Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My son wants a corn snake for Christmas. I'm investigating what is needed. First, let me assure you that my son is very mature, did his own investigation and has not come upon this decision lightly. Yes, we know they are a commitment, will require work, etc. We're committed.

Here come the questions though, as I'm getting really conflicting answers to some things. I've been to a few pet stores. We've gone from being told we need a 40 gallon breeder tank to start with, to being told a 12 inch by 12 inch plastic container will work (no, we didn't buy that).

Here's what I think I know. Let me know if I'm wrong...
1. I have a 20 long tank which will suffice until fido begins to grow.
2. I need substrate. Some type of wood shaving with a reptile label (anything specific)? Deep enough to burrow, how deep is that?
3. I need a water bowl, but am lost to size. Do babies drown? Do they need to swim or completely immerse? Is tap water ok?
4. I need frozen pinkies to feed one every other day? I've been told once every two weeks and I've been told once a day...
5. I need heat. Not a heat rock, it'll burn it. A heat pad (I don't really know what this is) or a heat lamp?
6. Been told I need a night time light. Been told I don't need a night time light? Which is it? ugh.
7. Need to poop scoop daily. Change 'litter' weekly.
8. Need to handle daily and feed in a separate cage when it eats so it doesn't bite you associating your hand with feeding?

I'd appreciate any guidance. I want a happy, healthy snake. Also, should I consider a particular color or sex? We're not into color, but would like the most docile pet possible. So if attitude is related to color please advise!

Thanks goodness I found you!!!

Let's see if I can answer some of your questions.

1. I have a 20 long tank which will suffice until fido begins to grow.

A 20 gallon could work for a corn snake's whole adult life, if you get the snake as a baby though, a 20 gallon is a lot of space.. Baby snakes need to feel safe to want to feed, a 10 gallon tank would've been fine for a young corn. Make sure the lid is secure, if it's just a screen lid keep a heavy object or two on each side, if it's in a slide in lid be certain parts of it still can't be lifted up, snakes are masters of escape (snakes are all muscle and babies can fit through anything).

2. I need substrate. Some type of wood shaving with a reptile label (anything specific)? Deep enough to burrow, how deep is that?

I'd say go with aspen bedding, if the snake is a baby a inch of substrate will work, for adults 2 inches maybe 3 in some areas.

3. I need a water bowl, but am lost to size. Do babies drown? Do they need to swim or completely immerse? Is tap water ok?

Any type of small tupperware container could work as a water bowl, Glad has a container that is about 2 inches tall and 4-5 inches across, with a inch of water this will suffice for up to 1-2 year old corn snakes, around 30 inches or so they would no longer fit in it and they'd be able to tip it over.
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www.kingpinreptiles.com

Snakes do like to soak in their water bowl sometimes, and they'll also just drink from it, crap in it, and knock substrate into it. So I'd provide a water bowl that is big enough for the snake to fit in, not knock over, as well as easy to clean/disposable. Water will need to be changed every 2-3 days, as well whenever the snake uses it as a toilet.

4. I need frozen pinkies to feed one every other day? I've been told once every two weeks and I've been told once a day...

Baby corns can and will eat every day if you want them to. They also grow fast. 1-2 pinkies per meal with one meal a week for a baby snake will work. After 6 months or so you'll need to upgrade the size of mouse.

5. I need heat. Not a heat rock, it'll burn it. A heat pad (I don't really know what this is) or a heat lamp?

Petco sells heat pads that will stick to the underside of the tank. Heat rocks are no good, heat lamps will work but aren't the best idea for corn snakes. A heat pad on one side of the enclosure, with the water bowl on the opposite side, and something to hide in/under on both sides. Snakes need a hot and a cold side.

6. Been told I need a night time light. Been told I don't need a night time light? Which is it? ugh.

Snakes love the dark.

7. Need to poop scoop daily. Change 'litter' weekly.

If the enclosure is larger I'd say a once a week spot clean will work. Just take out the waste. A substrate change every couple months or so would be fine.
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www.kingpinreptiles.com

The character limits on these posts is crazy LOL.. here's the last of my response...

8. Need to handle daily and feed in a separate cage when it eats so it doesn't bite you associating your hand with feeding?

Baby snakes bite whenever they feel threatened or hungry, and they almost always feel threatened. I don't handle baby snakes unless moving it from cage to cage for cleaning, but when they hit about 2 feet in length they are more tame. Though some baby snakes are laidback from the start (and some can seem like are possessed by the devil their whole lives). Feeding in a seperate cage is up to you, just make sure it doesn't get any bedding in it's mouth. Some baby snakes also won't feed if you're messing with them (they need to feel safe), I usually put mice in and walk away and check in the morning. Remember that in a bigger enclosure food will harder for the snake to find and digging it out for feeding time could stress it out. Don't handle the snake for a couple days after feeding so it doesn't throw it up. Forgot to mention in part 2 some baby snakes will only eat live pinkies, so whatever snake you buy be sure you know what it's feeding on. If you get the snake from a pet store maybe ask if they could try and feed it a frozen/thawed pinky infront of you.

Unfortunately you can't predict a snake's attitude as a baby, they are nervous little creatures when they're small because they think everything is going to eat them. But corn snakes do come in many many patterns and colors these days, check out this website's corn snake classified section and see for yourself.

Good luck!
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www.kingpinreptiles.com

I think everything Mike said is spot on. One idea for feeding little ones is this: I take mine out and feed in a small deli container or glad ware. This makes it easy for the snake to find the food. Also don't put any aspen in, so you don't have to worry about it swallowing anything but the pinky.

As they get larger, I don't worry about them swallowing a little substrate. I also tend to feed in the cage as they get larger.

If one of my adult corn snakes acts interested in my hand when I reach into the cage, I present the open palm of my hand. I have never had one strike at that.

Here is another way to feed babies, but it doesn't work for them all. Some will eat in or from your hand, others need their privacy.

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Kent

I agree with everything said by both of you. I've found that handling babies just before you feed them or feeding them in hand will calm & tame them quickly.
I always feed the little ones in deli cups or in hand.

Thank you everyone so much. I will be getting a book this week and 'prepping'!

Again, with much respect, I disagree with the last set of posts suggesting that it’s ok to feed your baby corn out of your hand or while holding the snake. Not only is this a bad habit to get in to, but it also increases your chance of getting nipped - at no fault of the snakes. Hey - if this processes works for you - great, but I think if the original person who started this threat is new to snakes, and or his child will be involved in feeding the reptile, you should begin your reptile experience with good habits.

While a person can never guarantee their snake will never bite, there are steps one can implement to reduce your chances of getting nailed. As we all know, snakes have poor eyesight to begin with, so why scent your hand with a pinkie? Baby snakes will easily take food from forceps either in their enclosure or in a separate "feeding" tank. I've found there to be a fine balance between handling a baby snake and stressing in out - I try to limit handling to several times a week at first. The biggest issue I've encountered with baby serpents is how squirmy they are - not to mention they're also perfect escape artists (but what snake isn’t?). Perhaps a bit too squirmy for a child - or at least handled in a confined area or room, so if the serpent does free itself from a person's hand, hiding places would be limited. Personally, I would be a bit hesitant to get a baby corn for a child - to me it would make more sense to get a yearling.

In my experience feeding in hand is the very best way to calm a squirmy, nervous and bitty baby corn. They learn the hand is a good thing that won't eat them. Once they calm down and become hand tame you no longer feed in hand.
If you are worried about being bit by a hatchling corn snake (that can't even break your skin) you shouldn't be keeping snakes.
My adult corn snakes are as tame as any corn could be...and they were ALL hand fed as babies.

The main thing you need is a book. Don Soderberg and Kathy Love have written inexpensive books on Corn Snakes that will answer all of your questions.

Tim

Third Eye Herp

I don't know if you'll still be checking this but if your corn isn't taking frozen/thawed mice readily (which is safer that feeding live.) you can try a method called braining. After the mouse is thawed out, just take a knife or pin and poke through the head of the mouse and let some of the brain ooze out, the baby corn will smell this and probably go nuts for it.