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Still thinking of getting a corn and have questions.

C

CoalsandEmbers

New member
Hi, I have been thinking about getting a corn snake in a yr or 2 when I can afford it and have space and therefore have been researching them and where to buy. Also are there any tips on how to care for a corn beyond basics? I have found lots of information on cages, heating, food etc. What about disease prevention and what to do if they will not eat or somehow become injured or escape? Also could paper bedding that is often sold for rodents be okay or is it just aspen that is okay? I don't think I will breed corns but if I got one I would like to care for it as well as possible and avoid neglect by being uneducated. Also is is better to raise a baby or by an adult?
 
I can only answer a couple of your questions so hopefully I there's help out!

The paper bedding for rodents is okay, I think some people like to use carefresh or similar as bedding. I prefer aspen because it allows my snake to burrow and make tunnels but you can use anything except resinous woods like pine and never use sand!

Adults have advantages as they are usually well established feeders but I like that I got my guy as a hatchling. It means I've been able to see and track his growth, which I have loved!

Some basic tips, buy a gram scale to weigh your snake, especially if you get a baby. It's the best way of tracking their growth. If you look up the Munson Feeding Plan that will give you an idea of what to feed your snake and how often (note: it's a very aggressive plan so many people modify it). I find that tracking their growth is helpful - I have an iHerp account that allows you track growth [emoji4]

I hope some of that helps answer some of your questions!


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sian.kelly said:
I can only answer a couple of your questions so hopefully I there's help out!

The paper bedding for rodents is okay, I think some people like to use carefresh or similar as bedding. I prefer aspen because it allows my snake to burrow and make tunnels but you can use anything except resinous woods like pine and never use sand!

Adults have advantages as they are usually well established feeders but I like that I got my guy as a hatchling. It means I've been able to see and track his growth, which I have loved!

Some basic tips, buy a gram scale to weigh your snake, especially if you get a baby. It's the best way of tracking their growth. If you look up the Munson Feeding Plan that will give you an idea of what to feed your snake and how often (note: it's a very aggressive plan so many people modify it). I find that tracking their growth is helpful - I have an iHerp account that allows you track growth [emoji4]

I hope some of that helps answer some of your questions!


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Click to expand...

Thx! I talked to someone about the bedding and they said paper bedding like carefree might take away some of the humidity. Idk if I will use it or not. Still don't know if I want to get a baby or an adult. I think raising a snake would be fun but I'm scared it would go off it's feed and I wouldn't know enough to do anything....
 
Corn snakes don't need high humidities at all so that shouldn't be a problem -I do slightly raise the humidity during shedding though.

Corn snakes are very hardy and won't usually go off feed (if they do, there is a great stickie on one of the sections about feeding tricks I think). An adult might be better if you're really worried - and then you can always get a baby corn later on when you're more confident!!! Haha [emoji4]


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CoalsandEmbers said:
Hi, I have been thinking about getting a corn snake in a yr or 2 when I can afford it and have space and therefore have been researching them and where to buy. Also are there any tips on how to care for a corn beyond basics? I have found lots of information on cages, heating, food etc. What about disease prevention and what to do if they will not eat or somehow become injured or escape? Also could paper bedding that is often sold for rodents be okay or is it just aspen that is okay? I don't think I will breed corns but if I got one I would like to care for it as well as possible and avoid neglect by being uneducated. Also is is better to raise a baby or by an adult?
Click to expand...

I have this book, on determining what might be wrong with a snake, it's not super easy to read and might be a bit out of date, but it is useful for giving you tips on what might be wrong, what you can do at home to help and when to go to a vet, along with the options a vet will likely give you. It can also be a bit helpful in letting you judge the knowledge of whatever vet you chose.

http://www.amazon.com/User-Friendly...74&sr=1-1&keywords=what's+wrong+with+my+snake

And in looking for that one, I noticed there is an updated version, which I might have to get myself ...

http://www.amazon.com/User-Friendly...74&sr=1-1&keywords=what's+wrong+with+my+snake

Some people love CareFresh or similar type bedding and others hate it but they are generally okay to use with a snake as long as it's not too dusty. Just personal preference.

There is a great deal of good care tips and tricks here on this forum, if you either use the search function or ask your particular question but there are two very good books, written by members of this forum, that are nice to have on hand too. They talk about where and how to chose a corn to buy, general care and handling and one even has a section on escapes with suggestions on preventing them or what to do when they happen. Even if you have no intention to breed, it is also a good idea to look over the breeding info, as corns will sometimes have behaviors or physical symptoms related to the fact that they are mature and ready to be bred, even if never given the option, so it's good to be at least a bit familiar with that aspect of their life cycles too.

http://www.amazon.com/Corn-Snakes-C...r0&keywords=the+complete+guide+to+corn+snakes

http://www.amazon.com/Corn-Snakes-C...r0&keywords=the+complete+guide+to+corn+snakes

There are tons of great breeders on here when you get ready to buy. And this is a great place to go for good or bad reviews or ask for experiences, on anyone you might think of buying from. (Be sure to read the rules and lurk a bit on there before posting, since it deals with reputations, it has requirements and rules most forums don't.)
There are also extensive classifieds on this site.

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=13
 
Keeping corn snakes as pets doesn't have to be terribly expensive.

A baby snake can spend its first year in a 10 gallon setup. You can get a tank, lid, heater, thermostat, and bedding for around 90 to 150 bucks (depending on where you shop). You'll need a couple of "Hiding places" for the snake. I've seen people use old cereal boxes, paper towel tubes or flower pots turned upside down so you really don't have to spend money on Hides unless you just want to.

You'll need a water bowl, again it doesn't have to be expensive. You may have a small bowl on hand already that you can use.

Even the snake itself doesn't have to be expensive. Some of the more extreme or rare color patterns (morphs) can be quite pricey but a "Normal" Corn snake can easily be bought for 25 bucks. In fact I have a beautiful Orange Corn with Red Stripes that I only gave 60 bucks for.
 
If you're looking for some more info Don Soderberg's book is a great place to start. Very well written. He's a Corn Snake breeder from Texas (South Mountain Reptiles) and here's an Amazon link for his book.
Corn Snakes In Captivity
 
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