Introduction
Corn Snakes belong to the Colubrid family which is the largest snake family. as hatchlings they normally measure 20-28cms (8-11″ ). Adults range from 1-1.5m (3-5´ ) Their lifespan is up to 20 years & they are non venomous. They are hardy & easy to keep. They are docile, even tempered & well suited to captive conditions. They become tame with regular gentle handling. They are an ideal first snake.
Housing
It is advisable to start with a small pen such as an ExoTerra Faunarium for a hatchling, as the Corn snakes are the ‘Houdinis’ of the snake world. They will find a way out of the tiniest hole, so a plastic container is best initially. This can be palced inside an Exo Terra terrarium to ensure the correct temperature & then move them into the Terrarium itself when they grow to about 60cm (2´ ) at about a year old. Corn snakes can be housed together or seperately, although some males will object to sharing a vivarium with another male. Females can be housed together but should be separated for feeding as animals frequently compete for the same food item & even try to eat each other!
Bedding & furnishing
Bark or wood shavings are ideal as a floor layer. It is a good idea to provide a hide at both the cooler end of the terrarium & the & the hotter end so as to give the snake a choice of warm or cool security. The Exo terra Snake cave is excellent for this or the Reptile den with its unique "through-the-glass" magnetic rock formation which allows you to look at the snake without disturbing it. If rocks are used to decorate the terrarium make sure there are no sharp edges & they cannot fall & crush your snake. A climbing branch will be appreciated by your snake & artificial plants & other terrarium décor will enhance the appearance of your set up. Remove all droppings & clean the terrarium on a regular basis to prevent disease.
Heating
Corn snakes need a hot area of about 90°F (32°C ) with a back round daytime temperature of 80°F (27°C ). At night the temperature should drop to about 70°F (21°C ). One of the best methods of heating for Corn Snakes is the Exo Terra Tropical Heat Mat. Choose an appropriate size to provide the right degree of heat, ensure only about half the floor area is covered by the mat & the mat is correctly situated outside the glass. A digital thermometer should be placed near the hot end & one at the cool end to minitor temperatures. A thermostat is essential to control the heat source & prevent your pet from becoming too hot or too cold.
Lighting
Unlike many reptiles, Corn Snakes do not need UVA or UVB lighting as they have developed to be mostly nocturnal. In fact too much UV light is detrimental to albino Corn Snakes & can cause eye problems. An incandescent daylight bulb ( Sun Glo) or a ReptiGlo 2.0 flourescent tube, set on a timer to give 10-12 hours daylight, can be used because they do not have high levels of UVB. A Night Glo bulb can be used to assist nocturnal viewing if desired.
Humidity
Humidity is not a critical keeping factor, except when the snake is in the run up to sloughing its skin when you can encourage the humidity up to 60% by lightly misting daily with a hand sprayer. This will promote a clean, healthy skin slough. Diet & Feeding: In the wild Corn Snakes will take a variety of prey including small mammals, lizards & birds. In captivity, they almost always accept defrosted mice & young rats, of appropriate size, without a problem. Always purchase an animal with an established feeding routine & don’t be tempted to take on the additional resposibility of an erratic feeder. Hatchlings should be fed a defrosted baby mouse every four to six days & adults a mouse or young rat no more than once every 7-10 days. The width of the prey should not exceed one & a half times the width of the snakes head. Do not try to make your snake grow faster by overfeeding because it will become obese & associatwed health problems can follow. Because of their slow metabolism, an overweight snake will take a long time to lose the excess fat so it is best to prevent the problem occuring in the first place.
Salmonella
Like all living things, snakes can carry the naturally occuring bacteria Salmonella, which can be acquired through ingestion (by mouth). Good hygiene is therefore very important when keeping any animal. Remember you are more likely to acqire Salmonella from raw or under cooked chicken, a stale cream cake or a dog so do not automatically assume that your snake is the only suspect!
Always wash your hands after handling all animals.
Shedding
From time to time a snake sheds the entire outer layer of its skin, a process referred to as sloughing. Youngsters go through this process more frequently, about every month to six weeks, than the adults, who may only slough three or four times a year. The skin should be sloughed off as a complete skin 7 if any pieces are left on the snake this can kill the new skin underneath & cause problems in the future. Always check the snake for retained skin, especially the tip of the tail & the ‘spectacles’ ( the bit covering the eyes) A gentle bath in warm water will usually free the stuck skin that can then be gently picked off. if in any doubt see your reptile vet or specialist who will advise you.
