Corn snakes are highly recommended for all snake lovers because they can be suitable pets for all ages. Native to the United States and Mexico – corn snakes are docile, strong, attractive, and easy to care for.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Managing Corn Snake Habitat
Step 1. Purchase a tank for snakes of the right size
Adult corn snakes can reach a length of 1.4 m. You probably won't need a 75 L cage to start with, but over time you will. The cage can be a tank or vivarium. When the snake is small, it can be kept in a smaller tank, such as the Exoterra Faunarium or similar product. The length of the vivarium should be around 75-125 cm for a large snake, just make sure the cage is big enough as there is no real size limit.
Step 2. Give the corn snake enough heat
Provide a heating mat that covers 1/3 of the tank floor to provide the right heat gradient. The heating mat must be controlled using a thermostat as it can reach temperatures of over 120⁰C, which will cause severe burns to the snake. Place the heating mat over one side for a gradient. The tank temperature should be between 23-29⁰C, with higher temperatures in the warmer area on one side of the tank.
Corn snakes are nocturnal animals that use heat from underground, not from the sun, so heating lamps are not suitable for use in their cages. Hot stones are never suitable for use on any pet as they provide a limited source of excessive heat. Hot stones can cause serious burns to cold snakes that may roll around them
Step 3. Give the snake a place to hide:
You have to provide a hiding place for the snake to make it feel safe. Try providing a hiding place on the warm side, other options are optional. The hiding position should be in a warm area of the tank, on a heating mat. Hideouts can be anything from store-bought to Lego pieces. Be creative, but make sure the ingredients used are non-toxic.
Step 4. Cover the tank or vivarium with substrate
There are so many different commercially available floor coatings for corn snakes, but aspen sawdust and newspaper are the best choices. Newspaper is the best base because it's very absorbent and easy to replace, even though it's actually not very pleasing to the eye. Use aspen sawdust if you want a decorative substrate. Another good option is hay or spruce bark. Do not use cedar wood shavings for snake habitat as it can poison reptiles.
Step 5. “Never” catch a wild corn snake
Corn snakes are getting easier these days, but that doesn't mean you have to look for them in the wild. Wild corn snakes do not adapt well to confinement and have low survival rates. Breeded corn snakes have been in captivity for a long time and have become very tame. Find a good breeder, whether through forums or other sources. Pet stores are not a good choice because you can't be sure if the snake is from a trusted place. After buying a snake, leave it for 5 days before feeding or caring for it so it can adapt.
Part 2 of 3: Caring for Corn Snakes Day by Day
Step 1. Give the snake enough water
Provide a basin of water large enough for the snake to soak in, if he wishes. Change the water twice a week. The water basin can be placed on the cold or warm side of the tank. Be aware that a basin of water placed on the side of a warm tank can increase humidity.
Step 2. Provide adequate light
Corn snakes do not require ultraviolet light or calcium supplements as do other insectivorous reptiles. In fact, snakes DO use ultraviolet light to synthesize vitamin D3, but not in captivity because the vitamin is obtained through eating mice. In addition, snakes also get calcium from mice. The rat's liver contains vitamin D, while the bones contain calcium.
Step 3. Do not keep a pair of corn snakes in one container
Corn snakes are a solitary species. Keeping two snakes in one container can be stressful. Corn snakes in captivity (especially those that hatch there) have been widely recognized as cannibals, with both dying. The only exceptions are breeding pairs. If you want to breed corn snakes, check to see if the female is 3 years old, weighs 300 g and is 30 cm long (rule 333), otherwise try to find more information in a good book. Don't put a pair of corn snakes in the same cage until you know you and both are ready. Inbreeding should be avoided.
Step 4. Feed the corn snake one rat per week
Baby corn snakes are fed with newborn baby mice, the size of the food will increase as they grow, namely: newborn mice (pinkie mice), baby mice fluffy (fuzzy mice), small adult mice (hoppers), adult mice medium (weaned), large adult rats (adult), and very large rats (jumbo adults).
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Here is a rough overview of snake food. Note that the names of mice may vary by region.
- Snake: 4-15 g – Newborn rats;
- Snake: 16-30 g – 2 newborn rats;
- Snake: 30-50 g – Baby rat downy hair;
- Snake: 51-90 g – Small adult rat;
- Snake: 90-170 g – Medium adult rat;
- Snake: 170-400 g – Large adult rat;
- Snake: 400 g+ – Jumbo adult rat.
- The best way to feed snakes is to use frozen/thawed mice as they won't hurt the snake and are much more humane. Frozen rats can also be stored for a longer time as they won't grow or die.
- Pinch the prey using tweezers, then shake it in front of the snake to feed it. The snake will grab the prey and possibly tighten its body, then swallow the mouse whole. Do not feed snakes on loose substrate as this can cause fatal appendicitis if ingested. Feeding the snake outside the tank is an easy solution to this problem and also keeps it from connecting the tank to food. But be warned that snakes can regurgitate food when touched shortly after being fed, so wait 48 hours before handling it again!
Step 5. Keep the snake happy in its cage
Snake droppings are not too big so the cage does not need to be cleaned too often. The cage should be cleaned about every three weeks or so, but remove fresh snake droppings if possible. Feed the snake weekly and a change of scenery once in a while so that it feels good to be in its new home.
Part 3 of 3: Holding and Molting Snakeskin
Step 1. Handle the snake with care
Lift the snake starting from the middle of the body and support it with both hands. Keep the snake away from your face when handling it. Caress in the direction of the scales; Snakes don't like being stroked in the opposite direction. Do not touch the snake for 48 hours after it has eaten. Wash your hands before and after handling snakes. Don't put the snake back if it resists, try as hard as you can to get hold of it, or it will never learn to be tame.
Step 2. Know when the snake sheds its skin
When the snake's eyes glaze over, this means it's time for it to shed its skin. At this stage the snake should not be handled; as it may defend itself, wait until molting is complete.
- The thing to do when a snake sheds its skin is to provide a damp hiding place for it to recover, by covering a plastic container with paper towels or damp moss. The container must be given a hole and a lid so that snakes can enter it. While the trough should always be on the cold side of the tank, you should also place it on the hot side of the tank when the snake is about to molt. Also, spray water 2-3 times a day at this stage.
- The snake's eye will return to normal in a few days, followed by the sloughing of the skin. You may want to measure and laminate the leather as a keepsake.
Tips
- Do not disturb the snake during the molting process as this can put pressure on the snake.
- Visit an exotic/herpetological veterinarian immediately if a corn snake has health problems.
- Leave the snake during the molting process, it will be very sensitive and will not hesitate to bite.
- Buy a spray bottle to spray the snake with water when it is about to molt. This will help increase the humidity.
- The temperature of the heating mat WILL increase to 49⁰C. The use of a thermostat is a MUST! The thermostat is very important for the safety of the corn snake. A digital thermometer probe that can reach the bottom of the tank/vivarium (eg aquarium bottom glass) is also important because it can provide accurate interpretation of the gradient of the low and high temperature limits. Newly hatched corn snakes should be fed every 4 to 5 days, not once a week. If the snake is a little aggressive, seek out the Munson Plan for a proper feeding plan. The MINIMUM requirement that must be met in keeping a corn snake is that there are two hiding places in the cage, one in the cold part and the other in the warm part. However, having more than two hiding places is preferable as it can provide a feeling of security and peace for game species such as corn snakes. Join reputable forums, and use the advice and experiences of people who have been keeping corn snakes for a long time as a guide. You never know what you don't know, or when you need help or advice.
- If escaping from its cage, check all dark and small places – corn snakes love to be in tight spaces.
Warning
- Corn snakes may have breathing problems if they breathe through their mouths or hang upside down against a wall!
- Keep snakes away from other pets, such as dogs, so they don't become aggressive!
- Some people will suggest feeding the snake more often so it can grow bigger faster. This method is not correct, and most likely can actually cause 25-75% of snakes to die faster.
- Corn snakes feel threatened and may attack when their tail vibrates and their body forms an 'S' shape.
- Look for the snake under the substrate if you can't find it. Corn snakes love to hide.
- Be careful! Reptile skin can cause death if ingested.
