How often should a year old corn snake eat?

I have some year old corn snakes ranging from 1yr to about a year and a half. I’m currently feeding them on a medium mouse weekly but I’m not sure if this is too much or if I should upgrade their food and reduce feeding. Thanks to anyone who can help.

6 Likes

You can do either! Keep on a weekly feeding schedule or feed slightly larger, but still appropriate sized prey every other week, no problems these are both fine feeding schedules! It’s up to whichever works better for you, your corn snake won’t complain!

5 Likes

thanks I think ill give them the next size up then once every two weeks

5 Likes

Yup. They’re very adaptable animals. I generally continue to feed my yearlings weekly but it’s perfectly fine to take the other option as @banereptiles says. Isn’t it lovely that corns are so flexible ?

6 Likes

Thanks but when should I decrease feeding at what age would be best because I heard that adult corns only eat once every 3 months?

3 Likes

That’s not a healthy feeding schedule. An adult can maybe survive on that, but it’s not a good idea. Maybe the source was talking a gap of 3 months between feedings during brumation?

I feed my non-breeding adults roughly every 7-14 days, depending on the individual. Breeding adults are fed more often, with adult breeding females being fed every 5-7 days at the peak of breeding season. Males are fed weekly when being bred, as long as they’re willing to keep eating.

Hope that helps.

5 Likes

Ok thanks but I bought 2 underweight adult males and was told to feed them monthly. They are about 7 years old and weigh 341g and 436g so should I increase their food to weekly too?

3 Likes

Those weights don’t raise immediate red flags. Without knowing the length is really hard to say if they’re at proper weight. It’s somewhat individual. As with any species, good, healthy body condition is the goal.

Looking down on them when they’re on a flat surface, you shouldn’t see a noticeable peak for their spine. (Females can show this just before laying, but we’re talking of adult males here.) They should be smoothly contoured. If you take an imaginar cross section of them mid-body, they should be shaped roughly like a load of bread, fairly straight sides and rounded on the top. If they’re too slender and angled from bottom top, increase their feeding schedule and/or prey size. If they get too round, cut back.

Good for you for helping a couple of underweight adults get into shape.

6 Likes

Corn snakes are pretty awesome, I have to admit it :upside_down_face:. Leaky is having me consider getting one or two more lol :joy:.

5 Likes

Thanks and one of them you can definitely see their spine poking out and only slightly on the heavier one they both are about 4 or 4 and a half feet

3 Likes

You’ve had them for a little while now, correct? Once you’ve had a chance to give them a few feedings and be confident that they won’t regurge from being too far under condition, it’s fine to increase their frequency of feedings. I would go with a regular sized prey item weekly. Again, they’ll survive on less frequent feedings but they need more than a monthly feeding to gain condition. Once in good shape, you can back it off to every 10-14 days of you want. When you pay attention to them, they’ll let you know if they need more frequent feedings with their behavior and body condition. Most adults need more than monthly to thrive, though there are exceptions.

3 Likes

Good job, Leaky!

3 Likes

Since I got them I have fed them both 1 jumbo mouse and they were completely fine on that. When I’m feeding my other snakes they do show attention so it I probably should bring it too a feed every 7-14 days

2 Likes

Going by weight and not age is going to be the easiest way to figure out the best schedule and prey size. While babies are on pinkies and fuzzies, I feed once every 5 days. Once they are on hoppers and larger, I feed weekly until they hit about 300 grams. Then, I’ll knock them back to every 10-14 days and keep an eye on body shape and and weigh them periodically to make sure they’re not growing too fast. Since yours are only yearlings, I’d probably keep them on a weekly schedule for now.

And as for this, even for a weight loss schedule with an obese corn, I would never feed only once every 3 months. Depending on feeder size, every 2 to 3 weeks is good for a large adult corn.

If you want to post pictures of any of them for us to assess body condition, feel free! :slight_smile:

5 Likes

Ok thanks I’ll make sure to send some pics later then

2 Likes





Here’s some pictures of there body. Sorry for the bad quality my phones broken and it’s making the camera quite blurry

5 Likes

They both look a bit underweight, but not extreme.

6 Likes

Yeah, @solarserpents is right they are definitely underweight but extremely bad.

5 Likes

Thanks their body’s do have a slight triangular shape but some more regular feeding should help them. Should I feed them weekly until they are a good weight or feed them once every two weeks?

4 Likes

I would feed them every week, just make sure the prey item is about the same size around as the body- don’t feed big prey items weekly. This will be easier for them to digest and put on a little mass. Also make sure the temps are where they should be and they always have plenty of fresh water, of course! They should be back in normal shape soon!

4 Likes