How big should the mouse I feed my snake be?

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.

How do I know what size mouse to feed my python?

Larger ball pythons typically eat larger mice or rats. Selecting prey for a ball python. As a general rule, you should select a rodent that is 1 to 1.25 times the size of the midsection of your snake. Smaller prey is fine, but avoid getting food that’s too large.

How much should a 1 year old corn snake eat?

Juveniles (18-36″ long) should be fed once every 7-10 days. Adults (>36″ long) should be fed once every 10-14 days. 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).

How do you know when a snake is hungry?

You can tell a snake is hungry when it exhibits specific behaviors such as: Prowling the front of the tank, being more active, focussing on you whenever you are near the enclosure, flicking its tongue more often, and hunting at a similar time each day or night.

How do you know if your snake is eating enough?

So use up whatever pinkies you may have left and then weigh the snake again and then we can tell you the right sized prey item. Do come back with current weight of the snake so can give you exact amount of food required, he/she is very small for that age.

Can you overfeed a snake?

Yes, they can over-eat and become obese just like us. They can get full and then decide not to eat for a few weeks, months, etc. and throw off their feeding schedule. Sometimes if you overfeed them, or offer a prey item that is too large they will regurgitate it.

What size mice should I Feed my snakes?

Here’s a helpful rule of thumb that applies to most snake-feeding situations. It relates to the size of the prey items. You should offer your snake feeder mice or rats that are roughly the size of the snake at the snake’s widest part (the mid-body area).

How do you measure a snake for prey size?

If you have a hard time judging how big around your snake is compared to the size of prey at the pet store, measure your snake at the widest part of its body. If you take a piece of string cut to that measurement to the pet store, you can do a quick check of the circumference of the prey available to find the best match.

What happens if you feed a snake a mouse?

If you leave your snake to its own devices for a while, the prey will usually be swallowed and it will gradually move down its body. Once in its stomach, the snake will have no problem digesting the mouse. Feeding your snake mice that are too big should be avoided.

What happens if a snake eats too big of prey?

If the prey is too large, injuries are more likely and can cause gut impaction. If you have a hard time judging how big around your snake is compared to the size of prey at the pet store, measure your snake at the widest part of its body.