how to tell if your snake is fat or skinny.

[BryanB]

I was talking to my vet the other day "who is very good with all animals" and she showed me a general how to. If you run you finger over your snakes spine and you can count the vertebrae it is skinny, and if you can barely feel the spine to fat. DON'T PUSH TO HARD but use a little pressure.

[Starbuck]

i can add to this (mostly for colubrids):
observe the snakes undercarriage. If it is bowed out and rounded, the snake is fat, also if you can see a bit of love handles running along its spine (if there is a 'dent' along the midline). Also, the snake should have a discernible 'neck'
thin snakes will have an over-emphasized neck and the belly region will appear 'hollowed'.

Obviously you have to apply this to your certain snake; as arboreal snakes should be much longer and thinner than most terrestrial ones, and the large bodied pythons etc may appear to have a bowed-out belly, but this is normal. The above criteria works well for snakes that you cannot handle, or if you dont wish to handle a snake for any particular reason (shedding, etc). Remember that snakes can tense their ventral/abdominal muscles and appear hollowed out and thin when in reality they are not.

[BryanB]

If anyone else can add to this please do I didn't know for the longest time how to tell.

[Starbuck]

lol there is a corn snake on this forum named Thunder-(thighs), he has large fat deposits just before his vent. This is atypical, but can happen in some obese/overfed snakes.

[Aaron_S]

lol there is a corn snake on this forum named Thunder-(thighs), he has large fat deposits just before his vent. This is atypical, but can happen in some obese/overfed snakes.

It isn't atypical in corns or other colubrids. A lot are overfed and tend to get these.

[Starbuck]

i should have said 'not all obese snakes have thunder-thighs, but it can happen' or 'just because your snake does NOT have these fatty deposits, doesnt mean it isnt fat'

I do agree however that many captive snakes are overweight and over-fed.

[Pirarucu]

Here's what I do. Look at a baby of the species, and use that as the proper weight. You will never see a skinny or obese newborn reptile...

[Amadeus]

Here's what I do. Look at a baby of the species, and use that as the proper weight. You will never see a skinny or obese newborn reptile...

Interesting, I never thought of that. The more you know.