Stunted Growth

Im just curious as to what could cause stunted growth (lack of growth) in cornsnakes. Or is it just that males have a slower growth rate to females? My female is growing perfectly and is cared for and fed the exact same as my male but is much larger (both of similar age), any help will be appreciated :slightly_smiling_face:

First of all, just because one is much bigger, it does not necessarily the other one is too small, as there can be variation in size and growth rate within a species. In this case, male Corn Snakes average larger than females in adulthood. If your male is way below what might be considered a normal size for his age, and has truly been receiving the same care as the female, then he may be genetically small (faulty genetics), or he may have not received enough resources during gestation, in which case he may catch up at some point. How old is he, how much does he weigh? How much does the female weigh?
Has he been small from the start, or did he start out a normal size and fail to grow?

How long have you had them and what age are they? Some breeders maintenance feed their babies and it can take them quite a while to catch up.

Growth in corn snakes is mostly dependant on how much and how often they’re fed. However, there are different localities that tend to grow larger or smaller. If your corn has Keys heritage, they may end up being a smaller, more slender adult. Okeetee heritage may end up being larger and stockier. Cinders (from their Keys ancestry) often have a very thin tear-drop body shape, even when they’re excellent eaters. Personally, I’ve never noticed a marked difference in size between the sexes, but my females have tended to be a bit larger than my males.

Of course the other possibility is a parasite or disorder, but unless the size difference is extreme or you’re seeing other things that may be wrong with the snake, I think it’s unlikely.

Male was born 17/06/21 and the female was born 13/07/21. The female is 87g but i have not yet weighed the male as he is very skittish and tends to thrash about. He seems to have no want to feed as he doesnt strike at his food. But he does eat when I’m away. Both eating a fuzzy every 7 days. Both shedding well and no visible health issues.

And how long have you had them? They’re still young, so at this age, if you’ve had her longer or if her breeder fed her better, it can make quite a difference.

I got them both in late August last year

Well, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. They can grow at different rates. I have a bunch of 2021 babies that were non-feeders to start with and now that they’re eating well, they’re all in the 20-30 gram range, with the exception of one who is somehow almost 50 grams! And my 2021s that were not non-feeders are around 60 grams. As long as you’re not seeing anything concerning with him, just continue to feed him appropriately and he’ll grow at his own pace.

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Thanks for the feedback :grinning:

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