Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was just feeding my snake and it had been a day or two longer than it usually is because i was away on the weekend. So he was very hungry and as soon as i went to lower the pinky into his container he grabbed it instantly which he has never done i usually have to let it sit there. But after eating he usually goes into his hide box right after and today he started cruising around his cage like he was looking for more, so i went and found the smallest pinky i had and thawed it and he grabbed that one right away too. But afterwards I was a little worried because I dont know if i over fed him, hes not that big. So my question is, does a snake know when he's had enough? or will he eat more than he can? and is there any danger in overfeeeding? will he regurgitate one or both of the pinkies? Thanks in advance.

I don't think in this instance that he was that overfed. Your question may generate a million different answers. Here are my thoughts.

In the wild, snakes don't adhere to a once a week feeding or what not. They may eat whatever they have a chance to overcome and eat. There may be instances where they eat a whole lof of prey items at one time, then they may not have the chance to eat for days, weeks, or even months.

There can be instances where snakes are fed too much or too big of a food item, which can and does result in regurgitation. The excitment and feeding frenzy may cloud their judgements. Then, there are the examples that the snake was able to keep the plethora of food items down, giving the idea that no matter how much you feed, it has or will not have no ill effect.

I always try to just play it safe and think about, " what is best for the snake?" I usually see how heavy my snakes are and try to keep them lean. Not lean as in skinny but lean as in not fat. I have seen so many examples of sped fed, fat snakes at shows, and for the animal, as well as us humans, obesity or the steps to becoming obese is never a good thing.

I think a decent meal once a week is great. Every five days is the shortest time I will go for some. You have some snakes that will grow just saying the word " grow " in front of them and then you have some that seem to take forever to grow, no matter how much you feed. I keep an eye on it and some schedules may differ. Some weeks I may feed more, some less, sometimes skipping a meal if the snake's weight seems to be a little too much. My biggest adults eat every 10-14 days, and they still grow!!!

In all, each snake is an individual and you may have to make adjustments accordingly. I usually have most of mine on once a week feedings, once every 5 or 6 day feedings on some, and then once every 10-14 days on the biggest. All this is give or take.

Take care!

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Genesis 1:1

I do very much the same...

I have some Kings that will eat every single day if I offer food and are not the least bit fat. I have others that I will only feed every seven to ten days because they will put on extra weight if fed any more frequently that that.

I just keep an eye on them and if they seem thick or dont appear hungry I let them go a few more days.

byron.d

as long as he has proper conditions to be able to digest what his big eyes make him eat, he will be fine. (IE snakes that eat more need to have higher temps to digest it)

Your snake should be more then fine eating two pinks. They will stop when they are full, and as long as they have good temps they will keep it down and grow all the faster.

and that whole thing with too deep of a water bowl??? snakes can swim just fine, and he will find anything you put in there. Put in something that won't evaporate in ten minutes and spill every time you touch the cage!

In my opinion, it's up to YOU to determine the size/amount of meals that it eats, NOT the snake. Some will not over eat, and some will fill theirselves like a "stuffed-sausage". There is no sense risking it's health with possible regurges from gigantic meals. Regurges are very dangerous, especially to young ones.
A very young snake like yours will do well if fed meals that are approx. the size of the largest diameter of the snake(even slightly larger)....if the pinkies aren't big enough to show a prominent lump, you can offer two.
Temperature plays an extremely important role in their ability to digest their meals properly, and can easily regurgitate if not kept warm enough(mid 80's at one end, and slightly cooler at other) with hide boxes at either is usually ideal....given this,....neonate snakes can be fed every 4-5 days or so, while adults can easily be maintained with meals once a week or so(unless putting on weight for breeding females).
Hope this helps!......................................Doug
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Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!

It is possible for them overeat.
Often they can handle more food if left completely alone but will regurgitate with the slightest stress when they have had a particularly large meal.
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3.6 L. getula californiae
1.1 L. getula nigrita
1.0 Boa constrictor constrictor (suriname, fostering/rescue)
2.3 Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata

That python that ate the gator and split open probably over ate, but that’s about the only one I ever heard of... That little snake is a RAT snake. It can probably eat six young mice and be perfectly normal. A little king snake can probably eat another snake as big as itself and be perfectly normal. I think you should feed it a lot more, but it will be fine with just one small meal a week too, probably. I do think under feeding is way more common than overfeeding, and when your snake jumps up and scarfs them out of your hand, take it as an indicator of some sort. Ha- whoever said you’ll get a lot of opinions was right!

I just went back and checked, that thing is a corn or what? I can’t even tell what the thing is! Sorry I called it a rat if it isn’t! I see your “handle” is Albking! You should not listen to somebody who can’t even tell what your snake is!!!

haha, well i'm new to this so advice from anyone is probly more informed then anything I come up with myself. As far as I know it's an albino prairie kingsnake, thats what the pet store said but some people said it didn't look pure.

Hmmm, it's funny you mentioned that,....because from that distance, it looks like a Hybrid of both Prairie King(calligaster) and Corn!.....can you post a good headshot so we can get a better look?....best regards,....................Doug
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Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!

Actually it still looks like Prarie x Mole to me. I have posted this before on this snake.

I used to breed lots of them that looked just like that. I took a Mole x Prarie F2 amel and bred it back to praries. Back then the 50/50% were called starbust kings. The amel gene came from the prarie but the deeper reds came from the mole.

There was an article in an old vavarium that had the Starbursts featured. Many of those were bred back into praries. Some today probably are watered down from 1/4 mole 3/4 prarie. But the colors still exist.

could very well be!....I've seen some of those deep red "rhombos" you're talkin' about!
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Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!

There you go again!!LOL makin' me giggle!ha-ha-ha... you're good !!!!!!!...your buddy,...........................Doug
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Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!

Hey Doug, you ever post something so fast and then you go back and think, man maybe I should have re-read that or something? LOL!!! Yea I knew right away that wasn’t a corn on the second look... The head has kinda a reverse arrowhead though compared to a corn. I should have picked up on it right away but I really didn’t give it much of a look the first time. I see now the water dish and how small that thing actually is. Oh well, what sense I got is mostly humor...

As long as he has adequate temps to digest.

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Mark

O.k., now I'm PRETTYYY SSSUUURRREEE that thing is a corn snake!!!

I'm still gigglin'!!LOLha-ha-ha,........And yes!, I thought I might have been wrong once!,...........but I was mistakin'!ha-ha-ha...........you'd make a great taxonomist!LOL
later dude!
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Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!