Corn Snake Feeding Chart
| Snake Age | Snake Size | Prey Type | Feeding Schedule |
| Less than 6 months | Less than 25 grams | Pinky or fuzzy mouse | Every 5 to 7 days |
| 6 to 12 months | 25 to 100 grams | Hopper or small adult mouse | Every 5 to 7 days |
| 1 to 2 years old | 100 to 400 grams | Large mouse or rat hopper | Every 7 days |
| 2 to 4 years old | 400 to 700 grams | Large mice (multiple) or a small rat | Every 7 to 10 days |
How do you care for a corn snake?
Part 2 Part 2 of 3: Taking Care of Your Snake Day to Day
- Give your snake enough water. You should provide a bowl of water for your snake, big enough for it to soak if it wishes.
- Provide adequate lighting. You should provide the snake with a natural light cycle (12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark).
- Avoid keeping a pair of corn snakes together if possible. ...
- Get the correct size of frozen mice for your snake. ...
How do you handle a corn snake?
How do you handle a corn snake? When going to handle a tame snake used to handling, approach with your hands from the side. Then pick it up supporting as much of the body as possible, without restraining the head or grabbing the tail. Once you have taken the corn snake from the tank, support its body and allow it to slither from hand to hand.
When to start feeding baby corn snakes?
- You’ll start by picking out a food item for your snake. ...
- After thawing the prey item, you’ll grip it with a pair of tongs.
- You’ll open the habitat and place the prey item in front of your snake’s face.
- Your snake may strike the prey item immediately, or it may take him a little while to decide to do so.
How often to feed corn snakes [diet details]?
Corn snakes do not usually feed every day, but feed every few days, depending on the age and size of the snake. Many owners suggest feeding in a bin outside of the snake's housing so that there is no chance of the snake of accidentally ingesting its bedding which can lead to impaction of the item in its internal digestive system and can lead to death. Corn Snakes should always be fed alone and ...
What do corn snakes eat as adults?
rodentsThe primary natural food of corn snakes is appropriately sized rodents. Some baby corn snakes also eat lizards or an occasional frog. Adult corn snakes may eat birds or their eggs.
What size food should I feed my corn snake?
Regarding what size prey to feed your corn snake, a general rule of thumb is to feed a rodent that is under twice the diameter of the snake's mid-body girth (preferably 1.5 times the snake's girth), but only if proper digesting temperatures are continually available to your pet.
What should a 1 year old corn snake be eating?
Feeding & Water: Corn snakes eat 1 frozen/thawed mouse every 7-14 days, from pinkies to large mouse depending on the size of the corn snake. A large bowl of tap water should be present in their enclosure and will need to be replaced every day. Corn snakes are very easy to feed and almost never refuse a meal.
What should I feed my 2 year old corn snake?
Mice or rats?Mice are the most popular corn snake food, as they “grow” along with the snake. ... Rats can be offered as feeders, but because they tend to be more nutritious than mice, they can actually make a corn snake fat if fed at the same rate as mouse feeders.More items...
What can corn snakes eat besides mice?
Corn snakes eat rodents as their primary source of food. They are carnivores that prefer eating small mammals that have a low chance of hurting them while feeding....Some of the other staple foods that corn snakes eat include:Birds.Mice.Squirrels.Lizards.Frogs.Smaller snakes.Bird eggs.Rats.More items...•
How do I know if my corn snake is hungry?
Snakes will let you know when they're hungry. They will start prowling their enclosure and their tongue flicks will increase in frequency and number.
How many pinky mice should I feed my corn snake?
In general, do not feed your corn snake anything larger than 1.5 times the size of its midsection. If your corn snake is a hatchling, feed it thawed pinkies, or mice that have not yet grown fur. Feed your hatchling one to two pinkies per week.
Can corn snakes eat raw chicken?
What is this? Snakes can consume human food like eggs, poultry, fish, pork, and beef when they are unprocessed. This means that the food should be given in its basic and raw form. You cannot give fried or saucy food to your snake as there are already other ingredients in the food that may make your snake sick.
Do corn snakes need calcium powder?
It is important to feed high quality rodents to your snake and it is always a good idea to coat the rodent with a bit of vitamin and calcium powders before feeding them.
Should I feed My corn snake in its cage?
0:276:45Should You Feed Your Snake in its Cage? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTo go feed it if you're defeated. And as usual enclosure. Then it would associate that enclose yourMoreTo go feed it if you're defeated. And as usual enclosure. Then it would associate that enclose your opening.
How long can corn snakes go without eating?
two to three monthsCorn snakes are known to go two to three months without food during brumation, but many species will take periodic breaks during longer brumation periods to hunt for new food.
How do I fatten up my corn snake?
3:355:11Corn Snake Feeding Guide - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipEvery 10 days or 7 to 10 days. And this is a real good adult size snake. When they get to 300 gramsMoreEvery 10 days or 7 to 10 days. And this is a real good adult size snake. When they get to 300 grams plus you're going to move to 25 gram adult mice. But the weight will vary.
How much should I feed my corn snake?
Juvenile corn snakes should be fed once a week and adults should be fed every 10-14 days. How long can corn snakes go without eating? A corn snake might go weeks to months without eating since their metabolism is slow, but they often become ill when they go this long without food.
Can I feed my snake two small mice?
1:586:53Can You Feed Snakes more than 1 Mouse / Rat at a Time? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBecause they don't know when the next time they'll actually come across food in the wild is thoseMoreBecause they don't know when the next time they'll actually come across food in the wild is those important that you feed the second Mouse at the right.
What should I feed my 6 month old corn snake?
Hatchlings: I fed my hatchling corns a pinky mouse every five days for a good six or seven months. Some say to feed hatchlings two or three times a week, however I think that's a little excessive. Juveniles: For snakes over six or seven months, feed once every seven to ten days.
How big a mouse should I feed my snake?
Most snakes should be fed a size of prey that is about the same size around as the snake's body at its widest point. 1 This means that as a snake grows, you will have to adjust the size of the prey fed to the snake to accommodate the snake's increasing size.
What to feed a corn snake?
For additional dietary variety, consider adding button quail, quail eggs, green anoles, house geckos, and/or Reptilinks to your corn snake’s menu!
What do corn snakes eat?
Like other snakes, corn snakes are carnivorous — and they’re not very picky. In the wild, they are known to eat mice, rats, birds, and bats ( The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles & Amphibians, 1979, p.605). They even occasionally eat lizards and insects ( source )!
How wide should a snake's prey be?
Offer a prey item that is between 1-1.5x the width of your snake’s body at its widest point (don’t worry about head size — snakes are very flexible). Depending on the size of the feeder and the age of your snake, you may offer two prey items in one feeding session.
How to tell if a snake is feeding or handling?
The most reliable method of so doing is to tap the snake gently with a paper towel roll or to stroke its body with a snake hook before handling. If the snake strikes, no harm done. If it doesn’t, it knows not to expect food.
What to put on snakes to fill gaps?
This means that there is a risk of developing nutrient deficiency over time. So it helps to lightly dust prey items occasionally with calcium or vitamin supplement to help fill in the gaps in your snake’s diet:
Can a corn snake eat a mouse?
Mice are the most popular corn snake food, as they “grow” along with the snake. As you probably noticed in the guidelines at the top of the page, a hatchling can handle a pinkie (newborn) mouse, and an adult snake can handle an adult mouse.
Can corn snakes eat live food?
The generally accepted practice for corn snake food is to use captive bred prey items that have been humanely euthanized and frozen rather than live. This is because live feeders will use teeth and claws to fight for their life against the snake — sometimes causing injury. Also, “stunning” a live feeder by slamming its head against a hard object will discourage fighting back, but it’s also incredibly inhumane.
How to Feed a Baby Corn Snake?
You can feed corn snakes of all ages in essentially the same way. However, hatchling corn snakes are often a bit trickier to feed than adults, thanks to the small size of their prey and the tendency for hatchling snakes to be more nervous than adults.
What are the main food sources for corn snakes?
Rodents (including voles, mice, rats, chipmunks and squirrels) As a general rule, lizards and frogs are the most important food sources for hatchling and juvenile corn snakes in the wild, while rodents and birds become the most important food sources for adult corn snakes.
Why Won’t My Corn Snake Eat?
Although corn snakes are typically enthusiastic eaters, most snakes will refuse food on occasion.
What is a red rat snake called?
However, as members of the genus Pantherophis, they’re occasionally called red rat snakes too (this isn’t as common as it was a few decades ago). In many ways, red rat snake is a better moniker for these snakes, as it not only describes their colors, it also illustrates one of their preferred food items. Rats aren’t the only thing corn snakes eat, ...
Why do corn snakes refuse food?
The most troubling reason a corn snake will refuse food is illness . A variety of ailments can cause a corn snake to lose his appetite, but a few of the most common include the following: Respiratory infections. Gastrointestinal infections. Internal parasites.
How to make a corn snake feel comfortable?
It can also be helpful to provide climbing branches, which often help make corn snakes feel more comfortable.
How long does it take for a corn snake to recognize prey?
Typically, scent transferring is only necessary for a few weeks, after which most picky corn snakes will begin to accept unscented rodents.
How to feed a snake a mouse?
Dangle the mouse into your snake’s vivarium or feeding tub. Whether you opt to feed your snake when it’s in its vivarium or using a feeding tub, the process is basically the same. Use your forceps or tongs to dangle the mouse by the tail about 5 inches (12.7 cm) from your snake's head.
What to do if a snake hasn't eaten?
If an hour or two has passed and the snake has not eaten, remove the prey, place it in another cage with a food and water source, and try again the next day.
What is a feeding tub for a mouse?
The feeding tub should be a container that can comfortably enclose your snake and fit into the vivarium. If you use a feeding tub, place your snake into the tub before feeding, feed it, then once it has swallowed the mouse place the snake and feeding tub into the vivarium.
How to know if a snake is hungry?
Casually observe your snake on a regular basis so you can get to know its behavior. Look for when it moves around its cage as if it were hunting, and begin to structure your feeding time by gauging when your snake looks hungry.
How to stop a snake from biting?
Handle your snake’s prey with forceps, tweezers, or tongs. Forceps and similar tools reduce the risk of snakebites by keeping your hands a safe distance from they prey and your snake's mouth. If you do touch your snake’s prey, or if you have a pet rodent, wash your hands before feeding your snake or putting your hands in its habitat. Otherwise, you’ll smell like prey and run the risk of getting bit.
Why isn't my snake eating?
If your snake isn’t eating, it could be due to feeding technique, temperature, other stressors in its environment, or it might simply be shedding. Steps.
How to get frozen rodents?
Make sure you get your feed from a good source. Big name pet stores tend to carry frozen rodents from good sources. Buying in bulk from a pet chain or an only reptile or snake society can save you money. You can see if your area has a local herpetologist, or reptile expert, or herpetology society. Consider consulting with them, or alternatively a local veterinarian, about local bulk frozen rodent buying options.
What do corn snakes eat?
Corn snakes are carnivores that eat a wide variety of animals like rats, mice, birds, or even bats in the wild. The type of prey you feed to your snake should be catered somewhat to your snake’s age and size. Prey that is about the same width or one and a half times the width of your snake is appropriate. Accordingly, a hatchling corn snake can handle a pinkie mouse, or newborn mouse, whereas adult corn snakes can handle adult mice.
How Often Should I Feed My Corn Snake?
Unlike other pets, you don’t need to feed your corn snake every day. In fact, you can usually go several days without feeding your snake, though the exact amount of time depends on how old he is. For hatchlings, you should plan to feed about once every 5-7 days. For juvenile snakes, you can feed every seven to 10 days. Finally, adult corn snakes only need to be fed about one time every 10 to 14 days.
Why are corn snakes good pets?
Corn snakes are great beginner pets because they are typically easy to feed and eat a wide variety of prey, making them relatively low-maintenance. Just remember to feed them the right amount in order to keep them healthy and increase their longevity.
How to keep track of snake feedings?
You can keep track of whether or not the feeding schedule is working for your snake by weighing him regularly. For adult snakes, you want to maintain, not increase, weight. If you find that your adult snake is consistently gaining weight, you can cut back on the amount of food or the frequency of feedings.
What is the color of a corn snake?
Corn snakes, also known as red rat snakes, are a popular pet breed of snake. They are typically orange or brown in color with blotches running down their backs. They also have black and white markings running down their bellies. It is thought that the name “corn snake” could have come from these markings, which somewhat resemble Indian corn kernels.
Can corn snakes eat mice?
You can purchase frozen rodents for your corn snake to eat. Most of the time, corn snakes will not have a problem eating frozen prey, but if it won’t eat frozen mice, you can feed it live mice. If you do feed live prey to your corn snake, make sure to monitor your snake’s enclosure carefully as live rodents can scratch and sometimes injure your snake in the process of feeding.
What do baby corn snakes eat?
A baby corn snake’s first meal is usually after their first prenatal shed. Baby corn snakes feed on pinkie mice due to their size and lack of mobility, making them easy food. You should feed your baby corn snake a pinkie once every 5-7 days.
What do corn snakes eat besides mice?
Did you know that corn snakes aren’t picky eaters? They enjoy feeding on most things that aren’t bigger than themselves. Primarily, they feed on rodents and also enjoy feeding on moles, birds, bats, reptiles, and amphibians. Baby corn snakes are very fond of tree frogs.
Can I feed my corn snake live rodent?
Naturally, a snake’s feeding reflexes are triggered by live prey due to their warmth. At first, you may struggle to feed your corn snake pinkies because they are already dead. It is for this reason that you are advised first to warm the pinkie. Due to this reason, some owners choose to feed their corn snakes live prey. This approach has its pros and cons.
Can corn snakes eat fish?
Surprisingly, there are snake breeds that eat fish instead of mice. Snakes can eat fish, but their bodies cannot digest them properly. Corn snakes cannot eat fish, but snakes whose natural habitat is water can. Some of these fish breeds include the garter snake, ribbon snake, and watersnake.
Why is my corn snake not eating?
There are several reasons why your corn snake may not be eating, including:
Can corn snakes eat fruits and vegetables?
Feeding a snake vegetables sounds very appealing; however, corn snakes do not recognize fruits and vegetables as food. Their digestive system isn’t set up to digest fruits and vegetables either. Snakes need meat to survive because plants do not contain nearly enough calories to sustain them nutritionally. Since snakes swallow their food whole, they cannot break down plant matter before swallowing it.
Why is my corn aggressive after feeding?
Your corn snake is aggressive after feeding because you are attempting to handle it before it fully digests its meal. You should give your snake at least 48 hours after feeding before handling it. If you use a different feeding tub, instead of picking your snake up to transfer them into their vivarium, simply put the feeding tube into the vivarium and leave it open for the snake to crawl out at its own time.
How often can a baby corn snake eat mice?
If it doesn’t seem interested, it’s too full. Once the baby snake can eat two pinkie mice regularly per week, it’s time to switch up to them once every 7-10 days.
How long can a corn snake go without eating?
In either of these states, the corn snake can go 2-3 months without eating at all if needed.
Why Would A Corn Snake Not Eat?
It’s good to know how often you feed a corn snake, but what if it’s still not eating?
How long does it take for a snake to digest food?
The first is by feeding your snake within 24 hours of it eating already. This is highly dangerous. Your snake needs the whole 24 hours to digest its food. Feeding it more could choke it and make it throw up. Never feed the snake more than one prey animal within 24 hours.
Do corn snakes eat meat?
Corn snakes are carnivores and eat only meat.
Can snakes overfeed?
They often feed their snakes as regularly as they can. This can cause some fairly serious health issues over time. It also dramatically shortens the life of the snake if you do it for a while. There are two main problems which result in overfeeding.
Can a corn snake eat a baby mouse?
Moderately-sized adult corn snakes can eat juvenile mice. Above-averaged-sized corn snakes may eat a fully grown mouse.
How Do I Get My Corn Snake To Eat?
Before getting your corn snake to eat, make sure it has been at least five days since its last meal.
What is the golden rule for feeding corn snakes?
Golden Rule Of Corn Snake Feeding. As with all snakes, there is a general “golden rule” for feeding them. This idea was mentioned above, but in this section, we’ll go into more detail on what this entails.
How to pick a mouse size for a corn snake?
While the best way to pick a mouse size is dependent on the snake’s size, this may not help you when it comes to buying feeder mice. They are often marketed by age or overall size of the mouse. You should still check all sizes, but here are the steps up for feeding corn snakes. 1 pinkie mouse. 2 pinkie mice.
How long can a corn snake go without food?
Corn snakes can up to 3 months without food when in brumation (like hibernation). Even not in this state, expect to feed corn snakes every 7-10 days. But of these reasons, one is an illness. However, illness is almost always accompanied by other signs. Look for some of these other signs of illness:
How big should a snake's mice be?
The golden rule is, as we mentioned, no mice should be more than 1.5 times the size of the snake’s body at mid-length. Even this might seem large to you, especially as snakes will swallow their prey whole. The body bulges out for a day or more as the snake digest the meal over time. For those not familiar with snake physiology, this is alarming. ...
How big should a mouse be when chasing a snake?
Always check for the size of the mouse to be no more than 1.5 times the size of the snake at mid-length.
How long does a snake's body bulge out?
The body bulges out for a day or more as the snake digest the meal over time.
