"snow" shots

I'm trying to figure out a way to get a photo shoot with a "snow" type element. Of course actual snow pictures are out of the question due to safety precautions. Any ideas on how to do a winter photo shoot without the dangers of the temperatures?

All can think of would be to have the snake at a window where the snow is right close. I'm assuming you live where you have snow?

Other wise, there's always batting you can get from the fabric store.

If you only need a little snow scene for a photo shoot you can make your own fake snow. If you combine this fake snow with spray snow used for flocking Christmas trees and windows you can make a very real looking wintery scene.

I didn't know if like that spray snow would be toxic because the fumes that come off it are atrocious.

I would probably use batting or some kind of fabric.

I know I have seen at least one photo of a corn snake on real snow, and I want to say it was taken by the Love's, but am not 100% certain. It was under special circumstances, I believe, but my mind IS working on a potential solution for you if you are not in a big hurry to get your photos.

Having grown up in the Catskills in New York, I know quite a bit about snow. I also know how cold it can get down here in Florida for our native corn snakes. For your photo shoot, watch your weather patterns and wait for those warm sunny days during the spring thaw where there is still snow on the ground, even if it's in patches, but the temps are nice.

A week or two ahead of time, stop feeding the corn snake(s) you plan on photographing. It's not going to hurt them. Then on that nice day, get a "warm" water bottle ready in a box and blanket set-up, take your snake outside and get your photos in the snow, spending only a minute or two at the most with the snake in the snow. Then, put your snake in the blanket/box with the warm water bottle (barely luke warm...don't want to go to extremes and hurt your snake) to let it warm up a bit before continuing with the photo session.

The snow will be 32 degrees at the coldest with air temps most likely in the 50's, easily tolerated by a corn snake especially if only in contact with the "extreme" cold for only a minute or two. It takes a longer for the body temp of the snake to cool to that temperature so the snake actually never gets that cold. Will it be a little uncomfortable? Probably, but I wouldn't think it would be nearly as bad for the snake as it is for me going outside on those frigid mornings to get the paper.

I think there are some "snow in a can" that are not toxic but I wouldn't chance it at all.

Let me think... being in the sign business, I get cotton wool by the big roll but I think you can also get it either at the pharmacy or tack store/vet clinic since it's also used for wrapping horses' legs.

cotton I feel would look to fake, thanks for the idea Susan I'll have to think about it. Right now we have so much I'd be afraid she'd get lost and may drop to much in temperature.

yojoe05 said:

I didn't know if like that spray snow would be toxic because the fumes that come off it are atrocious.

Click to expand...

Once dried it's completely safe and non-toxic. Just wait for it to completely dry before introducing the snake. :shrugs:

Also, like Susan said, taking them outdoors for short photo shoots is not going to harm them in the least. Cornsnakes are temperate colubrids and experience cold weather naturally. As long as the temps are above freezing they really will be just fine.
I recently had several snakes delivered to me in a trunk of a car with temps in the high 30's. The were in these temps for about 5 hours....they're just fine.
If you take them out for a shoot with temps in the 50's you really have nothing to worry about at all.