How to Resolve Persistent Obesity

A few years ago I took in a corn snake rescue that was severely malnourished. My only previous experience with snake husbandry was my Ball Python which I have owned since 1990 (she's 29!) and a Northern Pacific Rattlesnake which I owned for 12 years (don't ask!).

Although less girthy than my other two, the corn snake was both underweight and much more active. I decided to put it on the same feeding schedule and offered it one jumbo mouse a week. The corn was a very easy feeder and I thought things were progressing well. Fast forward a year and one day I noticed that the snake no longer had a normal profile but instead had some odd bulges and creases along the last two thirds of its body. I looked online and realized that I had created an obese snake.

I gradually reduced the frequency of feedings until I was only offering one jumbo mouse every three weeks. Fast forward another year and my corn looks better but still has some issues along the last third of body length.

My snake is slightly over 4' in length and is allowed out of the cage to freely roam around my room whenever it desires. Last year I bought a 7.5'x7.5' popup screen room which I place out on the deck for the snakes when weather allows. Hopefully I can sandblast a large branch of manzanita soon and take more advantage of the vertical space.

My question (finally!) is what more can I do to reduce my snake's weight?

Snakes are survivors and colubrids are among the best, which means they don't need a whole lot of food to maintain weight. I would suggest dropping back the mouse size to a small/large adult instead of jumbo every three weeks. Jumbos are usually older retired breeders so they're pretty high in fat.

Otherwise, exercise and lots of it. As you noted corn snakes are pretty active of their own volition so I would look into getting it a larger enclosure so it moves around more even when you aren't home to let it out.

Never feed jumbo mice to corn snakes...jumbo mice are older breeders & they're very fatty!

I typically feed adult corn snakes (of normal weight) every 2 weeks, & at the most (in warmer months of summer) every 10 days.

Your snake is used to eating so often that she's going to be mighty unhappy eating every 3 weeks, and her metabolism might be better off if you fed her a
SMALL adult mouse every 2 weeks...I think that's what I'd do. Snakes are notoriously hard to put on diets & if they're anything like people (?), going so long
without food might trigger them to metabolize slower (conserving energy) to preclude starvation, making the "diet" backfire.

Branches are a good idea...:gj: And that's AWESOME that your BP is 29 years old!

I kept & worked with rattlesnakes for many years (though no longer) so I'd love to hear about your Northern Pacific sometime...I lived many years in So. Calif. :D

Thanks for advice! Wish I'd known about jumbo mice being fatty since I just placed another order... The snake has already been on a three week schedule for at least a year but I will do my best to increase exercise. Like I said I have a 7.5' square pop up "room" that I can set up on the deck when weather permits. She(?) spent several hours out today. Maybe I should purchase a small kiddie pool that will fit inside. I did read that swimming was good for weight loss.

I'd include photos but can't remember how to attach. They are uploaded to my gallery but when I compose my post and click on photo it wants a URL... Obviously not a forum pro!

Saw the gallery; corn snake could slim down a bit more. I also like the pop-up though I'd put a light colored towel or blanket on the floor if it's going to be in the sun, as those dark-colored floors can get quite toasty.

I was a little concerned about the dark flooring as well but so far it hasn't been an issue. I always check it periodically. There is good ventilation underneath from the decking and there is always a patch of shade somewhere since the top is solid fabric. I live in a coastal town in Northern California so 85 degrees is a HOT day here. I would love to add some sort of substrate, climbing tree, soaking pool, more hides, etc, but I have to break it down every day... Not everyone in the household appreciates the playpen taking up deck space!

A climbing tree and substrate might be a bit much to deal with but you could design a small PVC jungle gym that can be assembled and broken down quickly, and store it in a tub.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by puddinck

Thanks for advice! Wish I'd known about jumbo mice being fatty since I just placed another order... The snake has already been on a three week schedule for at least a year but I will do my best to increase exercise...

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Much like humans, no amount of exercise will overcome excessive food. If they haven't shipped yet, please do change the order...and if it's already on the way, consider
placing another for the correct size food for your corn snake...it really does matter. You might be able to re-sell the feeders already ordered with a local ad. :snake:

Left a message for Layne Labs yesterday. Hopefully someone listens before order processed...

I'm having some issues with Ball-Pythons.net. I have to log in every 5 minutes and my posting permissions says I may not post attachments. Does that include photos? I managed to add them to my only other thread months ago...

Sorry, know nothing about site issues, contact admin* or mods. No way you should have to keep logging in :confusd:

*See above, quick links to "view site leaders" (2nd category is admins). Not sure we have a list of mods...but bcr229 is on right now. :)