How often to feed a corn snake - Ask Extension
So I'm a new owner of a corn snake he's about 6 months old I want to say I know that when I was feeding him pink mouse a week but now I'm starting to ...
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How often to feed a corn snake #500790
Asked November 19, 2018, 3:13 PM EST
So I'm a new owner of a corn snake he's about 6 months old I want to say I know that when I was feeding him pink mouse a week but now I'm starting to feed him to Pink mouses at feeding time should I up how often I feed them or less or how does that work?
Marion County Iowa
Expert Response
Thank you for your question. An excellent resource for corn snake owners is the book, Corn Snakes - The Comprehensive Owner's Guide, by Kathy and Bill Love and published by Advanced Vivarium Systems. This reference discusses all aspects of maintaining corn snake health and providing a suitable habitat for your snake.
According to this book, juvenile corn snakes will accept tree frogs, small lizards, like anoles, and newborn rodents. Adults, 3 feet or more, readily accept adult mice.
Feeding frequency for adults is one to two appropriate size rodents every 7 - 14 days. It's also often easier on the snake's digestive system to provide two smaller food items than one big food item. Juveniles need to eat more frequently than adults. Juveniles can be offered pinkie mice. One pinkie mouse is adequate for a juvenile that is 10 -12 inches long. Juveniles larger than this can have two pinkies per meal. Once a snake has ingested its meal, don't feed additional food until the current meal has been digested and the remains have been defecated. Then you can offer 1 - 2 pinkies every 3 - 10 days.
A good rule of thumb for gauging food size is the food item should not be any larger than one and one half the girth of the snake at mid-body.
Here's a link to a corn snake care sheet by Kathy Love that is published by Reptiles Magazine:
http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Snakes/Corn-Snake/
The book mentioned above, however, is an excellent resource, however, and is usually available for less than $20.00.
I hope this answers your question, and thank you for contacting Ask an Expert.
Jim
According to this book, juvenile corn snakes will accept tree frogs, small lizards, like anoles, and newborn rodents. Adults, 3 feet or more, readily accept adult mice.
Feeding frequency for adults is one to two appropriate size rodents every 7 - 14 days. It's also often easier on the snake's digestive system to provide two smaller food items than one big food item. Juveniles need to eat more frequently than adults. Juveniles can be offered pinkie mice. One pinkie mouse is adequate for a juvenile that is 10 -12 inches long. Juveniles larger than this can have two pinkies per meal. Once a snake has ingested its meal, don't feed additional food until the current meal has been digested and the remains have been defecated. Then you can offer 1 - 2 pinkies every 3 - 10 days.
A good rule of thumb for gauging food size is the food item should not be any larger than one and one half the girth of the snake at mid-body.
Here's a link to a corn snake care sheet by Kathy Love that is published by Reptiles Magazine:
http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Snakes/Corn-Snake/
The book mentioned above, however, is an excellent resource, however, and is usually available for less than $20.00.
I hope this answers your question, and thank you for contacting Ask an Expert.
Jim
