Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[callmechook]

Hi Pamela

Here's a bit from a care sheet that deals with feeding for Corns.

The proper diet for a corn snake is dependent upon the age and size of the snake. Corn snakes will eat mice, rats, lizards, and small birds, but it is not necessary to feed them all of these types of food. I will begin with what I consider to be a good diet for hatchlings. Hatchling corn snakes should be fed one to two pinkie (newborn) mice per week. Hatchlings will probably accept up to four or five pinkie mice per week, but this is probably too much food and can lead to some problems later. As the corn snake increases in size, the one to two mice per week should be increased in size proportionately. The mouse fed to your snake should not be so large that it makes a huge bulge in the belly of the snake. If a food item is too large, the snake will have problems digesting it and it may be regurgitated. It is much better to feed two small mice than one big mouse because it will be easier for the snake to digest the smaller mice. When possible, feed your snake pre-killed food items in order to avoid injury to your snake. A frightened mouse can do considerable damage to a snake that is not hungry. Obviously, snakes in the wild are not eating thawed frozen mice, but rarely in the wild do you find corn snakes that do not have a few battle scars. There are a ew exceptions to the above feeding rule. The first exception is for males during the spring breeding season. Male corn snakes will often lose interest in food during the breeding season, especially when a receptive female is present. The second exception is for gravid females. Gravid females should be fed up to three or four small mice each week prior to egg laying. Females may quit eating prior to egg laying. It is also essential to boost the food supply of females who have just laid their eggs. Remember, in order for corn snakes to properly digest their food they need some heat. The higher the temperature in the cage (see above) the better your corn snake will digest its food and the more willing it will be to eat again. A common cause of regurgitation in corn snakes is that the cage was kept too cool.


Hope that helps, on the biting thing I was 'terrified' of being bitten then when it happened I was looking away and only realished and turned back to find the snake attached I've had a Spotted Python baby do her best to eat my knuckle, and I just sat there saying 'thats never gonna work' and a half grown Corn that tried to swallow my mums finger end on which we had to discourage as he was working his way onto it, theres snakes I really don't fancy getting tagged by but a Corn has little thin teeth and even bigger ones are no worse than an injection plus being a lot quicker as they soon realise that 'thats not dinner'

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[Lynne]

good care sheet, i think the biggest danger if if you get a fright and pull away. then you can damage teeth.
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[pamela_s]

hi thanks for the info very helpful im going to pick a 5 month girl tamoz she is feeding on two pinkies im so worried ill get something wrong my sis is always telling me i worry to much so im going for it and will be picking her up tamoz morning she is a albino /amelanistic corn can't wait im not to worried now as if you can hardly feel it it can't be worse than my sis parrot flying on my cheek and biting me any way lol i will post some pics
cheers

[Lynne]

oh thats good news. look forward to the pictures.
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[kroakykaren]

Great news, you wont regeret it and it wont be your last
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[pamela_s]

thanks i know when i was looking at colours they were all beautiful i wanted them all i held a corn for the first time today and wow i know im going to want more my sis might lend me her cam buy if not ill have to use phone but ill try get a nice one

[callmechook]

Can't wait to see it, that first snake is always so special. I said only one and we have something like 29 or so along with other reps so thatdidn't last long The hardest part is always choosing but good luck and keep us updated babes

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[pamela_s]

cheers will do i have posted some pics what do you think it was hard once i got there they were all the beautiful i wanted them all