New Cornsnake

[newb202]

Hello to all you corn snake lovers!! I'm new to this site so I don't really know much, but I hope to soon. I'm planning to buy a corn snake in about a week from now. At first, I thought corn snakes were a simple thing to take care of, after reading some threads in this forum, I regret what I thought, lol. I mean, they aren't THAT hard to take care of, but it's just more than I expected. Anyways, I've done some research on them, and I just want to run my findings by you guys. All of you are like total pros in caring for corn snakes, I'm a total newb, lol, you guys all know so much, I hope I can pick up the basic needs and "corn snake lingo" soon, lol!! So, here is what I think is correct, basically just tell me if something is wrong or if you have a recommendation.

1) Corn snakes should be kept between 75-85 F for adults, and 80-90 F for juveniles.
2) They should have a cool end and a heated end with an undertank heater. Both ends should have a hide.
3) They should have a water dish (preferably in the middle) that is large enough for their whole bodies to fit in, and it should be changed daily.
4) Juveniles should be fed one to two pinkies a week, and as the snake grows larger food size should be increased, but food amount should remain the same.
5) Adults and juveniles are fine with a 20-30 gallon aquarium, no aquarium is too big.
6) Use reptile bedding, and add fake vines and logs or anything to make it look natural.
7) Do not handle snake after feeding until 48 hours have passed. Also do not handle before shedding.
8) If snake regurgitates, clean up immediately, change habitat once every week.

I also have some other rather (dumb) questions, sorry.
A) Will the corn snake constrict around a human neck in an attempt to suffocate him/her?
B) Do they carry alot of diseases?
C) Salmonella is cureable without any medical treatment, unless you really need it. And if you put the snake in places, will you need to clean it up? For instance, your couch, if you put it on your couch and you don't clean it, will any bacteria grow over time and infect you or anything like that?
D) Do the bites hurt on bare skin? From a juvie? From an adult? And will it clutch on with it's teeth, or does it just bite and let go?
E) Is there any way they can be fatal or dangerous?
F) Do they want interaction with humans, in general?
G) Do any of you have any tips on taming them for the first time? Such as if you should pick it up slowly, or quickly, and how you should pick it up, etc.

Umm...that's all I can think of for now, if I have more (I'm pretty sure I will lol) I'll get back to you guys.

Any help would be appreciated, thanx!!!

 

[Lennycorn]

I not a Pro but I'll try to answer a few question.
1. 75-80 good for all ages
4. Start with one pinky, move up when food item is 1 1/2 time of snakes widest point.
5 Add more hides
6 Aspen
7 Some snake can be handle during shed cycle.
8 Read Kathy Love info here on this site.
A. No
B. No
C.No
D "The bark is worse then the bite"
E. No
F. No
G. Pick up with no hesitation.

Thanks from your soon to be new snake for doing some research.
And there not much of a hassle to raise. If my kid were so easy, I would of had more. Ha!

 

[MegF.]

I'd like to add that around 82 on the warm and in the low 70's on the cool is perfect. Young snakes on pinkies can be fed every 4-5 days and then once on fuzzies or larger, fed once a week. One item per feeding. As stated above, move up in size when they need to be fed more. Juveniles actually do better in smaller vivs until they get larger as it cuts down on stress. If you use a 30 gl. you need to have a lot more hides for it. Most people keep hatchlings in a rubbermaid shoebox until they get larger. If a snake regurges, do not feed for 7-10 days, and then start with a much smaller food item. Feed a smaller item for at least 3 feedings, allowing a week in between without handling before moving up to the normal size. There are many threads, and a section in the FAQ's section on how to handle regurge. Spot cleaning is recommended daily. Complete cleaning of the viv can be once a month. Most of the time, if a snake bites, it will just strike at you quickly. I had one that was in feeding mode though that actually grabbed and held on. I would recommend getting your snake from someone or someplace that you can actually handle the snake first. Pick the one that is the easiest to handle, seems the least skittish and isn't trying to leave the area at 90 miles an hour. I've found that if they are mellow as babies, they are mellow as adults and are a lot more fun to handle. Most snakes would prefer not to be held, but my amel does like to come out and investigate stuff and if I open the lid of his viv, will come out and crawl all over the place. One other thing. You should be feeding in a seperate container off the substrate. Most of us feed in another plastic container or box and when the snake has finished, we return it to the viv. Please check out the FAQ section that Joe took so much time to make for all of us. It's full of answers to all the questions most people ask. There is also a really good search function button at the top.

 

[Slippery Ernie]

From what I've read so far, it sounds like most of the dangerous bacteria snakes carry, like salmonella, are bacteria that live in the gut. That means the bacteria will not survive long on a bathroom counter or couch. Since the snake crawls on its own feces, you should assume the snake has those bacteria on its skin. But the bacteria from the snake's digestive system would have to go almost directly into your digestive system in order to make you sick.

A corn snake will not try to hurt you in any way other than biting. And they only bite when they are afraid or pissed about being severely mishandled. I saw a little girl at a pet shop swinging an adult corn around by its tail and it swooped up and bit her on the hand. It left her with only some scratches and pin-pricks on the back of her hand. Not worse than a paper cut.

 

[2i2_D3gr33s]

Man, if I'd of seen that, I would have bit her myself....

 

[newb202]

Man, if I'd of seen that, I would have bit her myself....

lol...

So, would this be an appropriate feeding schedule for an adult?

1) Feed mouse no larger
than 1.5 times the
largest point on the
snake.
2) Do not handle for 48 hours.
3) If snake is fine, feed again after one week. Increase size of mice when there is no lump in body.

And this for a juvenile?

1) Feed one pinkie.
2) Do not handle for 48 hours.
3) If snake is fine, feed again after 4-5 days. Increase size of pinkie when there is no lump in body.

At any time the snake regurgitates, clean it up immediately and then...

1) Do not feed for one week.
2) Feed smaller than usual mouse. Wait one week and feed again.(3X)
3) After three weeks, return to normal size mouse and feeding schedule.

What if it doesn't eat the smaller mouse after regurgitating? How do you force feed and when do I force feed? Are there other options if your snake regurgitates/doesn't eat?

Hey guys thanks for your help, correct me if I'm wrong. Here's a "what if" for you guys...

What if a friend came over and wanted to handle my snake, so he reaches his hand in the cage but the snake vibrates and strikes, and then he tells me to take it out.
Should I leave it alone?
Or should I reach in slowly and let it smell my hand, then pick it up slowly? Or should I just reach in and grab it as normal?
If I leave it alone, when would be an appropriate time to handle it?

Oh, and are there any big differences between male and female cornsnakes? Such as breeding seasons or characteristics/personality?
I don't have a corn yet, but I just want to be prepared.
Thanx for your help.

 

[MegF.]

lol...

So, would this be an appropriate feeding schedule for an adult?

1) Feed mouse no larger
than 1.5 times the
largest point on the
snake.
2) Do not handle for 48 hours.
3) If snake is fine, feed again after one week. Increase size of mice when there is no lump in body.

Sounds good.

And this for a juvenile?

1) Feed one pinkie.
2) Do not handle for 48 hours.
3) If snake is fine, feed again after 4-5 days. Increase size of pinkie when there is no lump in body.

Sounds good.

At any time the snake regurgitates, clean it up immediately and then...

1) Do not feed for one week.
2) Feed smaller than usual mouse. Wait one week and feed again.(3X)
3) After three weeks, return to normal size mouse and feeding schedule.

What if it doesn't eat the smaller mouse after regurgitating? How do you force feed and when do I force feed? Are there other options if your snake regurgitates/doesn't eat?

Wait 7-10 days. Make sure your temps are correct to avoid another regurge. If it doesn't want to eat then wait another week and try again. On a side note: if you've had a regurge and then the snake doesn't want to eat, it might be a good time to think about a vet. There might be more going on. Snakes can go quite a long time without eating (even young snakes) so I wouldn't even worry about a month, although as I said before, if it stops eating after regurge, I'd be concerned.


Hey guys thanks for your help, correct me if I'm wrong. Here's a "what if" for you guys...

What if a friend came over and wanted to handle my snake, so he reaches his hand in the cage but the snake vibrates and strikes, and then he tells me to take it out.
Should I leave it alone?
Or should I reach in slowly and let it smell my hand, then pick it up slowly? Or should I just reach in and grab it as normal?
If I leave it alone, when would be an appropriate time to handle it?

Pick it up. Use whatever technique you want.
Oh, and are there any big differences between male and female cornsnakes? Such as breeding seasons or characteristics/personality?
I don't have a corn yet, but I just want to be prepared.
Thanx for your help.

There's really no difference between males and females as far as personality or characteristics that I've seen. The only thing is that males will often go off feed for quite a while during breeding season. Mine stopped eating for 3 months.

 

[MegF.]

For some reason it didn't split up your quote as I wanted it to, and I'm too lazy to redo it, so read the bold stuff in there

 

[Slippery Ernie]

What if a friend came over and wanted to handle my snake, so he reaches his hand in the cage but the snake vibrates and strikes, and then he tells me to take it out.
Should I leave it alone?
Or should I reach in slowly and let it smell my hand, then pick it up slowly? Or should I just reach in and grab it as normal?
If I leave it alone, when would be an appropriate time to handle it?

If it strikes at your friends hand, I would bet that it will strike at your hand before it gets a chance to smell it. Smelling your hand probably won't make much of a difference anyway. If it's feeling scared/vulnerable/whatever it probably just doesn't want to be touched by anybody.
Once out of the cage it will probably not strike anymore though.
I would personally just let it be. But if you do want to get it out, grabbing it swiftly is probably the best. Snatch it out so it doesn't have a chance to get scared. Or pick it up with a snake hook or something un-intrusive.
Chances are you probably won't have to worry about any of this with a corn snake though.

 

[newb202]

If it strikes at your friends hand, I would bet that it will strike at your hand before it gets a chance to smell it. Smelling your hand probably won't make much of a difference anyway. If it's feeling scared/vulnerable/whatever it probably just doesn't want to be touched by anybody.
Once out of the cage it will probably not strike anymore though.
I would personally just let it be. But if you do want to get it out, grabbing it swiftly is probably the best. Snatch it out so it doesn't have a chance to get scared. Or pick it up with a snake hook or something un-intrusive.
Chances are you probably won't have to worry about any of this with a corn snake though.

So, I should just reach my hand into the cage and grab it, even without letting it smell my hand? Okay thanks, I just hope that I won't get a skittish snake. lol.

I've been planning to buy a corn snake care book, and after doing some research around the forums, it seems that everyone suggests two things, 1)buy the book, Corn Snakes: The Comprehensive Owner's Guide, and 2)learning to type correctly lol. So does the book cover everything about Cornsnakes? Such as handling and feeding, and health issues? Would you guys say its worth the money? And there are two editions of it, I think. I know there is a 2000 edition, and I don't know about the other one. Which one is the newer one? Which one would you recommend? I've included pictures of the two books, I hope it works.
Thanks for your time.

 

[Lennycorn]

The bigger one is newer.

 

[ghosthousecorns]

They're both good. I have the older one with the blue cover, I hear the new one has been updated and has more pages with new morphs, etc.

 

[newb202]

Okay thanks, I'm going to try to find the newer one for a cheaper price. lol.

 

[BeckyG]

The first book you have pictured is the newest edition. I'd get it if I were buying one. (I already have both.) Yes it is worth its weight in gold.