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Tips for a new snake?

SamuraiSnake

SamuraiSnake

New member
Heya guys, I'm new to owning snakes, but I'm thinking of buying a Cornsnake.

What exactly should I buy? Should I look for a breeder, or would a petshop do
fine? How old should the snake I buy be? Does sex make a difference? How big
can they get, and how big should their aquarium be?

Any other tips or bits of advice on care, behaviour, feeding, etc??

Thanks, everyone.
 
I would recommend the following books:

Corn Snakes: The Comprehensive Owner’s Guide by Kathy and Bill Love
Corn Snakes: Reptile Keepers Guides by Richard D. and Patricia Bartlett
Corn Snakes and Rat Snakes: A Complete Guide to Pantherophis by Philip Purser
The Guide to Owning a Corn Snake by Jerry G. Walls

Those should give you a really good start.

I’m not trying to brush you aside or anything, but it’s hard to list all of the requirements and expectations of owning a corn in one blanket post.

If after reading as much as you can, you still have pointed and specific questions, please feel free to ask.

Regards,
Steve
 
I have:

Corn Snakes: The Comprehensive Owner’s Guide by Kathy and Bill Love
Corn Snakes and Rat Snakes: A Complete Guide to Pantherophis by Philip Purser


They're great books and I also recommend them!
In addition for information concerning other things we have tons of lovely FAQs for your perusal.

http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=46

Also using the search function is a great way to get quick answers without making repetative topics (which we're all guilty of) hope this helps!
 
Most of your questions can be answered be the FAQ stickied at the top of this forum, but I'll attempt to answer a few of the questions I don't think are in there.

You can buy from a petshop, but you should expect to pay a bit more than you would with a breeder. (They usually buy from that breeder as well, so they need to make a profit somehow.)
No matter who you buy from, make sure to ask questions about the snake; when it last shed or ate is important. Some petshops are worse than others (Some breeders aren't so hot either) so if they seem like they're just trying to make a buck, you should probably avoid buying from them.
As far as I know, the gender of the snake doesn't make a big difference... Unless you plan to mate them.
 
SamuraiSnake said:
What exactly should I buy?
Click to expand...
The healthiest snake possible. Look for one with nice, clean skin, no crust or ooze around eyes, mouth or vent, and a healthy appetite. Ask the seller how often it is fed, and for how long it has been eating regularly. Ask if it has ever refused a meal. As a newby, I think it's wise to avoid problem feeders- my first hatchling was one, and it almost ruined me for wanting a snake. Thankfully, the one I have now eats like a hog! That is what you want!

SamuraiSnake said:
Should I look for a breeder, or would a petshop do
fine?
Click to expand...
A GOOD petshop is okay so long as you don't really intend to breed. Look for clean cages and fresh water in EVERY cage. Breeders are an option- and you might be able to find the exact color you want at a breeder, as opposed to having to drive around to see if local stores carry it.

SamuraiSnake said:
How old should the snake I buy be?
Click to expand...
Some people say beginners should not start with hatchlings... they can be delicate sometimes. If you could find a well-started yearling, from 2005, that would probably be ideal. Hatchlings seem to be more available though.

SamuraiSnake said:
Does sex make a difference?
Click to expand...
Females get a little larger I think.

SamuraiSnake said:
How big can they get, and how big should their aquarium be?
Click to expand...
You can find these answers in the FAQ's on this forum, and also in the many books on Corn Snakes. I own both Kathy Love's book, and Don Soderburgs, and would reccomend that you buy and read one of them BEFORE buying ANYTHING, including cages. Good luck!
 
You can order Kathy Love's book directly from her website. www.cornutopia.com I would recommend a breeder for your first snake, or check out a local reptile show where you can see and handle the snakes yourself. Try to pick one that is calm and for the most part just crawls thru your hands instead of trying to make a run for it. I find they tend to stay calm their whole lives if they are like that when young. Pet stores tend to charge you alot and you could most likely get one from a breeder for that much (cost of the snake and shipping if necessary) and have all the feed and shed records on the animal as well as the parentage. Sex of the snake doesn't seem to matter. I've had calm animals of both sexes and they are similar in size as well.
 
You can try just putting in reptile shows in google or yahoo. Try www.IRBA.com Reptiles magazine has listings each month. I didn't find any listings for shows in Arizona in the next couple of months there though. You might have just missed one. I don't check for that state normally.
 
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