The Corn Snake Forum
The Corn Snake Forum
Home | Profile | Register | Active Topics | Members | Search | FAQ
Username:
Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

 All Forums
 Corn Snake Posts
 Corn Snake Health
 My snakes seem so small :(
 New Topic  Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Author Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  

NexivRed
Yearling

United Kingdom
551 Posts

Posted - 12/02/2013 :  12:34:06  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I'm constantly worried about this. Ophion was sold to me as a 2010 and I refuse to believe it, I've always treated her as a 2011. She came to me last summer in a hatchling box eating rat pups. She was the thickness of my little finger and about a foot long.
She now eats small mice and they leave a heck of a bump. I feed her once a week and everything with her seems normal. Length wise she's now closer to 2 foot, but she's so bloody slim still! She seems the right "shape", but she's the thickness of my index finger.

Bats also seems small compared to a lot of other snakes. He IS a 2010 and came to me a decent enough thickness and length, but nowhere near other snakes I see on here. I've seen snakes a year old frequently who seem the same size as him. He's thicker than my thumb but small mice also leave a bump, albeit not as big as Ophion's. He's a great strike feeder and have had no problems with him. Length wise he's closer to the three foot.

Should I feed them more/more often? At this rate Ophion won't be ready for breeding in 2014 let alone this year which is when she's "supposed" to be 3 years old. I'm going to weigh them both in a minute and maybe I can get some advice. I really wanted to start my purple, patternless snake project this year but it aint gonna happen. However I'm more concerned about their health and quality of life tbh.

R.I.P. 0.1: CB10 Ophion - pewter masque het amel
1.0: CB10 lavender stripe het ??? - Alabaster (Bats) Codify
0.1: CB12 hypo plasma het amel - Nebula
0.2: CB13 diffused 66% pos het cinder - Demeter (Mimi) & Bombulurina (Reenie)
1.0: CB13 hypo cinder ?% pos het amel stripe - Huckleberry
0.1: CB13 anery aztec het amel - Tetris
1.0: CB13 gold dust motley stripe - Helios

herriotfan
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
5853 Posts

Posted - 12/02/2013 :  12:46:22  Show Profile  Click to see herriotfan's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
How often do you feed them? If the mouse leaves a good size bump they don't need a bigger size.
I assume everything is normal i.e temps, no regurges etc.
Some snakes are just naturally small and they are perfectly fine.
I've got one male who is tiny compared to the others but he's healthy and perfectly ok.


Husband....Very Understanding!!! (Phil)
Son & Daughter (Kevin & Carol)
Granddaughter (Eva)
3.4.0 Cornsnakes Amel (Sidney) Caramel Stripe (Sultan) Amber (Cleo) Carolina (Phoebe) Anery Motley Stripe (Penny) Snow (Lily) Caramel (Holmes)
1.2.0 Royal Pythons(Peeps, Pandora & Pepsi)
1.0.0 Hognose (Hudson)
2.1.0 Dogs (Dillon, Alfie, Ellie)
0.1.0 Senegal Parrot (Peanut)
1.1.0 Bearded Dragons (Bonnie & Clyde)
1.0.0 Crested Geckos (Echo)
0.2.1 Hermanns Tortoises (Ebbie, Rosie & Twiglet)
0.1.0 Guinea Pig (Dolly-Pipsqueak)
0.1.9 Tarantulas (Poppy, Gypsy, Bumble, Insey Winsey, Sonic, Cookie, Raven, Fudge, Titch & Sox)
??? Foster animals
Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex
Go to Top of Page

NexivRed
Yearling

United Kingdom
551 Posts

Posted - 12/02/2013 :  13:07:44  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
No, never had a regurge. Temps have always been fine and they seem to digest and defecate all normal. I usually fine 2-4 poos over the days after I feed them. Is that too many maybe?

Weights and lengths:

Ophion CB11 (sold as CB10): 24" and 47g
Bats CB10: 30" and 115g

Ophion only moved up to small mice around 4 feeds ago. I think I was given a bit of a false idea of snake size and prey size when I was sold her maybe? Cos she was so small and eating such small prey I've always erred on the side of small.

R.I.P. 0.1: CB10 Ophion - pewter masque het amel
1.0: CB10 lavender stripe het ??? - Alabaster (Bats) Codify
0.1: CB12 hypo plasma het amel - Nebula
0.2: CB13 diffused 66% pos het cinder - Demeter (Mimi) & Bombulurina (Reenie)
1.0: CB13 hypo cinder ?% pos het amel stripe - Huckleberry
0.1: CB13 anery aztec het amel - Tetris
1.0: CB13 gold dust motley stripe - Helios

Edited by - NexivRed on 12/02/2013 13:08:02
Go to Top of Page

Blackcat
Sub Adult

United Kingdom
1235 Posts

Posted - 12/02/2013 :  15:16:48  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
They do sound a little on the small size - but as always stated on here; all snakes grow at different rates.
As long as they are eating, pooing and shedding as you would expect then I should imagine there is not a problem.
Both of my corns are CB11's (both late 2011 and only about 6 weeks difference between them)
Zeus is nearly 3' and weighs 180g
Morse is approx 28" and weighs 94g
Morse is fed small mice and Zeus is on medium mice, both fed once a week.
I always worried about Morse but having read posts on here I have come to the conclusion it is quite normal.
I will also add Morse is a much slimmer snake than Zeus and I have no idea of the sex of either so can't say whether it is a male/female issue.
I should think that now Ophion is on small mice she will have a growth spurt.
Hope this helps with your concerns



0.0.2 Corn snakes - Morse & Zeus
1.1.0 Brazillian Rainbow Boa's - Indigo & Ruby
0.0.2 Columbian Rainbow Boa's - Orinoco & Tobago
1.0.0 House snake - Hoggle
0.1.0 Crested Gecko - Ludo
2.0.0 cats (RIP Zebee), 0.1.0 Dog, 2.0.0 Horses
Go to Top of Page

eeji
The Morph Master

United Kingdom
4335 Posts

Posted - 12/02/2013 :  18:54:04  Show Profile  Visit eeji's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I have some 2010's that were very late starters and they are tiny too


Forum - Guide to Cornsnake Morphs - Punnett Square Calculator - Breeder Directory
Go to Top of Page
  Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  
 New Topic  Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Jump To:
The Corn Snake Forum © 2000-11 thecornsnake.co.uk Go To Top Of Page
Snitz Forums 2000