Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have never power fed before and i have heard mixed opinions about it. I'm thinking about power feeding my baby corn, but I don't want to if he will become obese or have any problems. Does anyone know anything about it from experience or have any recommendations?

Different people have different views on power feeding and what it is. I usually feed my young snakes 2x a week. I feed them small meals so it evens out. I make sure they get plenty of exercise and if they seem chubby I skip a meal. Hard to feed a neonate too much as they are constantly growing.
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Onyx"

You don't say why you want to do this.

What's your motivation?? Prescribed feeding is one appropriate sized prey item every 5-7 days for youngsters and 7-10 days for adults. I feed my neonates every 6-8 days depending on shedding status, previous meal, etc.

Walt

Of course I know the regular feeding schedual, I'm no noobie hehe. My motivation is that I want my snake to grow fast, or at least reach full size before 2-3 years pass by... I'm not familiar with power feeding and I just don't want there to be any set-backs that could cause problems to him.

What's the rush to get your snake big?

That's all I'm asking.

Walt

from what i have seen with my snakes they wont power feed unless they want to ....my miami phase and common corn, both just went back on feeding a few weeks ago, i was used to them eating every sunday, from the summer.....when november hit, they ate once the whole month, then again in dec....jan i got them to eat twice...
so far this month they ate on feb 1st and then the 13th

Of course it is possible but they grow so fast. Some ask why would you want them to grow fast? My question is why not? If it is in there makeup to grow that fast without ill effects then why wouldn't you do it? I dont hold food back from my kids just because a lesser amount would keep them alive and they would still grow some but would not reach there full potential. I can understand when they get older and stop growing so much. But when they are hatchlings and use so much energy for growth, not to mention pinkies arn't all that nutritious anyway, why not fed them more? If they are kept in optimal temps, humidity etc. I believe it can only benifit them. I feed mine every third day. My 05 normal hatched in July and is now 26 inches long, eats fuzzies and very active. I can understand however if some breeders have 40-50 snakes that breed and then have hatchlings (100 or more) to feed, then it would make some sense to me. If there are no ill effects, instead of asking why, why don't we ask why not?

What I failed to say is that now that my norm is 26 inches and eating fuzzies he now only eats once every 7 days. They more frequent feeding was for when he was a hatchling to about 6 or 7 months of age.

IMO....power feeding isn't good. Now....people correct me if I'm wrong. But I do remember reading something about power feeding. And I read that power feeding makes the snake grow too fast. It makes the body grow so fast that the heart can't ketch up with the snakes body and just kinda gives up on it. That's why I think powere feeding is a no no,lol.

Don't confuse power feeding with "accelerated growth rate." Power feeding would be a feeding schedule more like 3-4 times a week and can lead to organ failure/ premature death. Accelerated growth is not necesarily a bad thing as long as your snake is not obese or generally unhealthy.
-----
0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Onyx"

Thanks everyone, he's up to eating two pinkies at a time every 6 days or so, so i'll just keep it that way for now until i can move up to one fuzzie every week. Thanks again