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Buying my first cornsnake

NFS07

NFS07

Stolen
Yes, I look around for answers but I did not find anything. If someone else could find a link that would be great.

1. When buying my corn from a show what should I look for?
2. Should I ask the seller to see the corn more closely?
3. Do sellers take credit?
4. What are tell-tale signs that a corn is ill?

Thanks!
 
A healthy snake should be alert and active and have a well rounded body with no scars of any type or scabby looking scales, and they should not have old shed stuck on them. You should always ask what they are currently eating ( live or Frozen Thawed) and if buying a hatchling you should know how many meals they have had , and when their last shed was. You should not buy a snake that has not had at least 3 meals unless you are experienced with newborn snakes. I reccomend for your first snake, getting one a bit older and already established...maybe a yearling.

At the shows some vendors will take credit card its an individual thing. They should allow you to hold the animal and answer all of your questions about that animals. They are not there to answer all your care and husbandry questions though. You should study and get those answers on your own by a book such as Kathy Loves Manual, and by researching on the internet. Remember the seller should give you ample time and attention in regards to seeing the animals and finding out more about them, but they also need to give that attention to others .

There are many other points to picking out a good animal but these are the top ones I have thought of for now.
 
I would say dawnrenee covered just about everything. The only thing I would add is that I personally would want to handle the snake before or see it handled to see if it is a nippy snake or a docile snake. I would also ask if it was housed seperatly or grouped because some breeders will keep newborns together which can be dangerous for many reasons -- namely disease and stress related. If you are going to buy from a show I would also pick up the july edition of Reptiles magazine because there is a great article in it about buying from shows and how the snake can be best transported and set up when you get it home so that it is as unstressed as humanly possible.

Concerning your question about a sickly snake. There is always that risk that it might have some sort of internal problem that cant be seen by looking at the snake. I actually received a Red Tail Boa as a gift from my brother and the snake looks beautiful and healthy and eats like a pig, but I've takin her to the vet 3 times concerning constipation. I've done everything humanly possible and I'm pretty sure she is suffering from a renal disease that she has had since I received her. Snakes are no different from dogs or cats...sometimes you just get a dud no matter how much you know or how well you inspect it.

Other than that good luck and post pics!!! New snakes are always a great feeling :cheers:
 
Well I don't know if judging whether or not it is a "nippy" or "docile" snake would be a good thing to conclude from holding the animal for a few minutes when surely it is stressed, as it recently has been packed up from it's home, shoved in a deli container and everyone is oogling it. :shrugs:

Also what I think would be an interesting read is this topic I had before getting Nagini, about what questions to ask the Seller at the show:
http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49427
 
Corny Noob said:
Well I don't know if judging whether or not it is a "nippy" or "docile" snake would be a good thing to conclude from holding the animal for a few minutes when surely it is stressed, as it recently has been packed up from it's home, shoved in a deli container and everyone is oogling it. :shrugs:
Click to expand...

Right, but if it wasn't nippy or frantic then- chances are it would have a calm temperment! I think calm is one of the most important characteristics for a first snake.

Nanci
 
Yea, I don't think I'm ready for a wild and crazy crazy just yet. Maybe in a few years I'll start taking those on but for now just give me to easy going. Plus it will fit right in with me!
 
Nanci said:
Right, but if it wasn't nippy or frantic then- chances are it would have a calm temperment! I think calm is one of the most important characteristics for a first snake.

Nanci
Click to expand...

Well I like to think the reason they're so calm is because they're petrified with fear :grin01:
 
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