New Snake Behavior?

Hey! so I am new here and just got my corn snake, hes in a 20 gallon long, that I have put a divider in so it is a ten right now . Anyways, so I brought him home today, after having the tank set up for a few hours with the temperature on the high side being 85, the cool side 75 and a hid on each side as well, with water in the middle, and a couple layers of Aspen on the bottom for bedding. My question, is that as soon as he got into his new tank, he burrowed into the aspen and disappeared . Obviously he is freaked out as being moved to a new home is a big deal, but when can i expect him to show his pretty little face again and is this normal behavior?:awcrap: please let me know! thanks!

For the first little while, he will probably only come out at night- when he is sure it is safe!
Give him about a week, then you can start handling him and you will probably see him more. Snakes are all different, and some of mine are never out- I only see them when I am holding them or feeding them.

Ditto, my first corn I had to go searching for under the aspen every time I wanted to hold or feed him. Most of the others used their hides. For the most part they will come out at night. After a while some will decide they like to come out during the day too, but most of mine that decided that have been 16 inches or longer. The only exception is my diffused, Red Rum. He comes out at all kinds of odd times, never the same time each day. He is only about 13-14 inches.

He's probably nervous and settling in, _and_ I think that usually when we bring new snakes home, it is the first time for many of them that they have experienced a luxurious bed of aspen that they can just disappear into! Like a kid with a pile of leaves in the fall.

On the burrowing: I just brought my second little guy home on Thursday. He's been wandering around his luxurious new home at night, but I only know this because I am *also* active at night. He's been living in a little box at a rescue on two layers of newspaper, though, and he is definitely fascinated by the aspen as much as by the vine and the hide boxes and the driftwood! I brought him home in a little carrier with aspen shavings in the bottom, and actually watched him figure out how to burrow in it. It was adorable.

Anyway, point is that my other snake has just started hanging out more visibly during the day after 3 weeks with me (he's a couple of years old). Until the past few days, he's only and always been in his hides during the day. They get a little traumatized by the move. He'll be fine, though, and almost certainly start showing his pretty face again soon!

thanks for all the responses! I haven't seen him at all since he's been brought home, but hey at least i guess he is comfy Hopefully he will come out eventually and be a bit more social

Hahahahaahahahaa Shapoopie! lol I want to watch family guy now!

The burrowing behavior is perfectly fine and he/she's just getting comfortable. =]

So how long should i wait before beginning to handle the snake? The store owners said 24 hours would be fine, but I have read anywhere from no time whatsoever, to up to three weeks :/ Any recommended time? Also, sorry for all the typing, but are all baby corn snakes this rediculously fast?!?! :sidestep: when we put her/him in the tank at first he/she was flying around so fast i dont even see how it will be possible to catch him/her O_O

Yes, baby snakes are fast little guys!

It is kinda a personal preference on when to start handling your snake. You should wait until they've settled, which isn't an exact science. I'd say around a week.

I usually try not to handle until they have digested their first meal from me. About three days after eating. But, that isn't a hard rule or anything.

The thing to remember is the less stressed out a corn is, the less chance they have of regurging or having other health problems.

well he has been eating fine so far, or so I think. Ate the pinky just fine both times, but never struck them? When he went for the mouse he kinda just slithered up to it and opened up . Is this something to worry about? I am about to feed him again, and will see if he tries to strike it first this time.

thats normal. My male didnt strike for the first 6 months of his life. Suddenly one day he tore into it like an old pro, been doing it ever since.

He's young.If he's eating that's a good sign.

With my guys, whether they strike their food depends in part on whether they feel secure. If they're antsy about being watched, they move more slowly. I've taken to putting a hide in their feeding cages with them, which helps. (And when they're done eating and calmed down, they tend to slither back into it, which makes it easier to transfer them back to their homes!)

But neither of them has any interest in striking whatsoever unless I do the Zombie Mouse Dance for them. Lazy little brats.

By all of which I mean, no, it's nothing to worry about.

How do you get an edit button around here?