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How Many Mice Should I Order?

B

BlackMamba

New member
I'm getting a baby corn snake in a few days and I don't know how many mice to order. I don't know it's weight but it was really small, I'd say roughly 1/4" in diameter and maybe 8-10" long from what I could see of it.

It seems like most people recommend ordering them online and since the shipping is really expensive I'd like to get it right the first time and not have to pay for shipping again really soon. How many of each size mice would you recommend for around a 6 month supply? Or is it safe to keep more longer then that?

Also, who would you recommend buying them from?

Any help would REALLY be appreciated.
 
AliCat37 said:
With only one corn snake, I wouldn't order in bulk until you hit adults.
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I've heard that the big chain pet store mice are horrible, so what else can I do? I've seen a couple places that I could order smaller quantities like 25 and 50 from? What do you guys recommend?
 
You may be able to get feeders at a local reptile show. They bring them to you, so to speak. So you don't pay shipping.
I got a bag of 50 pinkies for less than two packs of 6 would have cost at Petsmart. Even if the last dozen go to waste, I still made out.
Otherwise, yeah, you may be up to buying them in small quantities at higher cost for just one snake. I see recommendations to feed baby and young snakes once a week (every 5 to 7 days). Eventually your sake may take two pinkies at a time before graduating to bigger game, but to do the math, six pinkies a month would be one every five days. 30 pinkies in five months, etc...
 
Are there any local reptile stores around?
I agree about the chain store mice not being the best. I never had an issue with them except for once though. I wouldn't want my snakes on them forever, but I think they should be okay as long as they were kept frozen properly.
 
You might want to ask the breeder you get your snake from. I bought like 20 pinkies for my baby from the breeder to last me until the reptile expo near me. I have also heard of people who live near each other spliting orders so the shipping isn't so bad.
 
AliCat37 said:
Are there any local reptile stores around?
I agree about the chain store mice not being the best. I never had an issue with them except for once though. I wouldn't want my snakes on them forever, but I think they should be okay as long as they were kept frozen properly.
Click to expand...

No, unfortunately there are absolutely zero reptile stores near me. I didn't see any for at least an hour drive in all directions. There is a repticon in 3 months here, but obviously I need to get something before then. Maybe I could feed it the pet store ones until repticon and then get a good amount there ..
 
Just to give everyone an update I finally got my corn snake yesterday! I wasn't sure which kind to get but I decided to get an anerythristic.

Now I'm still worrying about the food though ... I don't mind getting the petsmart/petco ones if they're okay, but now I'm worried that they might be too big for him. He's been hiding so I haven't seen him in a while but he looks about as big around as a pencil and 10-12" long which seems really small to me.

Do you guys know if they sell day old pinky mice or is it just general pinkies? I'm just really worried that they might be too big and I don't want to take any risks. Also, is it okay to have them eating day old pinks until they move up to fuzzies if I buy a decent amount?

Any help would really be appreciated!
 
I've been getting mine from Petco until I can get to a show. Their pinkies are really small. I'm sure it would be fine for you. If you think it's still too big, you can cut it in half and only half at a time. I don't know if you have a kitchen scale to weigh your snake, but my snake was 11 grams when I first got him and took a Petco pinkie fine. Now he's on doubles because they're too small. Hope this helps! Good luck with your new baby!
 
Quick question: It's been about 5 days since I got my corn snake and I am planning on feeding him tomorrow for the first time since I've gotten him. He's been in his empty paper towel tube on the cool side for a long time and I'm just wondering how I feed him. Should I just wiggle the mouse in front of the opening of the paper towel tube, or try to get him out of the tube to feed him? Any help would be appreciated!

Also, unfortunately since I didn't seen him for a long time I got worried that he might be dead somehow so I lifted the paper towel tube with him in it and wiggled it a little and then looked in there and saw him move. I'm just worried that might effect him eating tomorrow. You guys think it's okay?
 
I think you should be fine with going ahead with your feeding plans. Getting surprised a little bit isn't as hard on the snake as getting handled, and passed around to friends, etc.
I'm of the mindset to feed them in a separate container, but, that's based on very little experience and quite a bit of reading around on the subject. For me it worked. Plus, you can use a small feeding space, which lets you monitor things better. For example, if your snake doesn't jump at the pinkie and eat right away, you probably want to leave the pinkie and the snake together - which is much better done in a small, isolated area.
Good luck!
My new baby didn't eat at five days from when she came home. She was definitely interested, but didn't open her mouth. Two days later I tried again, and she went right for a heated-up pinkie. Ate no problems - to my great relief.
 
You may be able to get feeders at a local reptile show. They bring them to you, so to speak. So you don't pay shipping.
I got a bag of 50 pinkies for less than two packs of 6 would have cost at Petsmart. Even if the last dozen go to waste, I still made out.
 
I used to go to the reptile show to get my mice and rats. By the time I drove over an hour, paid to get in, find someone with enough rodents for me, load em up in the car, drive over an hour home. it almost seemed like a wast of a day just to feed my reptiles. I just decided to breed rodents myself. Dont get me wrong, I love the reptile show, BUTTTTT I only like to go when I have money for the candy (reptiles) in the candy store (reptile show) . lol
 
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