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I have an extremely responsible 13 year old daughter who would like to own a snake. We're a fairly down to earth family so I asked her to research snakes before I would consider it. She did and decided the Corn snake was the way to go. (I secretely did the same research and came up with the same answer)
After our initial research we read a couple of Corn Snake books and we're waiting on a 3rd- The Corn Snake Manual. After a couple of weeks of research, handling some babies (hatchlings?), and visiting a friend of mine who happens to own a 3 year old adult (we let our daughter handle him/her as well and witness a feeding) my wife and I have decided to grant her wish. Yes, she was surprised! However I am down to one last unanswered question for which I have read and heard conflicting information...
How long can they be left alone?
Each April our family takes a two week trip out of state. I know that a Corn Snake needs a lot of water and also needs to feed every 7 to 10 days. I suppose we can find a snake sitter but I just want to know what other pet owners do when they travel?
Congrats! A healthy corn snake should easily be able to wait 2 weeks between feedings. Water, of course, is a different story. Also, if you feed a snake and then leave it for 2 weeks, the poor snake will have its poop sitting in the cage for a long time.
You'll probably want to find a snake sitter who can come over every few days and provide fresh water and spot clean the poop. Or maybe your friend would be willing to temporarily house your snake while you're on vacation. If you use a Rubbermaid or Sterilite cage it will be light and easily portable, in the even that you need to move it around like that. (Also much easier to clean.)
i would say feed before you go, and then just get a friend to pop in every 3 or 4 days to change the water... they really do tolerate being "starved" for 2 or 3 weeks at a time provided they are in good shape .
Pretty much what Kenalotia said actually
Another suggestion if you are getting the snake from a reptile shop:
Most shops will be able to (or know of someone who could) look after your snake while you are away. That's what the shop here offers anyway, for a small fee. They can provide the food and housing and you can rest assured that someone experienced is looking after your snake! It would be worth looking into anyway
lighten the frequency of feeding just a week or two before you leave. Feed the day before you leave and I would put two or three water dishes in there and not worry.
I've taken long trips before (weeks at a time) with no problems. At one point my ball python stopped eating for 6.25 months. Just make sure there is plenty of water in there and enjoy your vacation. I tell people this is the greatest thing about owning a snake, it's not like any other animal that needs sitting during a vacation away.
Thank you all for the good advice. We're really quite excited about having such a beautiful little addition to our family. The pet shop people have been quite helpful and knowledgable. A little expensive perhaps; an Anrythristic hatchling is $120.00 USD (I think they're all $120). I guess it's the price for living all the way up here in Alaska. Their Corns are all born inhouse and are apparently quite good eaters. They provide nicely packaged pinky's, fuzzies and little white mice.
My poor daughter is having to wait a few weeks while I recover from surgery before we purchase so that I can help her out (my wife's prerequisite for being a good sport). She's patient and excited... ahh my daughter, not my wife.
