corncare

Introduction: If you are considering having a snake for a pet or if you have other kinds but no corns, you can't go wrong with a corn snake. These guys are fun to have and oh so pretty. These snakes are indigenous to our southeastern and western United States. Through captive breeding of many, many years these snakes come in a WIDE VARIETY of colors. These snakes are fairly easy to keep, very docile, inexpensive and easily obtained at shows/expos, pet stores, classifieds or from the many breeders who raise and sell these lovely snakes.

What do they look like and how big will they get?

Corn snakes start off as skinny little hatchlings about 8" to 13" long. If given a proper diet your corn will shed it's skin about once a month and grow right bfore your eyes! As adults, most corns get about 2 1/2 to 4 feet long and about the diameter of a quarter dollar (sizes vary). Corns are among the most colorful and attractive colubrids. Most have a " Corn snake" marking on the top of their head resembling a spear piont. Down their backs they have saddles, on their bellies they are checkered. Their natural coloration is rich brown saddles outlined in thin black on a straw to yellow colored backround. However through selective breeding by devoted breeders, they also come in many color variations such as: Creamsicle (orange and yellow), Red Albino (red and white), Snow (pink and white), Blizzard (all white), Anerythristic (grey and black), Ghost (very light greys), Pastel (greys,pinks and light tones), Sunglow (deep and light oranges), Motley (circles instead of saddles down the back), Striped (longitudal stripes replacing saddles down the back), Butter (yellow tones), Miami Phase (grey backround with maroon to mocha saddles), Hypomelanistic (deep red saddles with pencil thin black borders), Bloodred (a nearly patternless solid deep red), Okeetee (a locality of corn with normal coloration thats especially deep in tone), Zig-Zag (saddles are replaced with a zipper type pattern down the back), CandyCane (a white and red pattern resembling a candy cane), there are many more color variations. All said, they are very pretty and friendly snakes.

How much do they cost?

Cornsnakes will vary in price between $10.00 to $300.00. Most corns can be obtained for an average of $30.00...they are priced based on color (rarer colors are more expensive) and age. A very young corn or hatchling are generally inexpensive, however an established adult or breeder will be a bit more since all the raising has been done.

What do I look for when buying a Corn Snake?

Almost without exception, the corn you're looking at will be captive born, thereby eliminating a lot of disease/parasite related problems. The snake you are looking at should be alert, with clear eyes (unless begining a shed cycle, where the eyes turn a hazy blue color), they should have no cuts or missing scales, the belly should be shiny with flat laying scales, the vent (underneath where the tail begins to taper) should be absolutely clean and free of any crusty fecal matter and scales should be laying flat. Always ask to hold the snake (if the seller refuses to let you then don't buy it) , it should have good muscle tone (not be limp) and should appear alert and interested in what is happening. With a young cornsnake it is important to know whether or not it is feeding well. These guys can be poor eaters sometimes as babies, if possible ask to see the baby feed, ask for it's feeding records or perhaps it has a small lump in the belly area from feeding recently. Baby snakes are sometimes offered very cheaply priced - listed as "poor feeders"...unless you have experience dealing with problem babies like this DO NOT purchase that baby, it takes alot of experience and patience to work with one of these and often ends in heartbreak when all that can be done still doesn't work and the little one doesn't make it. Some baby snakes just never quite do well and don't make it, this is a sad event that is natures course even in a captive environment. If the snake you choose looks good, you can ask if it is male or female. Most breeders will either have them already marked, (there is a numbering system used for this 1.0 means a male, 0.1 means a female 0.0.1 means unsexed individuals) or they will check the sex for you. We find both sexes just as friendly and calm, you may even want one of each...after a few years you may want to try to breed your corns.

What will I need to take care of my Corn Snake?

Corn snakes should be kept individually and can be housed in many ways - for one, a 20 gallon long tank is an ideal life long house, you can lay newspaper or astro-turf down as substrate (make sure you clean your cages as soon as possible after being soiled no matter what substrate you use), make a hidebox, place some climbing branches - they love to climb - a dish of fresh water and an under the tank heating pad under 1/3 rd of the tank set on low. Temperature ranges should be between 75 degrees on the cool side to 85 degrees on the warm side. This gives your snake the choice of where it wants to be. If you find that one corn is not enough, this often happens due to their charm and beauty... you can set your "collection" up in a rack system! We keep our corns in Rubbermaid "Latchtoppers" that are 6" high x 24" long x 16" wide. You must drill ventilation holes all around the upper sides of the box and on the top of the lid. These holes should be small enough that your corn cannot crawl through one (Believe me, they will try) but large enough to provide ventilation and fresh air. These boxes can be lined up side by side on shelving with heat pads or heat tape on the back 1/3 of the box for a warm spot (when using any type of bottom heat, check that it is WARM NOT HOT to your touch) place a hand towel between the box and heating device if it is too warm. You can use newspaper as a substrate and 1/2 of a cereal box for a hide house to curl up and hide in. Our corns are thriving and happy this way! Don't forget a water bowl in the front (cool side) of the box.When your snake is in shed (the skin will appear dull & lackluster ~the eyes will begin to "fog over") it is best to provide them with a moist shed box to help facilitate the shedding process. An appropriate size plastic rubbermaid storage box will do fine. Cut a square entrance hole larger than the snakes girth in the box either on the side or the lid. You can either use damp Sphagnum Peat Moss, Vermiculite or damp paper towels inside the storage box. You will find the snake will spend a lot of time inside the shed box or even soaking in it's water bowl during the shed cycle. Rocks, sticks or other rough surfaces should be provide to give your snake something to rub against to begin the peeling off of the skin. Once completed, you will find the shed skin in your snakes enclosure. A good shed is in one piece and resembles a sock pulled inside-out. You should always check to make sure both eye spectacles were shed off as well as the tip of the tail. Any bits or pieces of skin left on your snake indicates too dry an environment and can be gently worked off with water or mineral oil ~ do not just leave them on as this can lead to various skin problems.

What do I feed my Corn Snake?

Most corns are hearty eaters, starting off with pinkies (newborn mice) and gradually working up to adult mice. Try to feed them the same size prey as the width of their mid body. You don't want to feed oversized items (this will result in regurgitation and injury to your snake). If your snake does regurgitate it's food it is recommended to wait 7 to 10 days before feeding again to give the snake time to get over the stress of regurgitation. You should always try to feed pre killed rodents at all times. We feed ours once a week and suggest you do the same - powerfeeding (overfeeding your snake) can cause serious health risks. You can purchase frozen rodents in quantity to thaw, warm up and feed as needed. We thaw ours in hot (not boiling) tap water until warm to the touch. A live mouse can quickly turn and bite and seriously injure your corn snake!

Conclusion:

Overall, the corn snake is a wonderful pet of medium size and they can become down right friendly! These are some basic guidelines, but you should read as much as you can on a snake's care before you buy one. Buy a book or get one from the library it will only help you to give the proper care to your snake. Always wash your hands after handling your snakes and cleaning their cages to prevent the risk of contracting Salmonella!