Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Took these today before feeding my 03 butter his first fuzzy. He weighed 17g and was 18.6" long. I thought the comparison pic next to my 02 Amel's freshly shed skin was cool. Amazing the difference a year makes with these snakes. Today she weighed 287g and was 43.6" long. That weight was also after she just pooped. I'm sure by breeding season in a month or two she will top 300g.

so what are normal growth rates? i've had my corn for just over 3 months now, and after 3 sheds he's grown about 2.5", from 15 to 17.5 inches. he was a late 03, so he's a little smaller than the other 03's i've seen, but he seems to be catching up. i'm not sure what he weighs though. i can't wait for him to grow, after his last shed, his oranges are almost blinding. its exciting. woo. i'm just curious as to what approximate size i can be looking at for my corn when he's a year old. thanks.
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-ryan
fancher@email.com
ultimate frisbee, volkswagens and snakes.

IMO, Jonah's amel is extremely big for a 2002. My 2002's are between 30 and 36" and between 160-180 grams. They are all still on hoppers.

My 2001 snake is even smaller than Jonah's 2002. He is only 41" and is 260 grams. He just started taking adult mice two weeks ago.

Their size all depends on how much you feed them. The more you feed them the quicker they grow, but if you feed too much you can shorten their life spans. I feed each of my snakes a small meal every week. And when I say small, I mean a mouse that barely makes a lump in the snake's belly.
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alstiver@hotmail.com

Current snakes:
1.0 2001 Hypo snow cornsnake
0.1 2002 Pastel Ghost cornsnake
1.1 2002 Bloodred cornsnakes
To be added when it gets warmer:
0.1 1998 Het Hypo, Het Caramel cornsnake
1.0 2000 Hypo Het Caramel cornsnake

She has just been switched to adult mice 2 weeks ago. She gets fed once every 6-8 days depending on when I get around to it and the circumference of the meal is never more than the largest part of her body. She shows no signs of obeisity. Also my other 02 is an okeetee male who is almost the same exact size(44.4" 302g). Ask a few more people and I'm sure you'll find my snakes are about average. By the way the meal should make a lump in the snake. Perhaps you are underfeeding yours. I don't claim to be an expert but I've done a lot of reading about corns in the last 18 months. I also think the fact that I am a physician gives me a leg up in caring for animals. Maybe I'm wrong, who knows?

I have both an 02 Butter & amel, and they are both around 36-38 inchs. Sometimes differnt bloodlines or individual snakes will grow larger then others. Average cornsnake size is listed at 3 1/2 feet to 4 1/2 feet, with some reaching around 5 feet. On the flip side, I have an 03 Okeetee that's blowing away some of my other 03 corns in size. No doubt mine will be simular in size to Jonas at the same age. All are fed the same schedule, and same size food. By the way, nice butter corn Jonas. That yellow will come in more & more as he grows in size. Okeetees & Butters, two of my all time favorite Corns.

Steve

Hit wrong key in error, meant to reply to Jonah, not Jonas. Sorry about that.

Steve

The butter is actually much more yellow in person. I appreciate your reply.

I'm currently feeding my 5 month old (15 grams, 15 inches) 1 pinkie every 4-6 days. He normally poops 1-2 days after eating, so I figure he's running it through pretty quickly. Is this an OK feeding schedule?
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1.0 Reverse Okeetee Corn snake Fuzzy
1.3.0 leos, Yoda, Geo, Tang, Ginger
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink Indigo (Indy)
0.1.1 frogs Buffy the Cricket Slayer, Butrose Butrose Froggy
1.1.4 firebelly newts Wayne Newton, Isaac Newton, Fig Newton, Juice Newton, Olivia Newton John & Helmut Newton
1.1.0 cats Gus & Mena

one pinkie every 4-6 days is what i've been doing since i got my corn. after a reading a couple posts on the subject, it seemed like that was the best quantity and frequncy for a healthy non-overfed snake.
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-ryan
fancher@email.com
ultimate frisbee, volkswagens and snakes.

It certainly sounds like you are feeding her correctly. Like someone else said, she may just be a fast grower. I just find it interesting that even though I've been accused of powerfeeding my snakes (though I disagreed with it) mine are much smaller than yours are at their respective ages.

Ask a few more people and I'm sure you'll find my snakes are about average.

Around where I live, the cornsnake owners that I know have snakes comparable to mine at the same ages.

I don't claim to be an expert but I've done a lot of reading about corns in the last 18 months.

I don't claim to know everything either. I'm not saying I do. I know I'm always learning something new about my cornsnakes.

I also think the fact that I am a physician gives me a leg up in caring for animals.

It may give you a leg up, but considering I worked as a vet assistant and I have a Zoology and Pre-Vet degree that should have given me a leg up too. But I know for a fact that I knew very little about how to care for a snake when I got my first one. Heck, most vets don't know how to care for snakes. Experience, I have found, is the only way to figure out the correct ways to do things.
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alstiver@hotmail.com

Current snakes:
1.0 2001 Hypo snow cornsnake
0.1 2002 Pastel Ghost cornsnake
1.1 2002 Bloodred cornsnakes
To be added when it gets warmer:
0.1 1998 Het Hypo, Het Caramel cornsnake
1.0 2000 Hypo Het Caramel cornsnake

Well said. Experience is most definitely the key.

I just have to say this....
Forgive me if you think it's mean, it's not meant that way AT ALL! But, I was (before I became disabled) a Medical assistant/receptionist in two very large pediatric clinics, one in Phx, AZ where several of the Docs were long term care specialists, one was an endocrinologist, and the others all had their pediatric specialties. And the other here in St.P, MN, where they also each had their specialty. These Guys and Gals were SMART! One was actually a genuis, a MENSA member and a Lawyer, along with being a Pediatrician. But I can tell you with all certainty that they knew NOTHING about Corn Snakes! haha, so being a Physician doesn't really give you a leg up But experience does!

I just found it funny that you mentioned being an MD gave you a leg up on corn care
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Dianne
AKA IcedGoddess
4.5 Cornsnakes
1.3 Cats
0.1 Child
IcedGoddess Creations
Castle Serpents

No offense taken but... being a physician means that I am better trained than the AVERAGE person to know how to examen ANY living creature to look for signs of health or illness. It does not mean I knew anything about CORNS before I got one. Having a trained eye and the intellect it takes to become a physician does, in my opinion give me a leg up on the average NEW corn owner. By the way you are a great contributor to this board.

Okay, I'll give you that

Thanks, I try to help those who seem to sincerely want it.
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Dianne
AKA IcedGoddess
4.5 Cornsnakes
1.3 Cats
0.1 Child
IcedGoddess Creations
Castle Serpents