New and have lotsa questions!

[Bekah]

Hi everyone! I'm new to this site as well as being new to owning a cornsnake! Needless to say, I have quite a few questions. I got my snake on Saturday, June 5th and they couldn't tell me what sex it was. I've read that males taper more evenly toward the tail while females don't. At first, I thought I had a female...then it went to the bathroom and tapered differently. This seems to be occuring a few days after being fed. I don't want to even try to attempt to probe the snake myself...wouldn't want to hurt the poor thing. Is there any other way of getting a good idea on the sex of snake? Also, is there anyway to tell the age if a snake? I was told when I bought it that it was actually to young to sex anyway, but he's three feet long give or take. And lastly I was told it was a motley red cornsnake...yet I haven't seen a picture yet that resembles what I have : solid white underbelly, dark orange skin with lighter orane spots down the back and a dark reddish-brown line that runs laterally down both sides. Other than that it seems happy and healthy and eats well (by the way...is it a good or bad idea to dangle the mouse for the snake...I wanted it to see the mouse so I held it about 6 inches up and away and he took it so quick! I didn't get bit, but was just wondering). Right now it's housed in a 20 gallon tank, but we have a 50 gallon tank that we're considering putting him in...the 20 gallon seems so confining with his water dish, climbing branch and hiding area. Any help anyone could provide me with would be super! Thanks so much!!!

 

[Amanda E]

To figure out the sex:

Wait until it sheds and save the shed (you may need a magnifing lens to help you).

Count the ventral (belly) scales down to the vent. Then count each pair of scales under the tail (subcaudal scales). Then subtract the tail scale count from the belly scale count. If the number is less than 154 then you most likely have a male. If the number is greater than 154 you most likely have a female. The farther away from 154, in either direction, the more confident you can be that the result is correct.

For example:

My 2001 male has these scale counts:

Ventral (belly) scales = 212
Subcaudal scales (under the tail) = 82
Difference = 130
less than 154: He is male

My 2002 female ghost has these scale counts:

Ventral (belly) scales = 225
Subcaudal scales (under the tail) = 64
Difference = 161
more than 154: She is female


If you have the 50 gallon to use, go ahead and use it. S/he will love the extra room, at least I know mine would.


Your snake sounds like a normal motley to me.

Does it look like this?:
(image borrowed from Rich Zuchowski's website)

 

[Bekah]

Hi! Thanks so much for the info...s/he just shed a few days ago and it wasn't such a super shed...kind tore at one part, so I jusat threw it away...I'll see it I can find out next shed. Which brings yet another question...how often do they shed? And yes...s/he looks very similar to that picture...especially when we fir got him/her...but s/he's lighter now. Thanks again!

 

[Amanda E]

If your snake had a bad shed you should provide a moist hide box (made out of an old Cool Whip or margarine container filled with moist sphagnum moss or even moist papertowels) for it next time.

When they are young, they can shed up to twice per month, but when they are older sometimes they don't shed but every 4 months or so.

 

[Bekah]

Thanks so much for the info!

Still looking for some answers to my other questions...anyone care to give me their input?

 

[newt]

try not to dangle the mouse

Hi Bekah, I have two cornsnakes and Ive learned not to dangle the food in front of the snake, sometimes it makes the snake nervious, and scared. If the snake does take it right away, make sure you are using tonges, never your hands. I used to use my hands but my snake ended up trying to bite my hand when I was cleaning his vivarium. My two snakes are in a 50 gallon tank inside an old omiour.


My female just layed her first clutch, but I think the eggs are infertile they are oval shaped not round and full. Phenix (female) is a little young she's only 9 months old, and cornelius (male) is just over 2 years.

I just have to wait and see


newt

 

[newt]

age of a snake

Well the age usally depends on the size, if its 3 1/2 feet long its probably 1 yr 4 months. Snakes grow fast at the begining then start to slow down after 2yrs.

newt

 

[Arson]

42" at 1yr 4mos? WOW..I say again...WOW

 

[slithering]

the more room to roam the better i say so i took 4 glass shelves that my wife wasnt using and got a piece of glass for the bottom . got my aluminum angle , tig welded the frame together set my glass and built the top out of 1 by 2 and 1 by 3 and wa la MR LEE has a small city block 2 roam in . kinda shabby right now ive got some pretty driftwood drying out to put in .

 

[Bekah]

Thanks to all for the great information. I really do appreciate it. Yet, here I am with another question for all of you!

I fed my snake a medium sized feeder on Saturday the 12th at about 5 p.m. The snake shed right after. I found defecation on Thursday the 15th (unless s/he made potty Wednesday night after we all went to bed. I read in a book on cornsnakes (not sure which one) that they may be offered food again after defecation. So on that Thursday I went out and got another medium sized feeder mouse. I barely had time to put it in the tank before it took it by the head, constricted it and promptly ate it! Is it possible to over-feed a snake? I was under the assumption that they would refuse food if not hungry. I was thinking about keeping him on a Saturday and Thursday feeding Schedule...does this sound ok? Would it be better to try to offer him to feeder mice one after the other on the same day once q week instead? Just wondering...ya' know...I'm still new to this, so don't get aggravated with me yet!

 

[Amanda E]

With a snake that is as big as you've said, I would only feed every 7-14 days. Whatever size food you feed him should make a slight visable lump, whether you feed one large prey item or 2 smaller items.

IMO a lot of people feed their snakes way too much, way too often. My youngest snakes are about 3 feet long and they only get 1 weanling mouse every 10 days. Sometimes I think that even this is too much food for them.

And just to give you more info for when your snake is larger...
My longest snake is a little under 4 feet. He is also too fat for my tastes, so he is currently on a "I think it's been a while since I've fed him" diet, which equates to one mouse every 21-30 days. You may think that this would equate to starving him, but he is quite active, and when I do feed him, he doesn't act ravenous, and oddly enough he's still putting on weight, albeit only a few grams each month.

Regarding dangling a mouse, I feed all my snakes this way, but you really need to be in tune with them or else you may get bit. Some people will also say that doing this will get them used to biting at you when you reach in their cage, even when you aren't feeding, but I think that this is crap. Only if the only time you ever reach in the cage is during feeding time will a snake start this behavior. If you interact with your snake at least every few days and clean the cage frequently, it should never make the association of hand=food.

 

[slithering]

im by far no expert on the subject of feeding one's snake but i'll tell you how I feed mine. i got my snake in march and started him off on 2 pinkies every 3-4 days when he gained size i stepped up to 3-4 pinkies every 3-4 days . always looking for the fecal remains and checking the color and composition as to make sure there was no signs ofblood or whatnot. then i stepped up to fuzzies and hoppers 2 of those every 3-4 days .hes up to baby mice now. i fed MR LEE last saturday in his new viv i built ( i let him have fri nite to get around and discover his new surroundings) fed him 2 well sized hoppers . to be honest i thought i was freezing one of those suckers because of their size . i let them run around the big tank to try and get their scent running in the air and sure enough there he comes up out of the chips so i grab him and drop him into the old tank inside the big one and drop one of the hops in and in no time he downs it bobbing for the other so i give him the other and he downs it . mind you that was sat. i bought 2 small baby mice tues nite and he inhaled the first one and trys for the second but its too quick. so im thinking that ill be freezing that 1 .they say that a corn will eat and anything there after for about 15 min. but that lonely mouse stayed in there for 3 hours huddled in a corner. when i come back to get him and go hes gone and the snake has this big smile on his jaw it seems . so that surprised me . but if you will get bill and kathy love's cornsnake manual they will tell you that you will not get a monster size corn by feeding him 1 every 2 weeks .
1 - FEED
2 - WATCH 4 FECAL MATTER
3 - WATCH FOR NITETIME ACTIVITY FROM THE SNAKE ( HES HUNTING )
this is what works for me and MR LEE does not seem to mind the food being there when hes looking for it so good luck but like i said im no expert and there will be members here that will tell you that my feeding program is foolheardy .
:cheers:

 

[Amanda E]

Feeding live mice may be okay for some of you, but I will never to it, because of the risk that the mouse may bite the cornsnake.

Of course this isn't a problem when feeding baby mice, but it is once the mice have teeth.

 

[Bekah]

Slithering,
Just wondering...how old/big is MR.LEE?

 

[newt]

feedings

Hi Bekah, feeding your snake the way you do is ok. Cornsnakes will not eat when they are full. I feed my snakes on odd days but everytime I do offer they take it. My male can eat every second day up to two adult mice. Try not to feed them that often because they will get overweight, this can cause serious health problems. I stick to a every 2 week schedual. Younger snakes feed more frenquantly. It matters on the size of mouse aswell. If you feed a 1yr old snake fuzzies then they could eat at least 4-6. If you feed him/her adult or juvienals then try 1-3. I promise you that if your snake is full he/her will not eat anymore. Never leave a mouse in the snake aquarium, never, ever. Your snake might snap at the mouse, and thats a sign that he/she want to be left alone. And Im sure you know not to pick your snake up after it has eaten, they seek shelter and heat. Make sure the snake has swallowed its meal before offering the other mouse.

newt

 

[slithering]

I bought MR LEE on march 28 2004 he was about 14-16 inches
he measured close to 22 inches last measuring ( june 12 2004 ).
As for his age that is nonaccountable info for the pet store where i bought him got him from another of there branches and trying to get the info tracked down is like getting a watermelon to come through a gardenhose. Im almost positive in my belief that he is a 2003. He very well could be a 2004 i just have to keep trying to track his bio down the best i can . As for the critters i feed him they are young in size and do not seem to pose a threat to him. The bigger they get though I will be looking toward the freezing method or snuffing them out with a gas and going that route . I will tell you that since I have had him he has hit the head on 1st strike everytime but once.
i had stated that he is a 2002 model but thats changing i was in a quandry trying to get my avatar pic down to size thats him in the pic under my name

 

[Bekah]

Amanda,

Is it considered amel if the under belly lacks pigmentation?

 

[Amanda E]

It's motley if the belly is completely devoid of any checks. It's amelanistic if the pupils of the eyes are red (as opposed to black).


Edit:
Actually, I shouldn't have just left it at that. There are other morphs that have bellies that lack checks, for example, stripes and bloodreds.

 

[Bekah]

Thanks Amanda....I think I better change my signature now...lol. I had Ren down as an amel!:uhoh: