Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Last night I brought home my first corn snake. It is a 5-6 week old creamsicle male and absolutely beautiful to look at (I'll post a pic when I can). Now, I researched owning a corn snake for a few weeks online, reading care sheets and following the forums here. I set up the tank, made sure I had the proper ambient temperatures, substrate, hides, and a well-fitting screen top. I made sure that I inspected the set-up for any possible ways the snake could escape, get hurt, etc. When I got him home, he explored for quite awhile and looked for good hiding places. He seemed very curious and healthy.

I had to leave for about 30 minutes and when I returned I looked in and couldn't find him anywhere. I freaked out and thought that he had escaped somehow. Then I looked in through the screen top and saw that he had wedged himself on a tiny ledge at the top of the tank, right against the screen. Through all my preparations I had not thought about this ledge at all. Well, I got him down gently and blocked the ledge.

I guess the lesson is that research can only take you so far, or that this snake is potentially smarter and sneakier than I am.

Joe

Lots of them will do that. Its kind of like an escalated track for them to exercise. I just let them keep going. But yes, no matter how much you prepare, something will not go according to plan.

EP
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Occupants not paying rent:
16 eggs incubating
7 balls
2.2 corns(candy cane, creamsicle, ghost, normal)
1 pueblan milk
1 everglades rat
1 cal. king
1 gray band king
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
2 fish
1 rat
1 mouse
5 cats

Joe,
A lot of snake species will do that as long as they can fit up there! I have a 33 inche female anery motley corn who will try to squeeze up there! I had a yearling yellow rat snake( who actually escaped a little over a month ago) that use to do the same thing. He escaped through a small opening at the very end of his tank. I thought I had secured the lid properly but it seems there was a small spot where I didn't have it fitted. My own fault. We learn from mistakes. Even expert snake keepers will have a snake escape on them! It happens.I had him for a little over a year. I tried to track him down but no luck. No trails in the flour,no sheds,no skat..nothing at all. I think he got out of the house or went into my vents and is either still in there or has gotten some kind of respitory illness from the dust in the vents and passed on

I just ordered a late 2003 yellow rat snake from Terry Parks. He gave me a great deal on the snake and his parents are a nice yellow color. I also have a yearling cali king who is around 29 inches long! He is always checking his lid to look for a way out. All snakes are escape artists so just remember to double check to make sure your lid is secure. I bought one of those critter cages made for reptiles. The lid slides into these slots and locks into place. There is really no way the snake could get out. These are a lot better then buying say a 30 gallon tank with a screen lid.

I also have two of the cages that have the slide lids that lock.
They are the size of a 20gal and they are great. The only thing different is they will not take the water pressure of an aquarium.
Becareful what you "seal" the top with..if you use any kind of tape...that can be a catastrophe...I speak from dumb experience. I tried to tape the ledge and my beautiful snow corn rooted her nose and got the tape moving and became entangled. I was very very lucky I got her loose and she survived. Just a note.
Nancy
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Some of my best friends are snakes
Snakes Rule

I can relate to how you felt!! With my gray banded king, I stayed up all night the first night we had him because he would NOT leave that ledge!!!! I was stressed out that he would get lost or worse yet, hurt! LOL I realized that he was, and still very much is, a very active snake and will seek out every inch of his cage. My snow has only been to the top once so far and seems like she didn't particular care for it much. Our blizzard prefers to lounge in the perimeter of his cage, sort of like outlining it.

I have been very lucky to have all my snakes stay put in their own homes and not wander into mine!!!!!
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Becki, loved by:

1 pet hubby
1 fur-angel, Great Dane, Lucky
1 lab/great pyr. mix, Bandit
1 grey banded king, Nitro (aka The Pig!)
1 snow corn, Nessy
1 blizzard corn, no name yet!

My hypos still scare me like that.I love it when you lift the screen and they drop on the floor.