# 5 Month old Corn - right size?



## Westie (Dec 28, 2012)

So I've had my little corn Asenka now for two weeks, and asked her previous owner how old she is a few days ago as I'd forgotten to ask when he gave her to us. Apparently she's 5 months old now. She's feeding we'll so far, but is only 14/15". After googling a bit I've found most people's snakes are bigger by this age. Was just wondering if she's growing well enough?

(Hope this is in the right place, if not please can a mod move it?)


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## warrensark (Aug 23, 2012)

you don't say how much you are feeding her. I have an anery corn called Marmite who is around the same age (hatched 6th Aug) He is currently around 22-23 inches long and has 3 assorted size pinkies once a week.

To be honest, if she is looking good and healthy and not constantly looking for food, the fact that males are supposed to be a tad bigger than female, I wouldn't stress too much


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## Westie (Dec 28, 2012)

warrensark said:


> you don't say how much you are feeding her.


Yeah sorry. She's still on pinkies at the moment. Feeding her one every 5 days. Seems to be enough, leaving enough of a lump


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## warrensark (Aug 23, 2012)

I would be inclined to feed her 2 pinkies every 7 days


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## Westie (Dec 28, 2012)

I'll give her a try on two the next time I feed her then. It won't be too much for her as she's still small will it?


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## warrensark (Aug 23, 2012)

2 small pinkies will be ok 10-15 mins apart, you will soon know if she doesn't want it


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## Westie (Dec 28, 2012)

Alright then, thanks for the help =)


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

Could you post a picture of your snake please? Also, how much does he/she weigh?

A corn snale of 6 months old should be able to take fluffs/fuzzies, I would suggest feeding 2 pinkies per (just feed one pinkie and then the other once the snake has finished eating the first, there's no need to wait in between) feed every 7 days for the next few weeks or until your supply of pinkies run out, when you need to buy more then have a look at the sizes of the fluffs and buy a few, then look at the size of your snake compared to the size of fluff, you really would be amazed at what they can manage to eat, when mine first went onto fluffs I thought there is no way she'll manage that BUT she did and with no problem either.

Post a pic so folk can see he/she.


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## Westie (Dec 28, 2012)

It's just because I've read that food should be not much more than 1.5 times the girth of the snake, and more than this is over feeding. I'll try her on two then then next time


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

Westie said:


> image
> 
> image
> 
> It's just because I've read that food should be not much more than 1.5 times the girth of the snake, and more than this is over feeding. I'll try her on two then then next time


 
I don't pay any attention to that, I just use my own judgement on what my snakes can manage (have a look at my pic thread and you'll see my snakes) and looking at yours, which by the way is gorgeous, I would just try her with a fluff, judging by the sixe of him she'll manage no problem at all but if you prefer to feed 2 pinkies per feed and then move to fluffs then that's fine too, personally I'd just move right to fluffs if she was mine.


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## Westie (Dec 28, 2012)

AilsaM said:


> Could you post a picture of your snake please? Also, how much does he/she weigh?.


Just realised you also asked for weight. Just ordered a small set of scales and a few other things off eBay (been busy working so not really had the time to go the shops to get a set) so not sure just yet, should be here in a day or two.

But yeah. Thanks for the advice =)


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

Westie said:


> Just realised you also asked for weight. Just ordered a small set of scales and a few other things off eBay (been busy working so not really had the time to go the shops to get a set) so not sure just yet, should be here in a day or two.
> 
> But yeah. Thanks for the advice =)


No problem, once you start moving them up prey sizes they grow like mad


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## Westie (Dec 28, 2012)

Just had a look at your snakes. Dakotas a lovely looking corn


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

Westie said:


> Just had a look at your snakes. Dakotas a lovely looking corn


Thanks very much, she is my fav


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## warrensark (Aug 23, 2012)

second that - Dakota is stunning, as is Phoenix


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## Tyzer (Nov 11, 2012)

warrensark said:


> you don't say how much you are feeding her. I have an anery corn called Marmite who is around the same age (hatched 6th Aug) He is currently around 22-23 inches long and has 3 assorted size pinkies once a week.
> 
> To be honest, if she is looking good and healthy and not constantly looking for food, the fact that males are supposed to be a tad bigger than female, I wouldn't stress too much


I'm pretty sure that females grow bigger than the males I bought two corns at the same and the male is half the size of the female


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

warrensark said:


> second that - Dakota is stunning, as is Phoenix


Thank you, Phoenix is having a bit of a growth spurt at the moment, I need to get some new pics taken.



Tyzer said:


> I'm pretty sure that females grow bigger than the males I bought two corns at the same and the male is half the size of the female


With corns the sex of the snake doesn't make all that much difference to their size, males can be just as big as females, it's all to do with feeding and how they grow, they all grow differently with some quicker than others, also if you have a snake which has come from a pairing of adults of a good size - 4 to 5 foot or over then there is a good chance the resulting babies will be the same size.


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## tezzabear (Dec 12, 2012)

if she seems fine i wouldetn worry, i got my corn (male) 3 months old and he was on fluffs, they do seem big but he eats it fine :>


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## Westie (Dec 28, 2012)

Just got my scales through this morning. Weighed her and she's only 14g.. Is this right...?


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## sammy1969 (Jul 21, 2007)

Ok just a quick opinion and comment. Your snake looks fine for her age some snakes tend to grow alot slower than others it all depends on whether you want to force them on growthwise or not. I used to feed my hatchling a large pinkie at that age once every 7 -9 days and although she was slow to gain real length for a while she made a full 5" 1/2 foot at adulthood and lived to be 15 years of age I currently have four corns aged between 6 months and 3 years and the 3 year old is only 15 inches but this is due to her being stunted as she is a surviving twin her twin sister unfortunately didnt make it at all. the other are all between her length and probably 3 foot. As long as your snake has good weight and is shedding etc fine and she is not lookin for more food I would let her grow at her own weight and not worry she isnt going to make fullsize as she will in her own time and enjoy watching her grow and her colours develop.
AilsaM i can honestly say Dakota is a stunning snake infact all of yours are and i do love her morph I also thought your litle hoggie was especially sweet but i do have a soft spot for hoggies too


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## Westie (Dec 28, 2012)

Alright. Was just wanting to make sure, being she's my first snake. Been reading up a lot and just wanted to be sure I'm doing things right.
Thankyou


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## snakeadvice (Jan 7, 2013)

yeah like everyone else said two pinkies but to feed a corn snake make sure its 1.5 lager then its of the girth the thickest part of the snake or a tad bigger then the snake if u don't know how to multiply by 1.5


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## sammy1969 (Jul 21, 2007)

Westie said:


> Alright. Was just wanting to make sure, being she's my first snake. Been reading up a lot and just wanted to be sure I'm doing things right.
> Thankyou


I can understand that completely and it is always a worry when you are new owner that you may not be doing what is best for the said pet. I have been keeping corns for over 20 years and i was just as worried when i first came into the hobby I am not what most people think of as a mormal keeper as i dont believe in some of the usual ways of keeping ~ie the strict 7 day feeding of x amount of pinkies of this size at this time of day and prefer to follow a more natural form of feeding where as long as a hatchling does not go anymore than two weeks without food and the food is no more than 1.5xs the girth of the snake I am happy to let them go a few days under or over like they would in the wild leaving them to grow at a natural rate rather than forcing them to grow at a specific rate. I know some keeper do not agree with my methods but i would rather have a healthy snake that will live to a ripe old age than a snake that makes it maximum length sooner and has years taken off its life but then I always was an old fashioned girl
This is just my own opinion and not the opinion of all keepers


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## Westie (Dec 28, 2012)

sammy1969 said:


> i would rather have a healthy snake that will live to a ripe old age than a snake that makes it maximum length sooner and has years taken off its life


Don't get me wrong, I'm not worrying about her reaching max size quicker, it's just she seems so small and just wanted to make sure she is growing fine and isn't underweight or anything =)


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

sammy1969 said:


> AilsaM i can honestly say Dakota is a stunning snake infact all of yours are and i do love her morph I also thought your litle hoggie was especially sweet but i do have a soft spot for hoggies too


What a lovely thing to say, thanks very much for your kind words :blush:


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## sammy1969 (Jul 21, 2007)

I know what you mean about how small they can look and the fear they are not growing at the right rate etc the funny thing is at some stage you will look at her and think god she has grown lol when did that happen especially if oyu havent seen her for a couple of days through visiting family or going for a short break 

AilsaM you are most welcome I have to add your photography skills are very good as well and the pics and mirror show your snakes off to perfection


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

sammy1969 said:


> AilsaM you are most welcome I have to add your photography skills are very good as well and the pics and mirror show your snakes off to perfection


I've always thought my photography skills to be kinda rubbish but thanks for that :blush:

I do like the ones with the mirror though and am gonna try that again at some point.


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## LittlestarRed (Sep 8, 2011)

Aw little Asenka is gorgeous! Congrats!

As long as she's feeding at the correct size (as others have said prey size no more than 1 & 1/2 times her widest point) and seems healthy then there is nothing wrong with her size.

My Corn 'Nagini' is 21 months old and feeding fine on correct size prey, but she looks smaller than an average yearling! I was worried and took her to a vet as I was concerned. They told me that they all grow at different rates and not to worry as long as they are healthy.

Hope that is some reassurance to you.

Enjoy your lovely new snake! :2thumb:


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## Westie (Dec 28, 2012)

LittlestarRed said:


> Aw little Asenka is gorgeous! Congrats!
> 
> As long as she's feeding at the correct size (as others have said prey size no more than 1 & 1/2 times her widest point) and seems healthy then there is nothing wrong with her size.
> 
> ...


Thank you 

I was gonna call her Nagini but I googled some names first and decided on Asenka, lol :lol2:

But yeah, feeling a lot more reassured now thanks to you all. Cheers for all the advice


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## LittlestarRed (Sep 8, 2011)

Westie said:


> Thank you
> 
> I was gonna call her Nagini but I googled some names first and decided on Asenka, lol :lol2:
> 
> But yeah, feeling a lot more reassured now thanks to you all. Cheers for all the advice


You're very welcome!

Asenka is a fab name too! I suppose Nagini is better suited to a Burmese or Reticulated Python really, but I think it suits my ickle Corn! LOL

So many Harry Potter fan snake owners around! Love it!! :2thumb:


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## powerpuffruth (Apr 2, 2012)

My baby corns are 6 months and have been on a fluff ever 7 days since they were 4 months but to be honest they don't look much bigger than yours :flrt:


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