Time for double pinks??

[Snakefood]

My Blizzard corn was hatched June 18, 2011. he was 14" when we brought him home in August, He is now 19" long. I don't know what he weighs, I plan on getting the dig scale but that has been delayed due to loss of wage after hubby's car accident.

I *think* he is at the size for double pinks, but because the munson plan goes by weight, I am not totally sure. He seems healthy, no bones sticking out or anything. He is taking 1 mouse pink every 6-7 days right now.

What do you guys think about upping him to 2 pinks/feeding?

[millertime89]

pics of him with something for reference?

[youngster]

My 17" can take two pinks easy. I usually feed one but if he looks like he's hunting I'll give him another.

[Snakefood]

I'll give it a shot, he's so white that the light bounces off him and blurs the images!! I'll go see what I can do in the next few minutes!

[Gungirl]

If the pink isn't leaving a good lump for 24-36hrs you can go ahead and try feeding doubles.

[Snakefood]

here's some pics, hope they help!!

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[Snakefood]

btw that "tiny lump" is last nights meal! (1 pinky)

[infernalis]

I would not hesitate to feed 3 pinkies a meal.

[Snakefood]

really? Wouldn't I just go up to fuzzy's in that case?? Although it will be double/triple pinks for a bit, as none of my mice have given birth yet and once they do, I still won't have fuzzy's for 5(ish) days from birth. So there is still about 2-3 feedings before I could go fuzzy.

Plus he has eaten all the biggest pinkies I have, now we just have small ones left until the next batch is born.

[Gungirl]

I always think you should do double pinks for a little while ( month or 2 ) then switch up to a fuzzy just so that the food size isn't to dramatic. The pinks I had where tiny and I think the fuzzies where huge! It really depends on the size difference of the ones you have. if they are not far off in size go to a fuzzy.

[Snakefood]

well, the nice thing about breeding your own mice and rats is that you can cull out any size you want (once they are born) with 4 female mice giving birth within days of each other I had small, med and lrg pinks. (only have small now) my 4 mice should give birth within the 10-12 days, so I can just let them grow to the size I need.

Maybe I should cull half as med-lrg pinkies and start feeding him double pinks, then cull the other half once they reach the appropriate size fuzzy??

[Gungirl]

Sounds like a good Idea to me...

[Snakefood]

I didn't realize how quickly he was digesting his meals. I tend to leave him completely alone after feeding him for about 3 days. But I fed him a large pinky last night and took that pic of him this morning. The lump is pretty much already gone, and the only reason I can tell it's still there is because it was a black pinky in a blizzard corn!!!

[SSSSnakes]

I would not hesitate to feed 3 pinkies a meal.
I agree. If you offer it to him and he eats it, then give it to him each week. He will only eat what he wants. I have a king snake that size at work and sometimes he will eat a fuzzie and other times he eats 3 or 4 pinkies.

[Gungirl]

Haha I want a picture of the all white snake with black food in the tummy.. thats classic I might have to get a white snake now.. hrmmm:laugh:

[Snakefood]

If you don't have a white snake, you do need one and must IMMEDIATELY start looking for the right one!! They are so stunning, that IMHO, everyone should have at least ONE!!.

He's digesting so fast that even the color is gone now, I'll do another black pinkie next feeding and take a pic right after for ya!! It's hilarious!! I told hubby to go look at Khuno last night right after feeding, and he just about burst with how he looked then. A REALLY white snake with a really DARK tummyfull!

[Gungirl]

Haha thanks I would love to see a picture. I have a few snakes on my list before I get a white one but I have always wanted one in some way..

[Lankyrob]

Inever did the double feed thing, just bumped up to the next prey size, both my hatchlings took them fine when the time came.

[Snakefood]

did you judge when to do that by weight, digestion time, or just general size?

I am feeling pretty certain that I'm not feeding him enough anymore, and he needs more, regardless of how I do it. Although, like I said, it's double pinks till I have some fuzzy's ready (hopefully in the next 2 weeks)

[Lankyrob]

I did it purely by size, i try to match the prey size to be twice the size of the width ogf the corn - one of the advantages of being able to hand pick my prey items.

[infernalis]

If you don't have a white snake, you do need one and must IMMEDIATELY start looking for the right one!! They are so stunning, that IMHO, everyone should have at least ONE!!.

He's digesting so fast that even the color is gone now, I'll do another black pinkie next feeding and take a pic right after for ya!! It's hilarious!! I told hubby to go look at Khuno last night right after feeding, and he just about burst with how he looked then. A REALLY white snake with a really DARK tummyfull!


My snow and albino garter snakes are like that. I can see their heart and the other organs, as well as the food.

[Snakefood]

Rob, I know what you mean, I can't wait till my mousies have more litters so I can just watch them grow to the EXACT size I need!! it will be far easier IMO.

Wayne, it creeped me out to be able to see Khuno's heart and internal organs at first, and right after he shed, I almost thought there was something wrong with him since I could all of a sudden see them way better (even the individual blood vessels) I guess I am used to it now. But last night was the first black pinkie I ever fed him, so it was a funny moment on our house!!

[alessia55]

I love white snakes too... I really want a blue-eyed leucistic ball python some day... like, when I'm rich :p

[Snakefood]

Ahhhhh, *when I'm rich*

a) Palmetto Corns
B) Pastel Piebald BP's
c) panda piebald BP's.....................

Notice the "white" theme??LOL

[millertime89]

Leucistic Retics, Black eyes, DO WANT
Hoping to make super dwarf lucies in a few years once I can start my Retic collection.

[blindfireak40]

I would say either double pinks or Fuzzies. By the time 'Celli was that length, he'd been on double pinks for a while (he was on 2x pinks when I got him at ~15"). Just remember that snakes are smarter about eating than we (me, especially lol) give them credit for. If they can't get something down, they won't finish trying. If they can, then they'll do it. I'd say small fuzzies or 2 large pinks, once a week :)

[Snakefood]

kk, that's what I'll try. I don't have any fuzzies as of yet, waiting on 4 mice to give birth.

So tonight is feeding night, I'll give him 2 pinkies and see how he does!!

[blindfireak40]

I'm sure he'll do fine; I shoulda taken feeding pics today to show you, 'Celli's on "Small Mice" (Petsmart's designation) right now, and they stretch his neck out pretty drastically, but he gets 'em down no problem! Try getting Khuno to start constricting, it'll really help his eating :)

[Snakefood]

so far no constricting from Khuno!! he very lazily nom noms down his dinner, haven't been able to get him to strike yet.

[Gungirl]

so far no constricting from Khuno!! he very lazily nom noms down his dinner, haven't been able to get him to strike yet.

My corn does that. He slithers up to it opens his mouth and starts to swallow. that's all I ever get outta him. I kinda like it. :elvis:

[Snakefood]

I Just figure to each thier own!! Khuno eats likes Gungirls, helios has to do a complete inspection before slowly coiling around it and eating. Ananta jumps on it in strike position, coils it so fast that it's kind of a blur and the spends about 5 minutes "killing" it

[blindfireak40]

That's how Vermicelli started too, but he refused a couple of weeks so I took to doing the zombie dance as a matter of course. After a month or so, he began striking and coiling. I would agree, to each their own, but for a few points:

1) If you do the "dance" with the head pointing towards them, they tend to strike the head, helping them eat more easily. If they coil as well, they compress the prey to a small (but noticeable) degree, again easing the ingestion process. This is a fairly minor point, but important nonetheless.

2) Captive corns have an unfortunate tendency to become obese, and the striking and constricting process is a GREAT way for them to get some full-body exercise in. This helps their overall general health, muscle tone, and makes them a little more exciting besides. Which brings me to my third point...

3) Safe education and display. People on this forum have mentioned (several times) acquaintances that feed live because it's "more exciting". Getting a snake to strike and coil f/t holds almost all of the excitement, but none of the sadism nor the danger to the snake. It also allows the use of the snake in educational demonstration without the aforementioned drawbacks of live food.

As an example: I fed 'Celli one evening when family was over because my cousin's children were fascinated by him and unanimously wanted to see him eat (the kids are 3-5 years in age). Had 'Celli simply gulped down his food, I'm sure they would have loved it. However, due to the fact that he struck and coiled, the kids were even more entertained and left with a more accurate picture of how snakes work and a fuller appreciation for the beauty of an alpha predator (albeit a young one).

So to sum up: it won't really hurt a snake to not strike and coil. However, it can only help them to carry through the full feeding process (in my opinion). For me, all it took was dancing the mouse around. If Khuno doesn't take to it that easily, then you've already exceeded my experience and expertise hahaha :). You may wanna try getting him to though. Just a thought :)

[Gungirl]

I have tried dancing the mouse around and Ivan looks at me like I have 3 heads. He will just sit there and wait until I put the mouse down or hold it still.

[blindfireak40]

Fair enough haha...it may be something he grows into, as well. 'Celli didn't start striking and coiling until he got to be about 22" long or so. And really, as long as they're eating, we oughtn't complain, right? :yes:

[Snakefood]

pretty much my thoughts!! my 3 eat whatever I put in front of them enthusiastically!! mice, rats, even rabbit pinks! (my 2 adults that is!!)

[Snakefood]

Alright, Khuno ate a double pink meal last night, and his lump is still very visible tonight! So I think it will be double pinks until my mice give birth and raise up some fuzzies