Help feeding rescues

[Desert_Rat]

I recently acquired 8 corns snakes from a person who fed them about once a month since birth. 6 of the 8 are females and have all been bred and produced eggs. Some are a little larger than others, some are very thin.
All are 5-6 years of age and range from the girth of a dime to a quarter. The spines are visible in all but one of the males.
In your opinion what is the best way to pack on weight quickly? I understand I can not feed them heavily as their little bodies are not conditioned for it.
I breed rats and have been feeding the smallest of the corns newborn rat pinks. I feed them two at a time, and have been every 3-4 days.
Do you think this is too much? Would I be better off feeding a weanling/hopper mouse? I worry about regurgitation.
I am just looking for some good suggestions on packing on weight quickly and safely.
I will probably keep a few of them, and let them live their lives happily on fresh rodents. I will never breed them. The others I will find good caring homes.

Do you think they will grow to their full potential? Or are underfed snakes typically stunted and never return to normal? I sound like a snake noob with all these questions. I actually have a very large collection of boas/pythons but have never dealt with rescues of this calibar. I have treated for mites, RI's, internal parasites. but not snakes that have endured near starvation since they were hatchlings. Thanks

 

[MegF.]

I would feed the mice instead of pinky rats. There is more nutrition in the older mice than a newborn anything. More developed calcium etc. I assume this idiot co-habitated the animals and that's why they are pregnant? It would be hard to believe that these underweight animals were purposely bred, although I'm sure with an owner like that it might be. I doubt the snakes will reach their full growth potential as they are already adult age and have been subjected to what amounts a starvation diet for most of their lives. Couple that with the extreme stress of carrying eggs and you have a really bad condition. Hopefully with regular healthy meals, they will put on weight and at least live longer. I would feed small frequent meal until at least the females put on some weight. Then I'd go with moderate weekly feedings after that. I'd really watch it as an animal (or person for that matter) who has been starved a lot will really store fat in case of another famine. You might end up with some hippy looking females if you over feed. Good luck with them. I'm glad they have been rescued and I hope the old owner was run over by a bus....accidently of course!