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deleted
46 Posts |
 Posted - 09/04/2009 : 00:59:23
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Hi,
I stumbled across a now pretty 'famous' US hog snake (Justin Mitcham - http://www.extremehogs.com/Caresheet.html) breeders site and have subsequently listened to him on a US reptile rado show. He has a theory with regards to feeding frequency for Hog Snakes, believing that his feeding methods result in his snakes reaching sexual maturity a lot faster than when 'normal' feeding methods are used. He has a male Hog that fathered over 80 babies before its first birthday!!! Obviously females need longer to reach the 300g industry standard but less than the advised three years of age due to their growth and sexual maturity being dependant on their food intake not their age.
Here is the technique used:
"My approach on feeding is a bit different than most. Living in Texas I have a unique opportunity to observe and collect this species from the wild. What I have learned is this species is quite active and fossorial. Having a high metabolism I believe this species needs to be fed at minimum 2x per week. I do not gorge my animals at feeding time, I usually offer one very small meal, barely enough to make a lump. This seems to have many benefits. For one a fat hog is a lazy hog, I have noticed that if you feed them a large meal they will spend most of there time and energy digesting. So my method is one very small meal every other day or 2x per week. They tend to grow faster, have better feeding response and are more active and healthier. Humans are not the only things to benefit from exercise."
Now i know Hogs are different to corns especially when it comes to feeding due to their stubborness at times to feed etc but the majrity of keepers as far as I am aware will feed them on a similar schedule to corn snakes. Justin mentions that hogs metabolic rate is faster than corns, could we not increase our corns metabolisms? If your corns temps were nice and high 28-30 and the snake was hungrier it would be searching its tub for food more often, these factors combined would raise its metabolism wouldnt it?
I have always fed my corns a meal that is 1 - 1.5 times the width of the fattest part of their bodies roughly once every 5-7 days (10-14 days for males once adult), I use the 'Munson' plan as a guide (see below). Is it time to change this method in line with Justins Hog feeding theory, could we get our corns to sexual maturity in 2 seasons as opposed to 3, or is it fine as it is?
If anyone has an opinion on this please contribute :)
Cheers
Jim |
-- I'm here bcoz i'm not all there --
http://www.corn-snakes.org- My Corn Snake Website!! |
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a33272
our battery charger
United Kingdom
3063 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2009 : 10:06:51
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| my marmalades 65 g but no way could she take a hopper or regular fuzzies at that |
    
0.1.0 creamsicle corn-Marmalade
1.0.0 jungle carpet python-Bumble
1.0.0 corn Casper
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a33272
our battery charger
United Kingdom
3063 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2009 : 10:06:51
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| my marmalades 65 g but no way could she take a hopper or regular fuzzies at that |
0.1.0 creamsicle corn-Marmalade
1.0.0 jungle carpet python-Bumble
1.0.0 corn Casper
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lee2308
The Corn Snake Moderator
United Kingdom
3348 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2009 : 11:11:37
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It's interesting about feeding smaller meals more regulaly,therefor keeping them more active,dont know about the effects on the snakes health,but will be interesting to see what every one thinks.
As for the chart,i dont think it's that far off(depending on the snake).Mine is 75-80g and on reg fuzzys,sometimes 2 if there a bit on the small side. |
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Edited by - lee2308 on 09/04/2009 11:15:11 |
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lee2308
The Corn Snake Moderator
United Kingdom
3348 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2009 : 11:11:37
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It's interesting about feeding smaller meals more regulaly,therefor keeping them more active,dont know about the effects on the snakes health,but will be interesting to see what every one thinks.
As for the chart,i dont think it's that far off(depending on the snake).Mine is 75-80g and on reg fuzzys,sometimes 2 if there a bit on the small side. |
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Edited by - lee2308 on 09/04/2009 11:15:11 |
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Kazerella
The Corn Snake Admin
United Kingdom
3093 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2009 : 14:40:29
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I don't think I would try to overfeed a corn. They are prone to obesity and I don't think waiting 3 years for a breedable corn is too long really.
Hognoses are supposed to have a better metabolism so might be able to handle more regular feeding (except mine, that hardly ever eats  ) |
 
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Kazerella
The Corn Snake Admin
United Kingdom
3093 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2009 : 14:40:29
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I don't think I would try to overfeed a corn. They are prone to obesity and I don't think waiting 3 years for a breedable corn is too long really.
Hognoses are supposed to have a better metabolism so might be able to handle more regular feeding (except mine, that hardly ever eats ) |
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n/a
deleted
119 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2009 : 19:17:25
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I can't really see much of a problem feeding less more often, unless if a fuzzie has extra nutriants & what not that a pinkie might not have, i don't think there could be much of a difference in what the snakes getting from the different sizes of feeder other than more of it, but like Kazerella said, 3 years isn't long to wait anyways, and if you can't wait, buy a 3 year old... Sssimples.
Also i have a question about that little chart in the OP, is that weight right to start feeding double pinkies or should you wait till they are a certain length? |
1.0 Bearded Dragon - Loki
0.1 Corn Snake - Smoo
1.1 Mexican Black King Snakes - Nameless |
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deleted
46 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2009 : 02:19:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Markus
I can't really see much of a problem feeding less more often, unless if a fuzzie has extra nutriants & what not that a pinkie might not have, i don't think there could be much of a difference in what the snakes getting from the different sizes of feeder other than more of it, but like Kazerella said, 3 years isn't long to wait anyways, and if you can't wait, buy a 3 year old... Sssimples.
Also i have a question about that little chart in the OP, is that weight right to start feeding double pinkies or should you wait till they are a certain length?
I think your point about the pinks is a good one, i know i wouldnt want to miss the growth spurts in young corns when they first get moved up to fuzzies.
Best to go by weights not length, its more accurate. You will find that even though you may have bought fuzzies or hoppers etc their weights will vary considerably. If you have time its best to weigh the prey items before feeding, if you pick a particularly small mouse, you could complement it with another small mouse to get the weight of the meal up. Doing it by eye is good enough though.
I'm thinking the regular meals could be more beneficial due to more nutrition being absorbed from the food item as its smaller. If the snake eats huge meals less regularly maybe more would get wasted than if that meal were split into 2 or 3 'portions' and fed e.g. 1x21gram mouse every 9 days OR 1x7gram mouse every 3 days which would add up to the full 21 grams over 9 days.
I am going to be testing this feeding method out with a couple of hatchlings this season. One will be fed on the normal schedule (see chart in previous post above), the other will be fed using a more frequesnt/smaller prey size approach. Will be intersting to see what the differences are. Obviously this wont be conclusive evidence, you would ideally need to test this on a much larger scale as snakes growth rates differ from specimen to specimen anyway!
Oh one more thing....
quote:
Originally posted by Markus
Sssimples
Compare the meerkat? lol
Cheers
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-- I'm here bcoz i'm not all there --
http://www.corn-snakes.org- My Corn Snake Website!! |
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2009 : 12:23:42
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quote:
Originally posted by jimmus
Hi,
could we get our corns to sexual maturity in 2 seasons as opposed to 3, or is it fine as it is?
i'd say what's the rush to breed?
is it a good idea for 13 year old girls to get pregnant just because they can? |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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n/a
deleted
46 Posts |
Posted - 13/04/2009 : 00:58:22
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| Yea I see where your coming from but if you are trying to prove out hets then 6 months or a year means all the difference. As long as mine reach the right size by the 3 year mark then thats good enough for me. Males however I am happy to breed after 18 months to 2 years if they are fast growers. |
-- I'm here bcoz i'm not all there --
http://www.corn-snakes.org- My Corn Snake Website!! |
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