# Is my snake overweight?



## Jkarp (3 mo ago)

I feed her a large mouse once a week and she is over three feet long. Does she look overweight? She is also a cornsnake


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

IMO yes... Typically the cross section of the body is like a normal loaf of bread. Flat belly, with flat sides, and then a curved back. - here's an example taken form the internet - notice the vertical sides and defined spine. Your snake has a round cross section, which if its a pure corn would suggest its over weight, or it's a hybrid (cross with a king snake for example)


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## Jkarp (3 mo ago)

Should I start feeding her once every two weeks?


Malc said:


> IMO yes... Typically the cross section of the body is like a normal loaf of bread. Flat belly, with flat sides, and then a curved back. - here's an example taken form the internet - notice the vertical sides and defined spine. Your snake has a round cross section, which if its a pure corn would suggest its over weight, or it's a hybrid (cross with a king snake for example)


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

A picture of your corn more stretched out would show its size better. 

This is my female corn snake and she's a big girl, but you can see her defined spine. I have always fed weekly.


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

Jkarp said:


> Should I start feeding her once every two weeks?


Yes, & on small/medium mice. Only feed large or jumbo mice to full grown corns.


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## Jkarp (3 mo ago)

So she is about to shed right now so I don’t want to touch her but this is her stretched out a little bit


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

How old is your corn?


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

Its a shame the picture is cropped at the RH side... it would show if the body tapers nicely into the tail, or if the body reduces dramatically at the vent. A normal corn will taper nicely


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

Malc said:


> Its a shame the picture is cropped at the RH side... it would show if the body tapers nicely into the tail, or if the body reduces dramatically at the vent. A normal corn will taper nicely


Unless it's female.


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

wilkinss77 said:


> Unless it's female.


True, but I still have memories of a previous "overweight" corn snake where it's mid body cross section went all the way to the vent and then the tail was very thin.... Like these example images - This is what I was referring to. From memory I seem to recall that this wasn't an egg bound female either


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

Malc said:


> Its a shame the picture is cropped at the RH side... it would show if the body tapers nicely into the tail, or if the body reduces dramatically at the vent. A normal corn will taper nicely


Yes, makes it hard to see, but does look a bit bulky.


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

wilkinss77 said:


> Unless it's female.


Even with a female you should have a natural taper without bulging. Only time I'd not expect that, would be if egg bound, though even then you may not get a bulge.


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