Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I already have a few reptiles right now (leopard gecko, bearded dragon, mali uromastyx, and russian tortoise) which collectively take up a lot of electricity and a lot of space, but what can I do, they are my pets Now I've been really getting the urge to try a snake again. I was looking at BP's, but I think that would be a really tough sell to the parents (I'm 17 and living at home). I like cornsnakes a lot, and think that they would be a good snake to start out with. I did have a snake before, but I was so young I had no idea how to go about taming it, and as he got larger and more aggressive, my parents made me sell him. So obviously whenever I bring up anything about snakes, the answer is always 'no'.

I even have basically everything I would need (besides furnishings). I have a 10 gallon tank with a screen top (that fits tightly and can easily be secured), I have a stand for the tank, there's a heat pad on the bottom of the tank that covers a little over half, and I have tons of extra lights and stuff, flourescent and incandescent (the tank used to belong to my leopard gecko, before I moved him up to his 70 gallon palace). So basically I would need some hides, bowl, bedding, etc.

How would I go about selling the idea to my parents though?

Let me just start off by saying that while a 1o gal is fine for a baby, you will have to upgrade to a larger tank, as it gets older. Corn snakes are one of the most if not Thee most popular pet snake. They are known for their ease of care and their easy going attitudes. They stay a nice size for a pet and don't require tons of special needs. They generally eat frozen/thawed mice, so that makes feeding easy. They also come in the most amazing array of colors/morphs. Those are the key points that I can think of. Good luck, and do a little research. Maybe print up a care sheet to show the parents.

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------Misty-------
We have enough youth....How about a fountain of smart?

I know a cornsnake would eventually outgrow a 10 gallon. I keep my reptiles in large enclosures. My bearded dragon and uromastyx are in stacked 4'x2'x2' enclosures, my leopard gecko is in a 36"x18"x24" enclosure, my baby russian tortoise will soon have his own 4'x2' enclosure (as well as a large outdoor area to play in in the summer time). I would hope to eventually get something at least the equivalent of what my leopard gecko is in for an adult cornsnake.

BTW
I know that itch. I feel it every couple of weeks, and everytime I see a snake with a pattern color/morph that I don't have. That is why I have a whole bedroom dedicated to just pets, and it is starting to overflow to the gerage(that is where the feeder/breeder - mice, rats are)

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------Misty-------
We have enough youth....How about a fountain of smart?

I know this is kinda....off topic,lol. But I was wondering where you got your tanks for your feeder rats? I have two corns now, and I would love to have more. But don't have the room. As i am too, still living with parents. But if I have something like that then I could have more,lol. I know they are probably a lot of money. But I'm a snake lover...what can I say. If there is a way to have more...I'll find it,lol.

I actually got mine from Petco, when it moved locations. It was a $20 donation per row of tanks, and came with all the supplies inside! I know you can get whole displays, with the stand, everything for about $2000. My locally owned pet store can order them. I will ask from which company and let you know. This is a pic of an older model of the cases you can order. The new ones are much nicer, have the light fixtures outside the cages and are bigger. They are the ones for $2000.

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------Misty-------
We have enough youth....How about a fountain of smart?

That would be great if you can do that for me!!! And I can't believe that you got that other one for $20 a row!!! I wished I could get that lucky. I'm only 16 but will work hard to get what I want when it comes to animals,rofl. But I don't ever think I could save up that much...now that I have to save up for a car and everything,lol. And my parents...well my dad,lol... would never let my save up that much for a snake because he would say I have other things to save up for,lol. If possible...do you know where would be a cheaper place to get them???

Have you ever thought of building a rack system? My boyfriend and I have several corns (7) and we have them on a rack system and it saves a TON on space. They only take up one wall. When they get to big for the cages they are in now they will be moved up to the next size. Him and his dad have plenty of time to build that one as they are only about a year old. Just some food for though ...

I love your Beware of Attack Snake sign! My mother bought me one just like it and gave it to me for christmas!

Thanks. I have a few cool pics of my water cobras in front of the sign. It looks like they know what it says!
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------Misty-------
We have enough youth....How about a fountain of smart?

I like this better...

Walt

I would have your parents read this forum, first of all.

Also, since you're 17, you should research on the Internet and put together a 5-10 page report with photos and info. It should have sections for housing, feeding, care, shedding, and temperament. This will show your parents you're serious and that you know a lot about the subject (and literally "did your homework". I'm sure it would impress them.

Then, either find a local pet store that sells corns and that impresses you and take them there to see one and talk to the owner/seller. Even better, take them to a local reptile show. Once they see how tame the big ones are, and see that they don't get huge, that will help a lot. Also, make sure they know you will only need to feed the snake once a week and you'll keep the mice in a paper bag in the freezer, so they don't have to see them. (the best way is to get a Foodsaver and shrink wrap a large supply and then take a half dozen at a time in a Ziploc for weekly feedings. when those 6 are gone, you pull some more out of the shrink wrapped bags and re-Foodsaver it).

Good luck,

Walt

P.S. Keep in mind that once you commit to this, you're committing for a good 20 years or so. So you'll have to keep this pet through college, dating, a spouse, vacations, kids of your own, etc. Not something to take lightly!

Thanks for the info. The 'report' thing is what I did to get my bearded dragon, which is what I believe led my parents down the 'slippery slope' of reptile husbandry (meaning once you get one, you find you want more).

As for the 20 year commitment....I don't take stuff like that lightly. I mean, I just got a baby tortoise. That's a life long commitment, and maybe even beyond that. He is a fantastic little guy though with a great personality. Actually, one of the reasons I don't think I would get another bearded dragon is simply because they don't live very long. They are great looking reptiles, and some have great personalities (mine is somewhat stale, but I love him just the same ), but there are so many other great choices for a lizard that have even better personalities, and longer lifespans.

So yeah, lifespan is something I take into consideration, but I usually look at it in the way that longer lifespan is better. I am staying around here for college, and that is partly because of my reptiles.

It's funny how you say that. Because I have to do the same thing everytime I want a new animal...and it DOES work,lol.

If you have access to a library, Kathy Love's Corn Snake Manual is a WONDERFUL book and helped me alot when I first got started. Perhaps your local library carries it or you might want to purchase it for addition references. She has a new one out that is the most recently updated but the old one is just as good as the new one. If you want to purchase it just let me know I can get the ISBN numbers to you and you might be able to find them on Amazon for cheap. Or you could go straight to her website, www.cornutopia.com , they are both on there.

As far as the "presentation" to the parentals -- I have been doing things like that for my parents for years (I am currently in college) and it always worked. Somehow they seemed very impressed that I would go through that much trouble for something (even though it was no trouble for me) and would eventually give in and allow me to have what I wanted. I.E. - my own car (which I paid for), to live off campus, a cell phone, my own dog, and my snakes *grins*

Best of luck to you!!

I wish you luck with your parents; you've gotten some good advice.

The one thing I feel the need to add, that I'm surprised no one has mentioned so far, is that corn snakes are very, very addictive. Kind of like potato chips; you can't just have one. Will all the colors available, you will want more, and more.....

Spoken as a 3.5 month addict with 15 corns, who just bought racks to hold 24 adults and 78 hatchlings!

Leslie