Central florida red corn/rat snake

[Arachnaeoccult]

This snake, caught yesterday after some people cut down trees from my yard was found trapped in an empty trash bin. Since he was a corn snake and I've been wanting a snake for a while, and he's cute and healthy looking I figured I'd take him in. Today I tried feeding him with a dethawed frozen fluffy. He took the meal half into his mouth and decided he didn't want it. While many people suggest to put him back I disagree. if the snake was hopeless he wouldn't have snagged onto the meal on the first try.


I've refrozen the fuzzy but theres another in the package fresh.

The local pet retailer said give him a week to settle in since he just got he's newly captive.

[IW17]

It may just be the angle, but the snake looks to small for that size mouse. I would try two things. First, offer a smaller meal. If that doesn't work, offer a live meal. After that I'd release it if it won't feed.

[FWK]

Rat Snakes (Pantherophis sp.), including the ever popular Corn Snake, are about the easiest field collected snakes to keep there are, but even Rat Snakes have some needs. The first need is security. As in the snake needs to feel safe. If you were plucked from your home and suck in a huge glass box with giants peering in at you, you wouldn't feel safe. And neither does your snake. Wild Rat Snakes typically feed readily in captivity. It took the mouse, but then dropped it because it was scared. Make it feel safe and it will eat for you, and with gusto. Before I go any further I must say I do suggest that you (and the snake) would be better off releasing this animal and buying a well started captive bred snake. Now that that is out of the way...

The first thing is to get the enclosure set up properly. We can't see much of the enclosure so I don't know if you have a heating element or not, but you do need to create a thermal gradient. Mid 80's on the warm end and low 70's on the cool end is ideal. Rather you use a heat pad or heat lamp it must be controlled with a rheostat or thermostat, I prefer the latter. Snakes can and do burn themselves on uncontrolled heat elements. Stay away from heat rocks.

I'd get rid of the dirt substrate (or whatever that is), that is going to be more trouble than it is worth. Shredded aspen from a pet store, shredded newspaper, or even just a few layers of newspaper or paper towels will do fine for a substrate. All of my Rat Snakes are on newspaper. A water bowl with fresh water is obviously a must. Then you need clutter, lots of clutter. At least one hide on the cool end and another on the warm end, and as many more as you'd like. Some branches to climb on will likely be appreciated, as long as they can't fall and smash the little guy. Fake plants or even just crumpled up newspaper will provide additional cover and make the snake feel more secure.

If you really want to simplify things, get rid of the aquarium and set up a tub. A 15 quart Rubbermaid sweater box would be perfect for now. Drill some air holes, put a thermostat controlled undertank heat pad under one end, add a few layers of newspaper for a substrate, a water bowl, a couple hides, and a bit of crumpled up newspaper for clutter. You'll have a happy Corn Snake.

Once the enclosure is set up and the snake has settled in for at least a couple days you can offer the mouse again. Offering food around dusk will get the best results, Rat Snakes are crepuscular. As long as you are careful not to spook the little one, odds are very good it will snatch the mouse right off the tongs. Be careful not to spook it still, it might spit it out. Either stay very still while it eats it or carefully close the enclosure and leave the room for a while. If it does hesitate to take the mouse just drop it into the enclosure and leave it. It wont be there in the morning.

[Arachnaeoccult]

I'll do this all over again with some newspaper, shredded wood from the pet store etc but he currently has a side heating pad (while its cold outside its warmer in here even with no acs on because this efficiency is a little hotbox), a cork log shell hide and water dish. I've misted the sides for humidity .

It seems the problem was frozen food, and the possibility of the mouse being too big.


I used a butterfly net to catch a lizard and she took to it well. I'm sure this was a huge part of her diet. I believe she's also come from my own yard so I took some mulch to coat the inside of her tank with. I threw in a few of the same concrete stones and she's begun to seem more secure in her dwelling. I plan on getting mice soon. I'm also on the look out for local frogs and lizards but before her next meal she'll wait

[Arachnaeoccult]

I have a side heating pad. Theres no way to stick it under the tank without damaging the wire?, some substrate and lots of mulch taken from her original territory. I successfully fed her a good sized lizard I caught with a butterfly net. Mice are next on the agenda. Frozen prey are worthless.

This particular color is a Miami phase corn snake, a particularly pretty kind. I named her Mars because of all the rusty reds and oranges she has.

[FWK]

You can use stick on rubber spacers to lift the tank and provide room for the heat pads wire. Why do you say frozen prey are worthless? Field collected prey tend to have a heavy parasite load and other potential hazards.

[Arachnaeoccult]

I've fed a few wild bugs to my tarantulas but I refrain from doing that. In regards to the case of the corn snake I feel that whatever they carry she must be immune to because by the looks of it thats what she's already been eating. I live in railroad area near some industry metal work facilities and the us1 Highway by indian river, and also the main road of town. Theres some woods she could've come from and lots of tall uncut grass on some lots and ponds all around. She's been eating frogs, lizards, bird eggs, probably other snakes.

[FWK]

It is not immune, it already has a parasite load. As long as you feed it f/t rodents and don't give the parasites eggs a place to develop (ie, get rid of the dirt substrate), most of them will just cycle through. A dewormer will get rid of the rest. I've used Safeguard (Panacur). Don't worry with deworming until it is well established. This is part of the reason I suggested you release this animal and get a captive bred animal. But people tend to ignore that advice. If you feed field collected prey its parasite load will build up over time until the snake is no longer able to handle it and dies. Parasites kill wild snakes too, though snakes have ways to deal with parasites in the wild they don't have access to in captivity.

[Arachnaeoccult]

I'll get all necessary supplies as soon as I can including the dewormer. Also are these parasites more like protozoans or mites? how am I supposed to forcefeed the snake the dewormer?


The parasites in the soil would have long cycled through since this is the same dirt thats been in the cage for many many months since I housed the forest scorpion.

[FWK]

Internal parasites, primarily worms. Mites are a whole different story, they should be pretty easy to spot. I've never found mites on a wild snake. I have seen a few ticks though. Inject panacur into prey items, no force feeding necessary. Here is the method I use. (http://bamboozoo.weebly.com/health-deworming.html) Don't rush into it, give it at least a few weeks or even months before treating for parasites.

[FWK]

The parasites in the soil would have long cycled through since this is the same dirt thats been in the cage for many many months since I housed the forest scorpion.

The problem is the worms reproduce by laying eggs that are passed though the snakes digestive tract. The snake defecates on the dirt and takes the eggs or larva right back in when it eats.

[IW17]

Another reason to get rid of the substrate and use paper is your under tank heater will transfer heat much easier through a thin layer of newspaper vs thick mulch/soil. I only use natural substrate if I'm using an overhead heat source.

[Arachnaeoccult]

The tank is stuck to the side and not under. Is that a major issue?

This house absorbs all heat and doesn't get colder than outside ever, hard to see why she wouldn't like it in here. She also seems snug today. The lizard appears to be mostly digested, she just needs to poop it out.


In order to test feces for parasite load do I need a vet or an expert in reptiles from a pet store?

[Arachnaeoccult]

I put plastic sticky bulbs under the tank to lift it. one is missing but thats fine. There is some newspaper shreddings enough to bed the floor softly. the heating pad is in the middle, hide place near it to sid.


Edit: I added more bedding of shredded news paper and took out the wet stuff. is it supposed to get wet with a water dish in there???