I found a few reptile shops around my house, one of them only sells cornsnakes that are about 4 months to a year old, and the other mostly sells his own hatchlings. So is it better to get them when they are older, or get them while they are young? Also does the price of the snake get higher as it gets older?
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Hatchlings or yearlings?
- Thread starter weezle89
- Start date
Billybobob
very unactive member
weezle89 said:
I personally thing that it is better to purchase yearling, they are easier to take care of and they are worth the extra money you will pay. Note that this is only my opinion and that when it really comes down to you making a purchase you should go with what ever you take a liking to.
TrpnBils
22 is not enough snakes
I vote for yearling as well...BUT
I'd go to a herp show or order one instead of getting one at a pet shop. A lot of pet shops are notorious for taking very poor care of their reptiles. If you get one from a breeder at a show, you'll know exactly what you're getting (genetically), you'll be guaranteed that it's eating well, you'll be guaranteed that it's healthy in most cases, and you'll know the history of the animal. Want another reason? You're 15 so I'm guessing you're not rolling in money right now. Pet shops mark up snakes and other animals sooooo much it's unbelievable. You'll get a corn much cheaper from a breeder. Buying from a pet store (unless it's specifically a herp store) is taking a big gamble, IMO.
I'd go to a herp show or order one instead of getting one at a pet shop. A lot of pet shops are notorious for taking very poor care of their reptiles. If you get one from a breeder at a show, you'll know exactly what you're getting (genetically), you'll be guaranteed that it's eating well, you'll be guaranteed that it's healthy in most cases, and you'll know the history of the animal. Want another reason? You're 15 so I'm guessing you're not rolling in money right now. Pet shops mark up snakes and other animals sooooo much it's unbelievable. You'll get a corn much cheaper from a breeder. Buying from a pet store (unless it's specifically a herp store) is taking a big gamble, IMO.
I guess it depends on what your concerns are. If you're worried about raising up a hatchling and that it might not eat, or what have you, I'd say go for the older snakes.
I personally would rather pick a hatchling most of the time as then I know how the snake was raised, that it got good nutrition, and less time for it to have picked up any diseases, etc. I also think you have more of a selection and a better chance at getting the "best stock" when selecting from hatchlings than from what's left for sale as yearlings, but that's just my view. If you are looking for a pet and you're new to corns, perhaps an older snake would be a better choice.
I'd also like to second the recommendation that you look to breeders to purchase your snake. I don't recommend pet stores for the purchase of any live animal. They have usually gone through several hands, many pet stores have questionable knowledge on care and feeding, and I've not been impressed with many (if any) of the specimens I've personally ever seen in a pet store. Health is generally a big issue and I would count yourself lucky if you do get one that is healthy. If you don't go the breeder route, I'd tend to trust a reptile shop that breeds their own over one that just has a couple corns out for sale.
My $.02 and change.
I personally would rather pick a hatchling most of the time as then I know how the snake was raised, that it got good nutrition, and less time for it to have picked up any diseases, etc. I also think you have more of a selection and a better chance at getting the "best stock" when selecting from hatchlings than from what's left for sale as yearlings, but that's just my view. If you are looking for a pet and you're new to corns, perhaps an older snake would be a better choice.
I'd also like to second the recommendation that you look to breeders to purchase your snake. I don't recommend pet stores for the purchase of any live animal. They have usually gone through several hands, many pet stores have questionable knowledge on care and feeding, and I've not been impressed with many (if any) of the specimens I've personally ever seen in a pet store. Health is generally a big issue and I would count yourself lucky if you do get one that is healthy. If you don't go the breeder route, I'd tend to trust a reptile shop that breeds their own over one that just has a couple corns out for sale.
My $.02 and change.