Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got my corn snake last end of July. It started out at 11 in. 1/2 and has grown to 13 in. long. It hasn't gotten any thicker. I would like to have a big and healthy corn snake. I feed it once a week. Does it take two years to get a full grown corn snake? Do I need to feed it more to get a better growth rate? Do I need to feed it twice a week?

That doesnt sound right to me. It should be growing more than that and almost doubling in size the first year. What are you feeding it? A well fed corn should reach adult size in about 3 years. Some get their corns to adult size in 2 years or less, it all depends on how much you feed it. Hope this helped some.

EP
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Occupants not paying rent:
7 balls
2 corns(normal, candy cane)
1 pueblan milk
1 everglades rat
1 cal. king
1 gray band king
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
2 fish
1 rat
5 cats

I feed it pinky mice. And like I said, I feed it once every week. I still have to force feed it. It won't take the mouse by itself.

Just tell me how much to feed it, twice a week or three times a week. Just tell me your opinions.

Still force feeding? How often do you take a break from THAT and see if it will eat by itself? Does it ever puke (regurgitate)? Something is wrong. Once a week, or once every 5-6 days should be plenty if the prey items are large enough, but if the snake won't take food on its own...something is wrong.
Some snakes, no matter how hard you try, simply do not thrive. If you want a "big healthy cornsnake" ... You might consider getting another from a reputable source. Are all your conditions OK? Don't give up on the one you have....Do try some other ways of getting it to eat on its own (cutting the head off of a pinky is one of my favorites).
If you do get another snake, keep it completely apart from the one you have...No cross-contamination at all. Just in case yours has something wrong with it that is holding it back.
Good luck. Duffy

......The answer to your question might be: The snake you have now may never reach "full size" unless whatever is wrong with it becomes right. It's not wild-caught is it? You could get a good herp vet to do a fecal sample. Again, what kind of conditions are you keeping it in? Good luck. Duffy

Once a week is fine for feeding but you shouldnt have to force feed it everytime. That puts a lot of stress on them and will just add to any problems it may already be having. Like Duffy said, let us know the conditions its kept in; temps, substrate, hide spots, and anything else that you may have. As far as feeding, what have you tried to get it to eat? Sometimes you have to experiment with different ways before you find one that works. Good luck.

EP
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Occupants not paying rent:
7 balls
2 corns(normal, candy cane)
1 pueblan milk
1 everglades rat
1 cal. king
1 gray band king
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
2 fish
1 rat
5 cats

then they get fatter...............

( I breed at 20 months old.......)

I keep it in a 10 gallon aquarium. It's beding is aspen wood. I have a heating pad and I put on high, 24/7 . I keep the pad on one side of the tank. I got a wood mound for it so it can climb. It has a water bowl and it hides under it. I do have a lamp, but I never use it because it bother's me when I go to sleep.

I took it to the vet like in Nov., Dec., or Jan. (can't remember exactly). That's when my snake was very wrinkly. But, the doctor said it was still healthy. He measured and weighed it. He really didn't do anything for it. I just don't want to go their again just for him to look at it again and say that it's just fine and does nothing else for it. And, I don't want to waist my money him just telling me that.

Do you know the temps in the cage? It sounds like your doing everything pretty much right. Does your vet specialize in reptiles? Some vets will look at your snake but not really know what to do for it. Have you tried feeding it in a small deli container and leaving it overnight or anything? Let us know.

EP
-----
Occupants not paying rent:
7 balls
2 corns(normal, candy cane)
1 pueblan milk
1 everglades rat
1 cal. king
1 gray band king
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
2 fish
1 rat
5 cats

The temp. ranges from 80-90 degrees F. The vet. is more like a common vet. Not really a reptile vet but I think he did a good job telling me what to do. He told me to check the temp. and keep a good observation on that. There mihgt be a reptile vet somewhere. I always go to get my pinkies at a certain pet store and the owner knows who I am. I will have to ask her where a reptile vet is in town.

When I get my pictures developed and it won't be soon (it's my sister's camera), I'll have to scan them and show you my baby corn snake. I tooke a picture of him twice and his tank.

Question: Are you guys just regular snake people or are you like doctors running the site?

Nah, we're mostly just normal snake people. Although some of the people on here have enough experience to be one. Not me though. Do you have a copy of the Corn Snake Manual. Its got all kinds of info in it; a very useful book. Where do you live? Maybe soemone will know if of a vet in your area.

EP
-----
Occupants not paying rent:
7 balls
2 corns(normal, candy cane)
1 pueblan milk
1 everglades rat
1 cal. king
1 gray band king
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
2 fish
1 rat
5 cats

By the way my snake is getting ready to shed. I live in Mt. Vernon, Il. 62864. I don't think I need to go to a vet. now but it's nice to know that there is a reptile vet. around. And YES, I do have A snake manual just for corn snakes. The title is "Corn Snakes and Other Rat Snakes" by Barron books.

I had problems with my first corn snake not thriving, initially. I don't know if this will help, but I only had one hide on the warm side of my 10 gallon at first and my snake stayed in there all the time. She didn't grow much and had a bunch of regurge problems. I put more smaller hides in there-one on the "cool" end and one in the middle, just off the heating pad area. Maybe your snake is forcing itself to be too hot or cold because of lack of hides?

My experience with my first corn is that she will only go into the warm hide directly after a meal and spends the rest of her time between the two cooler ones. However, I have not had the feeding problems you are experiencing.

I, too, have a corn that will be a year old in July and he is around 21" long and about as wide as a Sharpie marker at his thickest point. But, if memory serves, when I purchased both of my snakes, they were much longer than 11". I think one was around 16" and the other about 18" or 19".

Good Luck.