Munson Feeding Plan Question

[nazanova]

So according to the Munson Feeding plan I should be feeding my Corn 1 3g pinky every 5-6 days according to his size (He weighs just over 11g) but the pinkys I get only ever weigh on average between 1.5-2g maybe just over 2g every now and then so I usually give him 2 of these pinkys when it's feeding time. According to the Munson Feeding plan he is soon supposed to be on 2 3g pinkys every 5-6 days and there lies my problem. If I'm already feeding him 2 pinkys to equal to the 1 he's supposed to have, how many am I going to have to give him to make up for 2 3g pinkys? I'm pretty sure he's too small for fuzzies right now and I'd have to give him about 4 of the pinkys I get to equal what the Munson Feeding plan suggests and I think that's too much. Or is that totally fine?

[Jim Smith]

I think that you'll have several different opinions on feeding recommendations. While I freely admit that I am still fairly new to keeping snakes as an adult (about 18 months), I have done a fair bit of research on snakes growth and feeding. I believe that when snakes are young, it is beneficial to feed multiple smaller food items and I would not hesitate to feed four small pinkies if the snake will eat them quickly on their own. As the snake grows larger and matures, I switch to larger appropriately sized food items and feed less food items and less often. The ultimate size that a snake grows to is determined by the quantity and quality of the food (especially when young) and genetics. Digesting multiple smaller food items is "supposed" to be easier for the snake to do than digesting the same volume of food in one larger item. I do not have any empirical data to support my assumptions, but I had very good success with this method and my snakes always grow quickly and are very healthy without getting fat.

[Obsidian_Dragon]

Any chance a local breeder might have bigger pinkies for you?

I managed to artfully avoid this problem so far--my king's bigger, so is about to try fuzzies this week. Up until now, when I've gotten a box of pinks I've gotten enough bigger ones to fed his greedy gullet while the smaller ones go to my garter.

(I'm assuming that you, like me, don't have enough snakes to make bulk online orders worthwhile, especially when they're still growing!)

I don't THINK feeding up to 4 pinks as a temporary measure until he's big enough for fuzzies would hurt, but I'm far from an expert.

[CosmicOwl]

Originally Posted by Jim Smith

I think that you'll have several different opinions on feeding recommendations. While I freely admit that I am still fairly new to keeping snakes as an adult (about 18 months), I have done a fair bit of research on snakes growth and feeding. I believe that when snakes are young, it is beneficial to feed multiple smaller food items and I would not hesitate to feed four small pinkies if the snake will eat them quickly on their own. As the snake grows larger and matures, I switch to larger appropriately sized food items and feed less food items and less often. The ultimate size that a snake grows to is determined by the quantity and quality of the food (especially when young) and genetics. Digesting multiple smaller food items is "supposed" to be easier for the snake to do than digesting the same volume of food in one larger item. I do not have any empirical data to support my assumptions, but I had very good success with this method and my snakes always grow quickly and are very healthy without getting fat.

I think multiple smaller prey items is the way to go. There is more surface area, and thus they digest faster. That means more calories and nutrients for your snake.

[EL Ziggy]

Nova-I used to use the Munson feeding plan as a guideline for feeding my colubrids. I saw slow but steady growth. Now I feed them 10-15% of their body weight per feeding. My snakes are growing faster and all are healthy and none are overweight. My new bull snake is roughly 45g. He gets 1-3 rat pinkys every 5-6 days. I think young snakes should be fed heartily and the Munson feeding plan is a little too conservative in my opinion. When it comes to feeding multiple prey items vs. a single prey item. I'd rather feed an appropriately sized single prey item. I'd rather feed one rat weaner as opposed to 2-3 small mice. I think it's more of a convenience than a benefit but it's also more cost effective. Best wishes.

[nazanova]

Originally Posted by Obsidian_Dragon

Any chance a local breeder might have bigger pinkies for you?

I managed to artfully avoid this problem so far--my king's bigger, so is about to try fuzzies this week. Up until now, when I've gotten a box of pinks I've gotten enough bigger ones to fed his greedy gullet while the smaller ones go to my garter.

(I'm assuming that you, like me, don't have enough snakes to make bulk online orders worthwhile, especially when they're still growing!)

I don't THINK feeding up to 4 pinks as a temporary measure until he's big enough for fuzzies would hurt, but I'm far from an expert.

Where I live I don't think there's any local breeders lol. I either get them from a big name store or a local pet shop and both sets of pinkys are as small as each other, your right about ordering in bulk. I only have the one snake so it wouldn't make sense plus he's growing at an extraordinary rate. The only thing I haven't tried is ordering his food online, if that still doesn't work then I've exhausted all options.

[nazanova]

Originally Posted by CosmicOwl

I think multiple smaller prey items is the way to go. There is more surface area, and thus they digest faster. That means more calories and nutrients for your snake.

So you think I should feed 4 like I'll end up having to do?

[nazanova]

Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

Nova-I used to use the Munson feeding plan as a guideline for feeding my colubrids. I saw slow but steady growth. Now I feed them 10-15% of their body weight per feeding. My snakes are growing faster and all are healthy and none are overweight. My new bull snake is roughly 45g. He gets 1-3 rat pinkys every 5-6 days. I think young snakes should be fed heartily and the Munson feeding plan is a little too conservative in my opinion.

I might try the 10-15% rule. Everybody seems to use it and it might work out better.

[nazanova]

Originally Posted by Jim Smith

I think that you'll have several different opinions on feeding recommendations. While I freely admit that I am still fairly new to keeping snakes as an adult (about 18 months), I have done a fair bit of research on snakes growth and feeding. I believe that when snakes are young, it is beneficial to feed multiple smaller food items and I would not hesitate to feed four small pinkies if the snake will eat them quickly on their own. As the snake grows larger and matures, I switch to larger appropriately sized food items and feed less food items and less often. The ultimate size that a snake grows to is determined by the quantity and quality of the food (especially when young) and genetics. Digesting multiple smaller food items is "supposed" to be easier for the snake to do than digesting the same volume of food in one larger item. I do not have any empirical data to support my assumptions, but I had very good success with this method and my snakes always grow quickly and are very healthy without getting fat.

Thanks for the advice! I'm glad that 4 pinkys wouldn't be that big of a deal, I was worried about over feeding.

[CosmicOwl]

Originally Posted by nazanova

So you think I should feed 4 like I'll end up having to do?

No way I would feed him 4 pinkies that weigh 2 grams. That's almost 80% of his body weight. One or two pinkies every 5-7 days should be fine. You don't have to push a little snake to grow. Once they get onto fuzzies and hoppers they will pick up.

[nazanova]

Originally Posted by CosmicOwl

No way I would feed him 4 pinkies that weigh 2 grams. That's almost 80% of his body weight. One or two pinkies every 5-7 days should be fine. You don't have to push a little snake to grow. Once they get onto fuzzies and hoppers they will pick up.

Ok I'm going to order some food for him online when I'm getting low to see if their any bigger.

[Aaron_S]

I use the 10-15% rule. Have been for a very long time. I should call it the "Reptile Enterprise Feeding Method." I could be as cool as Munson.

I have done it with multiple species including a few colubrids. Easily done, one prey item, once a week, 10 - 15% of body weight. Great growth rates. Also healthy rates.

[nazanova]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

I use the 10-15% rule. Have been for a very long time. I should call it the "Reptile Enterprise Feeding Method." I could be as cool as Munson.

I have done it with multiple species including a few colubrids. Easily done, one prey item, once a week, 10 - 15% of body weight. Great growth rates. Also healthy rates.

I think I'll start doing it when he's on the next stage of the feeding plan (the part where I'd have to feed him 3 pinkys every feeding day)

[EL Ziggy]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

I use the 10-15% rule. Have been for a very long time. I should call it the "Reptile Enterprise Feeding Method." I could be as cool as Munson.

I have done it with multiple species including a few colubrids. Easily done, one prey item, once a week, 10 - 15% of body weight. Great growth rates. Also healthy rates.

And thank you for sharing the REFM with many of us here Aaron . It's worked GREAT for my colubrids. I can attest to it's merits.

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

And thank you for sharing the REFM with many of us here Aaron . It's worked GREAT for my colubrids. I can attest to it's merits.

lol no problem!

I'm glad others can use it and can spread the information. It really digs down and cuts out a lot of hassle with size, thickness of snake and frequency.

I'm really glad to hear it's worked with other colubrids too.