We were feeding on Tuesdays, but when we got the two new snakes we got thrown off schedule because they needed to go ahead and be fed on a Sunday (they were already overdue for feeding by a day when we got them and I couldn't stand to make them wait two more days). So we fed the new ones that Sunday, and then this past Friday, we gave them each a teeny tiny pinkie (and we had three teeny weenies so we gave the extra one to Pumpkin Jack who's always hungry)...so is it ok to go ahead and give them a regular size pinkie today, even though it's only been 4 days (not 5 or 7) since they last ate?

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~Juliane~

Guess I'll just wait until tomorrow....

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~Juliane~

It's fine Juliane. A hatchling snake can eat as often as every 3-4 days, if it wants to eat. Go ahead and feed.

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"If you know everything you may as well blow your brains out because the reason for existence is to learn more everyday." - Mark O'Shea, 2004

Thank you

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~Juliane~

Yeah - I'd agree. In the wild snakes need to be opportunistic - especially when they're little and growing fast. I think it's safe to say that a little corn in the wild would probably not pass up a nice meal because he was on "day 4" . Certainly it's best to stick to the weekly schedule, but I have varied mine on occasion due to sheds, or other logistical issues. Little corns are such good feeders for the most part that I don't think you throwing off their schedule a few days here or there every once in a while is a big deal. Heck - if it is, they probably just wont eat!

Changing the schedule once in a while won't cause the snake any harm - we occasionally have had to leave our snakes 2 weeks instead of the usual one because of lack of food. We used to feed our hatchlings every 3-5 days, then moved them up to every 7 days as they got bigger. Our larger snakes only feed every 2 weeks because of slower metabolisms and slower growth rate.

Snakes are opportunistic feeders in the wild, but it has been researched that smaller meals and more regular feedings are healthier for a captive snake, however don't worry if you ever need to feed a day or two earlier or later.

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"If you know everything you may as well blow your brains out because the reason for existence is to learn more everyday." - Mark O'Shea, 2004

Bingo! That's the same strategies I've been using with mine.

LOL! Varying a day or two from schedule is not that big a thing. The schedules are more important to us than the snakes! Since it is several days between feedings, using a particular day helps us keep track and to remember to feed. Trust me the snake isn't in there with a pencil and a calendar marking off days and wondering "where the heck is that dratted human with my mouse!"

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Haha you obviously haven't met my evil, highly intelligent, "i-know-it's-feeding-day--where's-my-food-woman?!" snakes!!

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"If you know everything you may as well blow your brains out because the reason for existence is to learn more everyday." - Mark O'Shea, 2004