Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey, all. I've been lurking on these forums for a while. I'll likely be getting my first corn snake soon and I had a few questions that I haven't seen addressed here (although I may have missed them). I plan to run a light in my snake's enclosure on a 12 hours on/12 hours off schedule, to simulate night and day. I know corn snakes are nocturnal, so is it considered best to handle them during the day, when they are resting, or at night, when they would be more active? Does it matter? How about feeding? Should they be fed at night, since that's when they'd be hunting in the wild? Also, I was wondering about the red and blue "night lights" that are sold for viewing one's snake at night without disturbing them. Does anyone have any experiences with those? Do they work well?

Thanks for reading, and I appreciate all the help. I'm sure once I actually get the snake I'll be posting pictures galore; I'll be quite excited
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Yankee_Em
1.0.0 Boyfriend, Adam (domestic, live-in variety)
2.0.0 cats, O'Reily and Lukie
1.0.0 betta splendens, Admiral Charles von Charles, the Crimson Dreadfish, Defender of the Bowl, Vanquisher of Mirrors, and Scourge of All Wormkind (don't ask).
No herps yet, but hoping and planning

Personally I see no reason to have any lights in a corn snake's cage. They are perfectly fine with the level of light that comes into their cage from ambient room lights.

Handling is probably best during the day for short periods but evenings are fine too just have to be a bit more careful as they may strike (rare in corns, unless wild caught in which case they tend to be more likely to bite at any time.) A sleeping corn is best to be touched with a hook or stick to 'wake it up' so you don't accidentally get bite by a startled snake. (wouldn't you bite if something huge suddenly grabbed you while you were deeply asleep?)

Feeding is best at dusk or not long afterwards. Corn snakes are most active at dusk and dawn as this is generally when they hunt. But feeding later in the evening is fine too. I have fed as late as 1am and the corns ate no problem (then again corn snakes almost never refuse a meal)

As for the red and blue bulbs...not worth buying. I don't think they bother a snake..but one that hunts by heat..it would be distracting (like snakes with heat pits such as ball pythons)
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PHLdyPayne

ok lets see with lighting im really not sure i dont use artificial light. i do know that the black light is not a good idea for amel corns not remember where i read that at. i generally hold mine when ever and feed in the evenings. some other info you didnt ask about but i am going to give as well is make sure you are using aspen bedding care fresh or paper towels. give the snake a couple hides i just use paper towel tubes for the babies. and one animal to enclosure.

if i forgot anything yall post away ...

Tom

>>Hey, all. I've been lurking on these forums for a while. I'll likely be getting my first corn snake soon and I had a few questions that I haven't seen addressed here (although I may have missed them). I plan to run a light in my snake's enclosure on a 12 hours on/12 hours off schedule, to simulate night and day. I know corn snakes are nocturnal, so is it considered best to handle them during the day, when they are resting, or at night, when they would be more active? Does it matter? How about feeding? Should they be fed at night, since that's when they'd be hunting in the wild? Also, I was wondering about the red and blue "night lights" that are sold for viewing one's snake at night without disturbing them. Does anyone have any experiences with those? Do they work well?
>>
>>

12 on 12 off is fine. Corns don't really need more then natural light but there is nothing wrong with lighting their habitat during the day. Make sure the lighting is low wattage. You don't want the light overheating the enclosure.
Feed whenever it is convienient for you. Day time, night time it really doesn't matter. A good healthy corn will eat when you offer it food. day or night. Corns are crepuscular (active at dusk) so evening may be a little more natural but captivity isn't exactly natural now is it?
If you want to use the "night" lights it's up to you. I would only use one when you want to watch the snake, no need to have it on all night.
Handle your snake whenever you want. There is no set time for that either.
Be carefull after feeding. You don't want to stress it out and cause a regurge. AND...be careful on the third or fourth day after feeding. You could get pooped on. Just be careful and use a little common sense.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

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Thanks for all the tips, guys. I have been doing a lot of reading, I just wanted to ask questions about stuff I hadn't seen addressed. If we had more natural lighting in the apartment, I might do without the light, but we live in a studio right now and only have the one window. There's a lady who lives about 45 minutes from here who wants to get rid of a baby corn snake, along with a heating pad, a light, and an 80 gallon tank, all for 80 bucks(!). Amazing what people who don't like snakes will do to get one out of their house! I figure I can get a smaller tank for the baby for now, then have one whopper of a habitat for it to move into when it gets bigger. We've called her and are waiting to hear back.
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Yankee_Em
1.0.0 Boyfriend, Adam (domestic, live-in variety)
2.0.0 cats, O'Reily and Lukie
1.0.0 betta splendens, Admiral Charles von Charles, the Crimson Dreadfish, Defender of the Bowl, Vanquisher of Mirrors, and Scourge of All Wormkind (don't ask).
No herps yet, but hoping and planning