Care Sheet-Corn Snake
Tuesday, 01 April 2008
Corn Snakes (Elaphe guttata)
| Distribution: | Most of United States |
| Habitat: | Hardwood forests |
| Size: | Four feet average |
| Lifespan: | 12 - 15years average with some making it well past 20years |
| Number of eggs: | 5-30 |
Introduction This is an ideal first snake, as it generally has a good disposition. This snake is also very capable of withstanding a large temperature range so it is very hardy making it an excellent first snake. Buying your first snake If you are new to snakes you should buy from somewhere that is recommended to you or where you are happy that the staff will be able to help you if you have any problems. It is a good idea to buy from specialist shops as they should have a better knowledge of the reptile you wish to buy. Care of your snake Temperature should be 80-85 F (27-30 C) during the day at the hot end of the vivarium, with a 5-10 F drop at night. It is best to have two thermometers, one at each end of the vivarium so you know the temperature at the hot and cold ends. Your vivarium (tank) should be about 35 gallons. It can be heated by many methods but the key thing to remember is that your heat source should be well guarded so that the snake can't get too close and burn itself. All sources of heat should be thermostatically controlled which can cost anything from $15-$50. This will be your most expensive piece of equipment, barring the vivarium itself. There are two main sources of heating commonly used for reptiles. The first are heatmats, cables and tape which are placed under the vivarium, if it is made of glass. This type of heating only heats the area they actually cover. This doesn't help the rest of your vivarium, so is best used in areas which don't get too cold. The second are bulbs and ceramic heaters. These warm the snake more naturally by raising the air temperature. We keep our corn snakes using both methods and find the snakes are doing equally well, so it comes down to personal choice. Furnishing your vivarium As a substrate you can use anything from newspaper to wood chipping, but you must not use anything with cedar chipping or wood in it as these are dangerous for reptiles. Don't use sand or saw dust as there can be problems with your snake ingesting these which can mean a trip to the vet or worse. Your snake will need somthing to hide under. This can be any thing from an old box, to a flower pot or a piece of cork. It will also need a water bowl big enough for it to fit in. This should be cleaned every two to three days or if soiled. Feeding Cornsnakes should be eating mice or small rats. Young corn snakes should be fed every four to five days, decreasing to every seven to fourteen days for adults. The food it eats should be as thick as the snake at its thickest part so if your snake is thumb thickness so should the food be. If you keep more than one corn snake in the same vivarium you must feed them separately as they may fight or even eat each other. PLEASE NOTE: These are general guidelines only. We recommend doing as much research as you can before acquiring a new pet. Please, don't hesitate to call us if you have any questions. If you have any health concerns for your pet, please seek veterinary assistance as soon as possible. Reptile VeterinarianBlair Animal Hospital: 746-2443