Cost per month?/germ risks to snakes

[siphos]

I am hoping to buy a corn snake in the near future, but this rests mainly on two things- parental permission (I am, alas, a teenager) an per month cost of keeping a snake.

What is the average monthly cost of keeping an adult corn snake in the ideal conditions?

Also, my science teacher of several years had a corn snake, and before any students were allowed to handle him it was required to wash our hands with alcohol. Is this required for all snakes, or was this an isolated incident/unneeded precaution?

Thank you all.

 

[sawsehel]

I really don't think the monthly cost of keeping a cornsnake is that high...actually, to me, it almost seems negligable. Almost.
(Around 15$/month?)

At least to me, the initial starting costs was the main concern. (Viv, substrate, heating, the little guy himself et.c.)

..and I always wash my hands with non-scented soap before (and after) handling. Even though I don't know if it's necessary...

 

[JTGoff69]

Monthly costs to keeping a cornsnake only involve a few things:
Electricity for heat and light
Food-$10?
Substrate changes-1 bag of Aspen is only $7 and will last a couple months

Washing your hands both before and after handling you snake is a must because there is a slight chance with all reptiles and amphibians of salmonella. This is just good basic hygeine. I do it every time I handle my snakes or my turtles, and in between handling different specimens. You also need to wash your hands thoroughly after preparing their food as you might elicit a strike or bite if the scent of mice is still on you when you try to move them to their feeding container.

All in all, maintaining a cornsnake is not very expensive nor time consuming, but beware, once you have one it will turn into 2, then 3, then.......well, just look at some of the signatures on here and you will get the idea. Corsnakes are VERY addictive!!! Good luck and make sure to pick up a copy of the Cornsnake Manual by Bill and Kathy Love. It is a must if you are new to cornsnakes.

 

[Amanda E]

Start up costs are the main issue, as already stated.

As far as monthly costs, well, that depends on how picky your parents are going to be regarding certain things. Are they going to make you pay for a portion of the electricity or water that will be used? This may sound like crazy talk but I figured I'd bring it up, since it's an issue in my house, at least the electricity is. If you use newspaper for a substrate that will be free because you can just use it once your parents are done with it. If you use papertowels as the substrate will they make you pay for your own? I suggest using papertowels. They are fairly cheap and if your parents aren't too stingy they'll let you use them free of charge. If you use aspen shavings or other loose substrate that's going to add to your monthly costs. IMO, it's not worth it, even if you buy it in bulk.

Aside from these things, your main cost will be food. If your parents let you keep mice in the freezer, you can buy them in bulk, and it will cost about $2-4 a month ($2 assumes that you can get food from a local mouse breeder, $4 is if you need to account for shipping if you need to order it online; this is also for adult mice, smaller mice will be much cheaper). Though of course, to buy in bulk you would be paying for a years worth of food all in one shot, rather than monthly.

If you buy mice from a pet store, it's going to cost you A LOT more. I never do this, but I've heard of people paying as much as $1 per pinky and $4 per adult mouse. That would equal $16 per month to feed an adult snake! Way too much if you ask me.

Once you figure out how/where you're going to get your mice, you can then estimate your monthly costs better.

 

[MegF.]

The other way to keep costs down is not buying a snake from the pet store, but hit up the reptile shows in your area. They cost less than half to get them there. I got mine for $24 at the show, and the same snake costs $69 at my local pet store. You also have the benefit of seeing all sorts of colors and sizes, and being able to find the mellowest one of the bunch. Keep an eye on the classifieds, as many people sell their used setups for cheap. Just make sure you clean them well. Oh, and they're right about 1 becoming more. My husband and I weren't even going to get a snake at the show, and now we have 5!

 

[JeanH]

Yes, start up is the main costs. But someone on here broke it down to very cheap. I'll try to find it. You can get 10 gallon fish tanks for about 10-15. Feeding my guys cost me 1.29 a pinkie every 5 days. But there are many places that are cheaper and if your mom/dad will let you, you can buy bulk frozen pinkies and save a lot.

A reptile show is the best place to get a corn. You can search on line to find one near you. I waited 6 months for the one to come to my area, it was worth the wait. My guys cost me 25 each. I intended to only get one but came home with two. And I want another one! Also while your waiting you can build your stuff up a little at a time.

Jean

 

[Joejr14]

Start up costs are pretty much it, unless your parents are going to make you pay for the added other costs, like someone has already said.

On a monthly basis, the only real out of pocket expense is going to be food, and you really shouldn't be paying more than $1 per pinkie. I've always fed my corns a pinkie every 7 days and they've done fine. Mine are just over a year now and are over 24".

The expo is a great idea, and things are insanely cheap. Last october I got an amel and snow for $15 and $20. Normal corns were no more than $10, some people were even offering a normal corn in a small plastic tank for $10 total.

There's the debate of heating, and depending on where you live you dont need any. I live in florida and I dont use any heat, during any time of the year. As long as room temperate doesn't stay below 70 you'll be okay. If you want, get a small under the tank heater and that's all you really need.