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n/a
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16 Posts |
 Posted - 07/01/2009 : 17:56:51
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Hi all.
I have had my male corn snake since he was eating pinkies. He is around nine years of age and also between 4 and a half to 5'' in length. Anyway he's been on adult mice for around 6 years and is getting quite large, however recently, i have observed that he has a big appetite and is never really satisfied with what he gets. He is fed a large adult mouse once every week and is constantly out exploring his viv looking for more, once he has finished, and i was wondering if he should be moved up to small rats.
As we are in germany he has been on alive food as well for around 5 years. I know that rats are alot stronger than mice are but i do not think he will have a problem when it comes to safely constricting and eating them, he is a very strong snake.
Two weeks ago, i bought the last mouse in the shop for the week, and this one was pregnant, it had 9 babies and he ate the mouse and all 9 babies, and still looking for more.
Is it a good idea to try giving him small rats, a bit bigger than the large adult mice he is having? I can remember somone once saying to me that corns shouldn't eat rats, but don't they eat rats in the wild when this size? hence their name the red rat snake?
Will be grateful for any opinions.
Mart.
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matty18714
The Count of Corniness
United Kingdom
4428 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2009 : 18:00:41
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| I think there is a good chance of it getting over weight with a bigger or more frequent meal. Generally corns are greedy anyway and will eat anything they are offered. Do you know the weight of the snake? |
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n/a
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16 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2009 : 18:56:27
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| no i have no idea. . . i wouldn't be feeding him more frequently, just wondering if a rat would keep him satisfied for longer, feeding him less frequently but bigger meals. |
Edited by - n/a on 07/01/2009 18:58:55 |
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Kehhlyr
ǝʞɐɔ sǝʌoן
United Kingdom
8173 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2009 : 22:32:32
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Is he only having one large mouse? My male adult has 2 large adults a week. He's close to 5ft long as well, and about 9 years old.
even after he has those 2, he still hunts around looking for food as well even though i know it's enough. |
-=Kehhlyr - The Resident Loon
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n/a
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16 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2009 : 12:15:29
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Yes, only the one each week.
quote:
My male adult has 2 large adults a week
do you feed your male two mice in one feeding session or do you feed him then feed him again later on in the week?
Do you think that i should try feeding him two mice a week, one being that of an adult mouse and the other a smaller one, allowing him to adjust to the new amount of food he is going to get? |
Edited by - n/a on 08/01/2009 12:16:08 |
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n/a
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48 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2009 : 12:46:45
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| I dont really know much in this feild, i dont even have a snake yet. But isnt it a BAD idea to feed the snake a live mouse thats pregnant? |
1.0.0 Okeetee corn (Emmet) |
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Kehhlyr
ǝʞɐɔ sǝʌoן
United Kingdom
8173 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2009 : 13:53:09
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I feed mine 2 mice in one session.
When he's gobbled the first down, i wait about 5 mins, then give him number 2.
I then wait about 10-15 mins, and back into the viv he goes. No more food for usually about 10 days.
quote:
Originally posted by Dean
I dont really know much in this feild, i dont even have a snake yet. But isnt it a BAD idea to feed the snake a live mouse thats pregnant?
This depends on your point of view, a live pregnant mouse isn't going to be a great deal bigger than a large mouse anyway.
In the UK it's frowned upon for live feeding because of the risks that people will do it for entertainment purposes.
But as Mart W is in Germany, not many places there will have frozens, so feeder mice from reptile food supply shops are ok.
Good question though, I personnaly cannot see any health risks to feeding a pregnant mouse to a snake.
If anyone knows any different, feel free to let us know.
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-=Kehhlyr - The Resident Loon
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matty18714
The Count of Corniness
United Kingdom
4428 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2009 : 16:17:06
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| I cant see there being any, but at a guess I would say they might be more fat in it depending on how far pregnant it is. From a snake food point of view, why not let it give birth and raise the young for food aswell? |
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n/a
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16 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2009 : 16:44:39
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yer i was going to, but last time it sort of got a bit pout of hand, with them being great escape artists also their capability to breed and breed and breed with one another lol
quote:
why not let it give birth and raise the young for food aswell?
also, the mouse did give birth, the snake ate the mum, and all nine babies. |
Edited by - n/a on 12/01/2009 16:47:16 |
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2009 : 20:52:02
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| i'd prefer to feed 2 large mice in one feeding session rather than feed rat pups/weaners as the baby rats have a much higher fat content - it would be like a person living on McDonalds or chocolate. also for male corns i'd feed once every 2 weeks rather than weekly as they don't have the same calorie requirements as female corns. |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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heatseeker872591
Hatchling
United Kingdom
355 Posts |
Posted - 13/01/2009 : 13:54:25
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| so hes 9years old and around 5 feet? do you know how many years it took for him to reach that size im just curious? also any pictures of him would be excellent |
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 13/01/2009 : 21:32:52
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5 feet long is about average for a male corn, certainly not exceptional  |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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heatseeker872591
Hatchling
United Kingdom
355 Posts |
Posted - 14/01/2009 : 12:11:19
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| yeah i know but what im trying to find out is how long it took that snake to reach 5 foot. as im told they stop growing at the age of 4? so basically is it true that if your corn snake isnt 5 feet by the age of 4 then it will never reach it? |
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 16/01/2009 : 12:17:06
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| snakes grow continuously throughout their lives just the growth-rate slows down as they age. by about 5 years old a corn won't get significantly bigger in length |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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n/a
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16 Posts |
Posted - 17/01/2009 : 02:29:25
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quote:
do you know how many years it took for him to reach that size im just curious?
i have no idea, im guessing though around 2 to 4 years to reach the size he is now. i remember my first corn snake, was a female sunglow and huge, infact was as thick as a ball python, around 6'' and also 15-17 years old.
she was a beautiful snake and a great eater too, but unfortunatley we could not bring her over to germany as she was just too big. shame. |
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