bedding?

i just bought my first snake,its an albino corn! when i bought it they told me to buy this green turf like carpet! is that good bedding, because everyone on here with pics. got wood chips and straw! which is the best that i should use?also alls i know is that they said it was an albino corn. i looked at lots of pics and i think mines a snow het blizzard, how would i find out? will post a pic soon! thanks!

Probably not the right heading to post this under...so don't be surprised if it gets moved by a mod.

As far as I am concerned DITCH the astro-turf...it's junk. It can very easily harbor bacteria and fungus.

I use aspen shavings...very absorbant and natural...you can use newspaper for what it's worth...or repti-bark...shredded coconut.

Stay away from sand (at least I wouldn't recommend it) or any natural dirt or soil.

DO NOT USE CEDAR OR PINE SHAVINGS
They are potentially deadly to reptiles. Do not clean your tank or tank furniture with anything containing pine based cleaners.

Post a pic...if you got it at a pet store...I have seen amelanistics (amel) and snow BOTH listed as "Albino". It is fairly easy to tell the difference. An amel is a cornsnake that has no black pigment...so they vary between varying shades of red, white, yellow and orange. A "Snow" corn is amelanistic as well as Anerythristic ("Black Albino" no RED pigment). These snakes are Pink and white...with pink eyes...and very pale. You cannot tell if it is het for Blizzard by looking at it, trust me I have a snow het blizzard...and it looks like every other snow out there. I would recommend you purchase the Corn Snake Manual written by Kathy Love. It is available at most pet stores that carry reptile supplies...or available online at Kathy's site www.cornutopia.com it is an indispensible resource for someone wanting to learn about the care of captive cornsnakes.
Another book that explais cornsnake genetics in detail and has many pictures of the different morphs is the Buyer's Guide to Cornsnake Morphs.
It is available online at www.cornguide.com . It doesn't detail the care as much...but gets VERY in depth into the genetics and how the different morphs are created.

thanks 4 the heads up! i looked at the 1st site, gave me a lil info. so i'll ditch the turf 2-morrow! so i'll git the chips that aint cedar or pine....thanks alot!

I use beech shavings which i find quite good. The aspen stuff is supposed to be great 2. I dont know anyone that uses astoturf, but aswell as the bacteria problem, corns will sometimes like to burrow under their bedding so maybe some chips would be a better option.

Congrats on getting your first corn

Sorry, meant to say beech chips not shavings

i still aint got rid of the turf yet, and my snake is being dumb, cuz hes always under it! if i git the shavings, or chips will my snake burough under them? i love my snake and i only want the best 4 it!

They sometimes do bury underneath. Mine does it quite often, and under the heat mat. At least with the chips you can still get youre snake out without having to lift up the whole bed!! I would say that as long as your turf is soft it will be ok, but i would change to chips if poss, i just prefer them!

Hi There

The turf (as you have heard) is not the best for your snake- it can be used but it takes A LOT of work! you will have to have 3-4 pieces of it (some say two)- but basically you will be washing & drying turf most of the time, not fun! :eek1: The reason is that it holds bacteria & fungus & other fairly disgusting (and not healthy) things. I use three different types (in different cages) depending on the snake & whats going on with it. Aspen, paper towels & news paper. There are other substrates that are safe (& some more attractive)
I hope this helps! and if you want to get rid of the turf for now until you have figured out which you like better you could use paper towels- also snakes like to hide under stuff, so it almost doesn't matter what you use as substrate they will try to go under it!
good luck!
:cheers:

finally

i got the aspen shavings!my snake seems 2 like that,but burrows still. i have a nice v-shaped branch for it,a ceramic water bowl, and a 25 watt special uv-heat bulb, with no uth. it also has a paper towel cardboard for a hide! for its x-mas present was gonna get it a real hide, and a uth. i turn the light out when i go 2 bed, and when i awake, its out....but when i hit the light it burrows! normal? also it has never bit or attempted! give me some more ideas plz!

Sounds like an ideal set up. I got stuck for ideas with mine so I put in an extra level. You can get some great hides and stuff from www.cornishcrispa.com I use beech chips and have 3 4 hides. 1 in the warm end, one in the middle, one at the cold and one on the next level. You can buy this plastic moss which the snakes love to have in their hides (you can wet it when they shed) also the like toilet roll tubes (a cheap xmas present). You can also buy some plastic plants and attach them to the corners at the top for them to climb on. I can e-mail a pic of mine if u want.

I would add at least one more hide...one on the warm end and one on the cool end...

2 of mine love the toilet paper tubes...
One won't go in it to save it's life...BEHIND IT...just not in it...

I have shelves built with fluorescent lights on timers to provide photoperiod...it is rare that any of them come out when the lights are on...but come down there at night and they are ALL out...
And run as soon as they see me moving around..

well thanks 4 the input. my 1st snake and i must learn the proper things! he eats 4 the second time 2-morrow. when i went back 2 the pet store to get the aspen, i seen 2 more snakes i want, a milksnake, and an orange corn snake. they are only 3-4 months old. if i buy 1 of them,could i put it in with my albino{just wondering because of the size difference}, or would my snake eat the lil guy?

Personally I always keep all my snakes in their own enclosures...just to be safe.

Some people keep cornsnakes together with great success...

DO NOT put the milksnake in with the corn...or you are asking for problems...
Milksnakes are of the Lampropeltis Genus (Same as Kings) and other snakes are a prey item for them in the wild. If the milk doesn't eat the corn...it will cause great amounts of undue stress to your cornsnake...and the corn may not eat for you...or attack the milksnake or could result in some other serious problems.

I would also recommend Cocunut Fiber, it is usually called Forest bed or something like that. It looks and feels like dirt but my two little guys LOVE it. It holds moisture really well and in general I find it the most aestheticaly pleasing as well.

so?

i can put corns 2-gether and not put a corn with a milk? i seen that corns and milks were close relatives,or something! i'm confused! i really want a milk without the exspence of another cage! lemme know whats best!

I have just recently put another corn in with mine and all is going well, I have 2 females Amber and Humbug (pics on the picture link on this site). Is your snake a male or female? Dont put 2males together (if you do they must be seperated during breeding season) 2 female should be fine. If they are yearlings then make sure they are almost the same age/size, with adults size isnt too important, one of mine is about twice the size although its the same age and sex. Do make sure you check sex first though. If you decide to go ahead and get another the do put a post on here to ask how to introduce them, there are a few different ways of doing this.

2 corns will be fine together if they are of a similar size IE no more then 3-4 inches differance or a hatchling and 6-7 inches for a yearling or bigger, oviously an adult male and female will have more of a size differance then that but i presume you are talking about a hatchling. Have a look at my 2 on this link, http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16583 theirs 6 monthes differance and when the photo was took about 6 inches in size, they live happily together and have done for nearly 5 monthes now.

I STILL have to say...telling an inexperienced keeper it is ok to keep two corns together is a recipe for disaster.

If this is what he intends to do, please someone who keeps their corns together INSTRUCT him how to feed properly so no accidents occur.
I would hate to see him with one fat snake instead of two...

DO NOT put the cornsnake with a milksnake. They are NOT related. Milks are cousins to Kingsnakes. Milksnakes prey in the wild is typically OTHER snakes.
The Milk WILL eat the corn...and amazingly enough...even if the corn is bigger (within reason of course)

blckkat said:

A responsible keeper will acknowledge the fact that they really should be kept seperatly, and adjust accordingly.

Click to expand...

ABSOLUTELY!
Besides the amount of stress keeping these animals together can cause is amazing...

One of them may actually stop eating altogether until it dies.

How's THAT for stressful?