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Hello everyone

M

maneatingmoo

New member
Hey everybody. My name is James. I like to grow carnivorous plants, like venus fly traps. I also have two praying mantis. It's almost their time :(, so I was thinking of something to replace them in my 10 gallon tank. I either wanted a biggish lizard or a snake. I decided on a smallish not poisonous snake, a corn snake! I don't have one yet, but I would really like one soon. My tank size is 20 inches long x 10 inches wide x 12 inches tall. Would this be an ok tank size for a corn snake? Or maybe just a baby one, then a bigger tank when it grows up. I have very limited space this year. We will hopefully have our house finished, or at least livable, by spring. I don't know where to get a corn snake, or any of the things for them. The nearest pet store is about 2 and a half hours away. I also don't have alot of money to spend. I hope to be the owner of a happy healthy snake soon, and this forum has so much useful information.
 
Hey there, James! :wavey:

I think it's great that you're doing research and planning before running out and getting a snake. This forum has a ton of information for you that will help get you on the right track. Then you'll be completely ready when your little guy does come home with you.

First, if you don't have a lot of money, you will want to save and get all the essential equipment you'll need BEFORE actually getting a snake of any kind. Your tank would be fine for a young snake, but eventually you'll want to upgrade to a minimum of a 20gal long.

You'll need a good fitting screen top with clips for the tank. Corns and basically most snakes are good at finding the smallest hole/crack/crevice and escaping through it, so you can't scrimp on making sure your snake stays save and secure in his viv.

Next comes temperature....corns need a temperature gradient with a higher temp on one side of the tank and lower temps on ther other. They need BELLY heat for digestion, so don't even bother with a basking light that you'd use for other herps. An under tank heater USED WITH a rheostat or thermostat is essential, along with a thermometer probe directly on the glass to measure the exact temperature of the tank itself, not the air temp inside the tank. Then you'll need bedding. No pine or cedar ever. Aspen bedding is used a lot, but you can also use paper towels or shredded paper. Hides, one on each side of the tank...these are easy, and can be something as simple as toilet paper or paper towel tubes....so start saving a few up for when the time comes! Add some fake plants for cover, a wide, heavy bowl of water that he can't tip over, and you're good to go! It might take you a while to save up for all of these things, along with the appropriate sized food, but once you get everything ready, you'll know that you're bringing your snake into a healthy environment.

Here's a FAQ that covers the basics
http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28341

and a care sheet as well:
http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64125&highlight=care+sheet

This will get your started, and there are some wonderful books out there as well. Check out www.cornutopia.com for Kathy Love's book which is highly recommended. Kathy is also a member here and shares a wealth of info that us newbies can follow and easily understand.

So, sorry for the huge post. Basically, welcome and good luck!!

oh, p.s....tell the people where you're from, and there may be a corn breeder in your area.
 
That depends on the snake. If you get a baby, you'll start him on pinkies. They usually run about $2/ea. for frozen.
 
Welcome! Hope you have fun setting up for and getting your corn!

As for the rheostat and under tank heater (UTH), I bought a rheostat at a pet store for about $22.00. You'll need a digital thermometer for that too. An UTH would cost between $15.00/20.00 for a smaller one and $18.00/$23.00 for a 10-20 gallon one.

Since you live a bit away from the closest pet store, I would recommend looking for a good care sheet (like this one: http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28341) and making a list of must haves. Then go online and look up the prices of each item and prepare to pay at least that amount when you go to the pet store. Some stores may charge more, so be prepared for that. Then, when you've gathered all that together, set up the viv (tank) and check temps to be sure they're right.

When all that's done, GO CORN SHOPPING! You can look at your pet store (make sure to get the viv together BEFORE buying the snake), or you could (and I would recommend) buying from a breeder here or at the sponsor's site. I don't think you could go wrong buying here at all... just make sure to ask lots of questions and get it right before you get your corn.

Hope this is at least minimally helpful! Good luck!
 
I looked around on serpenco.com and saw some snakes that I like. Alot of them are really expensive. But the ones I liked were around $40-50. I guess I better start saving.
 
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