What age snake to get really depends on what you want out of the experience. If you want the challenges of raising a baby (they aren't really hard to keep but there can be problems that arise that wouldn't be as much of a problem in an older snake), but want to see it grow and go through it's color changes, go with a baby. If you want to feel safer getting a snake that is still young but has had enough food to be sure that it will eat once you buy it, then get a juvenile. If you want a large snake to start with and one that you can tell the temperment of, get a young adult (Less than 2-3 years would be best, but older can still be good).

A hatchling (or even a juvenile) will need a smaller tank. I've kept mine in 10 gallon tanks as babies, but even then, they sometimes don't do well, especially during feeding time. A rubbermaid shoebox is then recommended for temporary housing until they are bigger.

A 90 gallon terrarium will be plenty of room for an adult or two. It will have tons of room to move around. If you plant it, it should make a nice naturalistic vivarium. An adult corn can usually be housed in a 20 gallon long tank, but sometimes they get a little cramped in those. However, you may find that the 90 gallon tank is actually too big for the adult.

Remember to make sure whatever cage you use is escape proof.

A lot of people, myself included, think that it's best to house snakes separately. You can keep track of them better (sheds, feeding, feces, regurgitations, etc.) and you don't risk some other problems (cannibalism, breeding too young, stress, etc.). That being said, some people do house them together, but I wouldn't do it.

If you haven't thought of it yet, choose to feed frozen/thawed rodents. They are easier on you to deal with and not a danger to your snake.

Also, look around at all the different colors of cornsnakes before you buy. You may decide to get more after you get your first one, but you want to be happy with your choice. I love all my snakes, but early on I sometimes wished I would have gotten a different color morph as my first snake.

Good luck.


-----
alstiver@hotmail.com

Current pets:
1.0 '01 Hypo snow cornsnake (Tesla Coil)
0.1 '02 Ghost (pastel) cornsnake (Banshee)
1.1 '02 Bloodred cornsnakes (Desi and Luci Too)
0.0.2 Goldfish (Isamu, and Yuki; RIP Kabuki)
1.0 '99 American Eskimo mix (Rusty)

Next to be added:
0.1 BCI
1.1 Amber cornsnakes
1.1 Hypo Het Lavendar cornsnakes

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