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Question About Feeding

K

Kiesha Nore

New member
I was wondering how often an adult corn needs to be fed. I've been reading up alot on them, and the suggestions seem to vary alot. Some sites and books I've read say an adult corn should eat one adult mouse every 8-10 days, while others say 2-3 adult mice once every 7 days.

Also, I would be very interested in speaking with people who live in the greater Toronto area, for some information on reliable breeders and mice suppliers, as well as some insight into how much a corn snake costs to feed and maintain. If you do live in the Toronto region, could you please private message me?

Thank you.
 
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Well I am a canadian breeder in Ottawa, and what I know is based on my own experiances. Yes you can leave on vacation for up to three weeks with out feeding your snake. Just remember to feed your snake the day you leave, at least 3-4 juvenile or adult mice. With all the food in your snake it will be fine for that long. For adult corns they usally eat 1-2 adult mice every 2 weeks. You can feed them every week but you have to feed them juveniles mice instead of adults. And only feed them 1-2 juveniles.

The cost is mainly spent on feeding your snake most pet stores charge $2.99 per mouse. I used to breed my own mice, in the long run yes it is cheaper but it costs alot just to feed mice so you should buy what you need. I suggest using a product for your bedding its called "eco earth", its grounded coconut fiber. Its compressed into bricks you can get a three pack for $9.99 at most pet stores. Then you could decorate the aquarium with fake plants you can get at the dollar store for $1.00. Three bricks of the ecoearth will last one year.

Most important is a heat pad under the tank look around for the cheapest, its usally better then the more expensive. If you keep your snake in a 20 gallon you will need the second smallest pad, if your keeping your snake in a 50 or more gallon get the biggest. :crazy02:
 
Three weeks? Well thank you, that is very helpful. Also, thank you for the info on the pricings. It's good to get an idea on costs in Canadian funds.

One more thing, what types/colours of corns do you breed? After all my reading I'm kind of mixed up about the different names of the colours, but I am most interested in the ones that are bright orange with dark red spots on their backs. I believe they are the amels?
 
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:shrugs: 3 weeks sounds awfuly long without a feeding. I have no doubt in my mind an adult snake would live, but not feeding a snake (which is willing to eat) for 3 weeks is down right cruel to me
 
I am not saying that I would not feed my snake for three weeks, I agree with you that it is cruel and likely not healthy for the snake. What I was asking is whether it would be alright if I left on vacation for one week at a time.
 
One week would be perfectly alright. I feed my snakes once a week. My one yearling who's almost 3 feet long eats a medium adult mouse, and the other yearling eats two fuzzies. She's about to move up to hoppers. I feed frozen/thawed, so I don't pay as much for mice. It's cheaper to go f/t and safer when you get to mice that are large enough to have teeth. Even if they are only getting a small fuzzy, they can go a week easily. I only fed my one yearling every 5 days because she was very small for her age. I am now going back to every 7. Don't worry about the week. I would be more concerned about the availability of clean water. The water would get bacteria in it in that time, and there is a chance they'll poop in it or spill it while your gone. Maybe if you had several sources of water...
 
I've been thinking about the water problem myself, and here's what I might suggest. Do you think this would work?

You have a tube with a slow drip of clean water going into a water dish. A small section of the dish's lip is about 1cm lower than the rest, causing the over flow to run out there. You have another tube or a spout draining the excess water out of the viv. (Maybe through a screen so the snake cannot escape.) This way you would have a constant flow of fresh water.
 
That watering method sounds pretty inventive to me, but you still have to worry about the snake pooping in the water. Also, make sure its absolutely impossible for the snake to get out where your water thing is. They can get through any space the size of their snout, and I don't think you want him running around alone for a week.
 
hiya :wavey:

has anyone ever tried using a water-bottle like they have for hamsters etc.

I'm considering trying it myself as my corn doesnt like drinking from his dish

anyone got any ideas on this???

thank you
 
If you feed a snake very well before going on vacation, I mean twice the amount you usally do then three weeks is fine. Its not cruel by anymeans, it will take your snake atleast two weeks just to digest that much. Another week or maybe a couple of days to go poooo. I left for three weeks just a while ago and I feed them the day I got back and my snakes were fine. The snakes vary in age aswell my snow is 2 years and my hypomel is almost a year old.
 
marg, the water bottles for hampsters has a ballbaring in them so the hampster can drink, a snake does not drink like a hampster. The hampster uses their tonge to lap up the water, a snake takes gulps and does not use their tongue. So no it would not work, the snake will use the bottle as a climbing apparatise.
 
No mention of a 3 week vacation was made. Kiesha was asking about going away for one week only. No problem there. Newt:I would use caution about feeding large amounts of food if you were to take an extended trip. A lot of times, overfeeding can cause regurge, and that would be truly yucky stuff to come home to after 3 weeks! :puke01:
 
MegF, that is true. Luckly I had no mess when I did come home but you do make a point. The snake will start to refuse any more mice when they have had enough. When I feed them usally they are still hungery, but I know it will tie them over until next feeding. When I go on vacation I feed them until they say its enough. Iv never had my snakes regurgitate any meal. I guess im lucky.
 
Even if they don't regurg after eating what is an exceptionally large meal for them, they will be producing quite a lot of waste during that 3 week period. I would not personally be happy leaving my snakes to roam through all that poop for that length of time. The growth of bacteria at those temperatures would be quite impressive too I would think. Sounds like very poor cage hygiene to me. And you only need them to poop in the water bowl and they will be drinking some very foul water for the best part of a month.

Skye
 
Skye, I also forgot to mention that a friend was looking after my snakes, she cleaned the cage, and water while I was away. I should have said that before, my bad.
 
Skye may I ask how many corns do you own? Do you breed them aswel?
Im just curious.
 
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