hey guys im new here and just bought my first corn today and hes def a young hatchling, so hes not used to being handled yet. how long should it take him to get used to me handling him. i purposely got a corn as my first snake cuz i know they are docile and able to be handled frequently, no fangs either haha. thanks for the input!! ill have pics up soon.
Actually, Corn snakes do have fangs. How do you suppose they grab their prey in the first place, lol?
Nanci's given you great advice there, but next time make sure you do your research BEFORE getting a snake. Essentially, to break it down for you:
-80 - 85 warm side, 70 - 75 cool side. Heat the warm side with a heat mat as belly heat is the most efficient for digestion and regulate it with a thermostat such as the HabiStat Temperature Thermostat.
- If you don't already have one, get a digital thermometer with a probe to check the temperatures, never guess.
- Leave the little guy alone for 3 days at least, waiting 5 until you feed.
- Change the water every other day after the initial acclimation (3 day) period.
- Give him 2 hides, one on each side of the tank.
- Follow the Munson Plan feeding schedule. This means you need a set of digital weighing scales if you don't already have a set. Here's a link to the Munson Plan:
http://cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50106&highlight=Munson+Plan+sample+feeding+chart
- Feed outside the tank in a plain tub, and leave 30 minutes before gently picking him up and putting him back into his tank.
- Leave 48 hours after feeding before handling again.
- Use paper towels, newspaper or aspen as a substrate.
Bear this in mind, your snake will probably be nippy at first, as most hatchlings are. Don't let this frustrate and/or deter you from handling. With persistance nearly all Corn snakes become tame and docile adults. As you said yourself, bites from a hatchling don't hurt.
All the best and I hope that helps
David