appropriate size mice because they are 1.0 - 1.5 x his fattest part of his body. I will just keep stepping it up. I may try feeding two pinkies not this feeding or the next, but some feedings thereafter depending on how well and quickly he digests this one I feed him tonight and the one I feed him next Thursday. Thanks for your advice.