# First time snake owner



## SnakeLover1994 (Mar 2, 2012)

Hi everyone.

In a few weeks I am getting my first snake, looking for advice now so I know what to expect, what to do etc.

I have handled big snakes before so I am not scared of the size (but my mum is! lol, took me long enough to persuade her for one).

I would like a corn snake but does anyone have any advice on where to buy one, how to choose the right one and just snake care in general?

Any help would be appreciated, thank you so much.


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## mjh73 (Nov 29, 2011)

try looking here

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/newbie-advice/112026-how-house-your-first-snake.html


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## Dibles (Nov 7, 2011)

Corns make great first snakes, make sure you read the link as posted above and you can't go wrong! Just have a think which colour or 'morph' you like and go for it!! There are loads of posts on this forum to assist and answer any questions you migh have..... So good luck!!


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## Lord Vetinari (Mar 4, 2011)

Are you sure you want a corn snake? 

It's not a bad choice by far, but there are many many other options out there. 

A good thought process to chosing a snake is this:

1) How large an enclosure can you fit in your house? This will give you an idea of the size snake you can house. A general _rule of thumb_ is that the width+depth of the enclosure = total length of snake. 6ft is a pretty average size for a snake, so if you can fit a 4ftx2ft viv in your options increase dramaticaly. 

2) When would you like the snake to be active? ie, Diurnal, Nocturnal etc...

3) What attitude would you prefer? Do you want something you can handle - or is 'look dont touch' ok with you?

4) Are you used to looking after reps? Do you have experience strictly controlling environment? If not you may want to avoid the more delicate species.

5) How much do you want to spend? 

6) Finally..... go for what you think looks good!


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## Janine00 (Sep 20, 2008)

Read, read, visit shops and ask if you can handle one or two if you like the look of them.... read some more, and yet more. Make notes on what you like and how to keep them.

Oh... and did I mention read EVERYTHING, but use your common sense. : victory: People can write anything on forums etc... the idea of reading so much is that you get the best overview and can ignore the few numpty's that give out a whole load of different advice to most others! :whip:

and finally.... don't rush into it... snakes live a long time, they are not trading cards :lol2:


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## AraCyanea (May 30, 2011)

I got corn snakes as my first, but they got away and kept escaping way to easily, they can fit through the smallest gaps you wouldn't expect them too. 

I then swapped them for a royal, I haven't had any problems with him, apart from feeding really, but that's mainly due to the time of year it is. 

You could go with a king snake or milk snake or something?

Depends on how big of a snake you'd want.

If you're looking for a snake that grows 4-7ft a king snake would be decent I say, as they're good feeders, but may have temperaments from what I have read and seen. 

If you do enough research, any snake can be your first really, apart from DWA ones of course :lol2:


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## hodgesa (Jan 8, 2011)

My first - and second - were corn snakes - don't get me wrong, I think mine are awesome... but I personally would prefer something with a bit more chunk; corns are quite thin, and can be pretty quick and mine sometimes can get a bit jumpy. It's just something to think about.

But any snakes you get, I'm sure they'll serve you well :2thumb:


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## pk93 (Jan 26, 2010)

Corns are a brilliant starter snake.

Just read up and buy books.

Also as you live in Nottingham i highly recommend wharf aquatics in Pinxton.

Hope this helps

PK


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## djmike (Oct 31, 2011)

things to consider 

Can you get food easily from your local pet shop?

Can you live with a bag of dead mice in your freezer?

Can you handle feeding the mice to your pet?

Are you prepared to take on an animal that could live for up to 20 years?


You should also consider the availability of Corn Snakes in your area and find out as much about local reptile stockists and breeders before deciding where to purchase your Corn Snake from. It is advisable to buy your snake from a reputable stockist and ensure that they have enough information about the snake's history before you decide to buy. Never buy a snake without adequate feeding and shedding records, as these can tell you a lot about your Corn Snake's state of health. Problem feeders and bad shedders can cause a lot of worry, so ensure that your Corn Snake eats regularly and sheds well before you decide to buy.


CHOOSING YOUR CORN 


Always insist on handling your snake before you decide to buy. This will allow you to notice any health or temperament issues before you take your Corn Snake Home. A healthy Corn Snake will be alert, bright eyed and flicking it's tongue regularly during handling. The skin should be smooth and firm and there should be no traces of retained shed anywhere along the snake's body. If you are in any doubt about the Corn snake's health and well-being then do not purchase it.
Corn Snakes can be transported home over short distances in either a RUB (Really useful box/plastic tub with lid) or a cotton bag tied at the top. Most reptile stockists would provide these, but private sellers may not.
Quarantining your new Corn Snake is good practice if you have other snakes in the household. 2-3 months should be a minimum quarantine period.


CAPTIVE CARE 

Temperament: With the odd exception, Corn Snakes are calm, docile, placid snakes that are hardy and thrive very well in captivity. Due to their temperament Corn Snakes are a recommended first snake to keep as they are relatively easy to care for and they also do not outgrow their welcome in the way that some Boas and Pythons can.
Corn snakes do make a good choice for beginners since they are easy to handle and care for. However, they are also favorites with experienced keepers due to the vast array of beautiful colors and patterns selective breeding has produced.
Corn Snakes make great pets as they are highly unlikely to bite and have pleasant personalities. If threatened their first response is to hide, rather than strike and they will occasionally warn of predators with a little tail rattling. If your Corn Snake rattles it's tail this is nothing to worry about, just take steps to ensure that your Corn Snake feels secure and continue with regular handling until they become used to you and know that you are not a threat to them.


Handling: Corn Snakes are quite active snakes and will appreciate time outside the vivarium to exercise. Care should be taken to avoid dropping your Corn Snake whilst handling, so support your Corn Snake at all times. Approximately 10-15 minutes 3-4 times a week is a suitable amount of time for handling your Corn Snake, but this may vary depending on the particular snake. Some Corn Snakes will appreciate more time outside the vivarium, while others may shy away from regular handling.
It is important for hygiene reasons to wash your hands with a good anti-bacterial handwash before and after you handle your snake. This is especially important if you have multiple specimens, so has not to pass on any infections between your snakes. Anti-bacterial hand sanitisers are widely available and are useful to have close to your vivarium for quick and regular hand cleaning.


FEEDING


Corn Snakes feed on mice appropriate to the size of their mouth. A prey item should be approximately the same width as one and a half times the size of the corn snakes head.
Hatchling Corn Snakes start on pink mice, one every 5-6 days and graduate up to an adult mouse every 7-14 days as they grow. Very large snakes may require 2 adult mice per feed. You may also feed your Corn Snake on chicks and fertilized quail eggs to provide a variation in diet, although these are not recommended as a staple diet as these will not contain all the beneficial nutrients and minerals that rodents have. Larger Corn Snakes will also take other small rodents such as gerbils, hamsters and young rats.
Do not feed your snake with live food, even a small mouse may bite or injure your snake. Shop brought frozen rodents are available from most pet shops or bought over the internet these can be thawed to room temperature and make an excellent all round food for your snake. Wild rodents carry parasites and should be avoided at all times.
Never handle your snake straight after a feed, as it will regurgitate its meal. It is advisable to wait 48 hours after a feed before handling your snake.
Feeding your Corn Snake outside the Vivarium is recommended to ensure that no substrate is ingested along with the prey item. If a Corn Snake ingests large amounts of it's substrate then it can lead to your snake becoming impacted and ill.
If your snake is reluctant to feed, which is unlikely in a Corn Snake, then there are a few techniques you can try to encourage your snake to feed. One of these is 'braining' the mouse. Snakes are attracted to the scent of brain matter, so if you cut into the skull of the mouse to expose the brain tissue, then they are more likely to take the food item.

SHEEDING

Corn snakes, like all other snakes, shed their outer layer of skin periodically throughout their lives. Young snakes may shed more frequently than adult snakes, but in general the shedding process occurs several times a year. This is nothing to worry about as a keeper, but there are a few things you can do to help your snake through this process.
Preecdysis is the name given to the changes your snake will go through whilst preparing to shed it's skin. This will include a dulling of your snake's skin colour, general inactivity and their eyes will turn a bluish grey colour. At this time your Corn Snake may refuse a feed or shy away from being handled, but this depends on the individual snake and how they handle preecdysis. While your snake is 'in blue' it is advisable to handle with care as their vision is obscured by the membrane covering it's eyes and they may feel more insecure than usual, therefore more likely to be defensive.
Most Corn snakes will handle a shed without any need for extra help, but if you want to assist your snake during this time you should try to raise the humidity in your Vivarium to help your snake loosen it's skin. You can do this by placing a larger water bowl in the vivarium so that your snake has the opportunity to soak itself if desired. You can also lightly mist the tank with water to help raise the humidity. Another useful tactic is to place a humidity box in the Vivarium. This can be a sandwich box with a hole cut in the top filled with damp sphagnum moss. Your Corn snake should appreciate the extra humidity and it will make the next stage in the process easier for it.
Ecdysis is the act of shedding, which is usually started by your snake rubbing it's head on rocks or decor to loosen the skin around it's head. Once it has worked it's head free it will continue to crawl its way out of the old skin by rolling it inside out has it moves. Once your snake has shed it's skin it should be removed from the vivarium along with any faeces that usually accompanies Ecdysis. Check your snake to ensure that the shed skin has successfully been removed, taking particular notice that the eyecaps and tail end have not been retained. If necessary bathe your snake and remove any patches of skin that have not been shed with a warm towel or tweezers, to avoid infection or death of the tissue below it.

HOUSING 

Corn Snakes are not highly active and do not need huge enclosures. A medium sized vivarium (Even a fish tank with a tight fitting lid) will house your Corn Snake nicely. The vivarium should allow a minimum of 1 square foot of floor space to each foot of snake and be approximately a third of the snake’s length in height. Hatchlings should start out in an appropriately sized small vivarium as they can become stressed and stop feeding in an oversized vivarium.
Corn Snakes are excellent escape artists, so care must be taken when planning their housing. Make sure your vivarium or tank has a tight fitting lid, which can be clamped down. Corn snakes are very strong and can push a loose fitting lid from a vivarium.
Corn Snakes are relatively easy to care for, as they defecate rarely, so with regular spot cleaning a full vivarium clean out should only be necessary every 3-5 weeks. When you clean out the housing, disinfect the cage furniture and the inside of the vivarium with a weak disinfectant solution or a reptile safe product. In general, if a disinfectant is safe to use for disinfecting baby bottles, then it is weak enough to use with snakes. Completely dry the contents before replacing in the vivarium with fresh substrate. For hygiene reasons it is advised to use seperate towels and cleaning cloths for your snakes.

HEAT AND HUMITIY 

Corn Snakes are cold blooded and get heat from their surroundings. In the wild snakes bask in the sun to keep warm or move to a shady spot if they are too hot, this is called thermo-regulation. The ideal temperature for you snake's vivarium is a temperature gradient of 21-30°C (70-86°F)
Heat should be provided using either a heat mat with thermostat or a bulb with a dimming stat on the roof of the vivarium surrounded by a bulb guard.
Heat mats should only cover between a third and a half of the floor space to allow your snake to thermo-regulate. This heat mat should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure that it does not overheat. Since a heat mat should provide sufficient heat to keep your corn snake happy, a basic mat stat, like the Microclimate Ministat 100 or the Habistat Mat Stat, should be appropriate. These thermostats are available from reptile shops and online, are relatively cheap, and will ensure the heat source is regulated at a safe level.
A popular alternative to the heat mat is a normal light bulb on the roof of the vivarium, attached to a dimming stat. It is important to ensure that the heat source is protected from direct contact with you snake by using a guard. Corn snakes do not feel heat in the same way that we do and do not always realise that something they are touching is burning them. A bulb guard will ensure that your Corn snake will stay a safe distance away from the heat of the bulb so burns will be avoided. The disadvantages of using a bulb as a heat source is that the bulb needs to be turned on constantly to keep the vivarium at the correct temperature. Your corn snake does not require light 24 hours a day and can suffer from stress if the light exposure is too long. It is recommended to keep your corn snake in a natural light pattern that mimics normal daytime, so a heat mat is a better choice between the two heat sources. If you do decide to use a heat mat, then a energy-saving bulb with guard can be added to the vivarium for decorative purposes to help you see your snake.
It's useful when using either method to have a small thermometer on each end of the vivarium to check the temperature. Place the thermometers near the hides on top of the substrate as this is where your Corn snake will spend the majority of it's time. One end should be around 30°C and the other around 21°C. Checking temperatures regularly is advised to ensure that your Corn Snake can thermo-regulate by moving around the tank


Corn Snakes do not require a specific humidity level, but may appreciate a light misting of their vivarium to aid them during the shedding process.
Ensure that you do not allow the humidity to reach too high a level as this may cause your Corn Snake to develop an R.I (Respiratory Infection).

HIDES AND CLIMBS

All Corn Snakes need somewhere to hide and may become stressed if this is not provided. This could be a cardboard box, a toilet roll tube or a upturned plant pot that can be easily replaced if it becomes soiled.
Specialist reptile hides can be purchased from pet shops and over the Internet. These are usually quite expensive, but look good inside the vivarium and can be easily cleaned when you clean the rest of the vivarium..
Any hide should be just large enough for your Corn Snake to curl up in; if it is too large the snake will not feel as secure. It is advised to place at least two hides in your vivarium so that your Corn snake will have a place to hide in both the warm and cool end of the tank.
In general, it is wise to place two hides in your vivarium for your Corn snake to use, one in the warm side of the vivarium and one in the cooler side. This enables your snake to have adequate hiding places along the temperature gradient, which would allow your snake to adjust its body temperature. This is important, because for some Corn Snakes, the instinct to hide is often more insistent than the instinct to keep at the right temperature. If the snake does not control his body temperature it can lead to many problems, the least of which being digestive problems.

Branches, rocks, stones and plastic plants can be bought from pet shops and over the internet these provide a place for climbing and resting, they also aid the snake when shedding its skin.
Branches and rocks collected from the wild will need to be debugged by soaking first in chlorine/water solution, then rinsed thoroughly, soaked in clean water, then left to dry in the sun. Aternatively, baking your find in a oven for an hour at 100°C would also kill any parasites or bacteria living on it that could harm your snake.
Some live plants may be harmful to your Corn Snake, if in doubt don't use them in your Vivarium.


Corn snakes are very inquisitive animals and like to explore new surroundings. Once in a while change the layout of the vivarium, as this will keep your Corn Snake from becoming bored. You will notice once you put your Corn Snake back in the tank it will start to re-explore its new surroundings.

BREEDING


Corn Snakes breed so well in captivity that it is unusual to find any wild caught animals for sale. They come in an ever-growing range of colour and pattern mutations, which can lead to a very varied collection of just one species.
Corn snakes should be of a good age and weight before they are allowed to breed to avoid problems like egg binding. I would recommend that the minimum requirements for a female to breed would be at least 3 years of age, 3ft in length and 300 grams in weight.

Brumation
Brumation (cooling your snake down for winter) is advised to greater your chances of successful breeding. A good brumation period is about 8 to 10 weeks for the female Corn Snake. The temperature needs to be dropped gradually to around 7-18°C (45-65°F) and maintained until gradually raising it back up after the recommended brumation period. Your Corn snake should not be fed during this time, but fresh water should always be available.

Mating 
In the wild the Corn Snake mating season is usually around March, so this is a good time to introduce your female to the male's vivarium for copulation. They can be left together for a few weeks. If the copulation is successful, the female will become gravid (pregnant).

Laying
Once your Corn snake has become gravid, they will need to fed more frequently to ensure they gain the vital nutrients needed for egg development. A nest box should be placed in the vivarium when it becomes obvious that the female is searching for a place to lay her eggs. A nest box can be made easily from a plastic tub. Simply cut a hole in the lid of the box that is big enough for your female to fit through and fill the tub with damp vermiculite. Once the eggs have been laid, remove the eggs. Your female will be hungry and exhausted, so continue feeding her more often than you normally would to increase your chances of a successful double clutch.

Incubation
Female Corn Snakes will lay between 10 and 20 eggs, which will need to be incubated for between 55 and 65 days (7 to 9 weeks). Try to keep the eggs at a constant temperature of 26-29°C (79-85°F). Vermiculite is a good substrate to have inside the incubator as it will help keep the humidity levels correct.

Hatchlings
If incubation is successful the hatchlings should break out of their eggs using an egg tooth. They will remain in the eggs to soak up the york for a few days before venturing out of the shell. You should watch them closely at this stage, but not force them to leave the egg before they are ready.
Once they are out of the egg, the hatchlings will all need to be housed separately. Small sandwich box type RUBS (Really Useful Boxes) are good for housing your hatchlings at this stage.
Hatchlings will require their first feed after their first shed, which should occur around a week after they hatch. If the hatchling is reluctant to eat it's first pinky, try braining the pinky to encourage them to take it. If you are planning to sell on your hatchlings, it is important to ensure that the hatchlings are readily accepting food and are healthy before selling them.




COMMON COMPLAINTS


Corn Snakes are a hardy snake that would rarely become ill with appropriate care, but here is a quick introduction to a few disorders that need to be looked out for.

Mites: Mites are little black parasites that live on your Corn Snake and feed on their blood. If your Corn Snake catches mites they can usually be found around the eyes, mouth and under scales. Your snake will seem lethargic and may go off it's food during a mite infestation. If you discover mites on your corn snake, immediately bathe your snake in warm water and fully disinfect the entire tank and contents. Refill your vivarium with white kitchen roll and leave the cage furniture to a minimum. This helps stops the mites being able to breed as they need substrate to lay eggs and also allows you to see them more clearly while you monitor your snake. Repeated bathing and disinfecting of the vivarium helps, but it unlikely that you will remove a mite infestation without some sort of treatment. Reptile shops sell various treatments to help kill off the mites, but some vets may prescribe a weak dose of Frontline if they feel it is necessary.
Respiratory Infections (R.Is): R.Is are a bacterial infection that is usually caused by poor cage conditions, low temperatures or too much humidity, but can be passed from snake to snake too. Corn Snakes may sound wheezy with excessive saliva and nasal discharge. Their mouths may also gape open as your corn struggles to breathe. Very mild R.Is may go away themselves if the conditions that the snake are living in are corrected, but serious infections need to be seen to by a vet immediately to avoid Mouth Rot or even death of your Corn Snake. The vet may prescribe an anti-biotic called Baytril, which is safe enough to be given to your snake.
Regurgitation: When a snake regurgitates it's meal, it may not necessarily be down to illness, but as regurgitation is a symptom of many digestive problems, illnesses and stress it is recommended that if your Corn Snake does regurgitate it's meal that you monitor your snake very closely for further symptoms. Sometimes a Corn Snake may regurgitate it's meal if it is handled too soon after a feeding or if it has been fed an item that is too large for it. In this case, you should leave the snake to settle back down for a week before trying to feed again. If your Corn Snake repeatedly regurgitates it's meal, loses excessive weight or shows any other signs that are worrying you, seek medical attention as soon as possible.


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