Good first snake?

[Cooper]

Hello, I am thinking of getting a snake. I am a regular at arachnopets.com and was hoping sdomebody could make a suggestion and maybe some care tips? I want something handleable(sp) and that does not grow to large. Fairly cheap to house to. Thank you very much!

[sapphire_moon]

Well from what I've heard Corn snakes are great begginer snakes.......go to www.google.com and look up "corn snake care" and lots should come up. You can get a corn snake fairly cheap and most adult corns grow 4ft so you can keep them in a 20 gal long tanke (but remember bigger is always better).......Me and my partner are getting our first corn something in the next couple of weeks.....

[KingFfaj]

yer corns are great first snakes and tend to be easy to handle and care for, alternatively you could buy a kingsnake (californian)as these too make really good first snakes, they grow a little bit larger but can be housed in about the same sized tank, maybe 3'x1.5'. Its just a matter of which you prefer (kingsnakes rule);)

[reverendsterlin]

well posting this in the corn forum may say something about your preferences

[Pixie]

Hi Cooper and welcome to SsnakesS!

Corn snakes are perfect first snakes, easy to care for and good temperaments. Another great thing is that they come in such a variety of colors that there are plenty that will appeal to you!

Like the others mentionned, housing as an adult requires approx. 30 gal. tank but a smaller one such as a 10 or 20gal will last you over a year if you start with a baby corn.

I have four of them in my zoo and absolutely love them! They are also my best feeders, taking f/t mice like champs! They all come and take them from my tongs, I don't even have the time to lower the mouse in! Vacuum cleaners is what I call mine, they suck down their food in a minute or two tops! Little piggies!

What surprises me about this species of snake is that for their immense appetite they aren't aggressive at all. Even my most aggressive feeders won't bite me. The only time I have ever experienced biting if you can really call it that, was from itsy bitsy hatchlings and juveniles. They didn't even make a scratch on my skin, lol! I found that mine mellowed out as they grew even just a bit.

One of the things I love most about my corns is the feel of their scales. They are so smooth it's really amazing!

Pixie

[Emily-Fisher]

Well Anny pretty much mentioned everything that I was going to tell you! :p Corn snakes are great! They were my first and only snake. Great feeders, very docile, don't get that big, amazing colours... what else could you want out of a snake?!

[jay76]

Corns are good snakes. Just remember if you get a hatchling it'll be a little flighty, but like Pixie says they'll mellow out as they grow. Good luck with your first snake!

[Invictus]

I agree with the consensus. Corns are simply the BEST starter snake, and even a great snake for the experienced keeper. As Jay76 mentioned, they are very panicky babies, but as they grow, they are incredibly docile.

Pixie's experience with feeding has been mine as well. They feed like machines. And to give you an idea of how tame they are, RedDragon and I hand-feed our corns, and they are yet to nip us.

All in all, an incredible snake to own no matter what your experience level.

[Cooper]

Wow, thanks for all the info guys! Can somebody tell me some basic housing and feeding methods? Should I use astroturf(or that grass carpet or whatever) so it ios easy to clean? What lights would I need? I would start out with a juvie or smaller, because I already have the aquarium(need a top). What temp? Thanks again!

[steen]

If you browse threads that have already been started, or search for "corn snake care" on www.google.com, you will find everything that you need to get started. It is always best to do your own research rather than relying on one source for information...good luck!

Kristine

[Pixie]

Kristine is very right in saying to look at different sources for information. Although this site IMO is one of the best :D

The corn snake manual is a great buy and covers all the basics and has great pics of different morphs.

To sum up general needs I would say they are quite forgiving in temperature fluctuations. The minimum that they need for a warm area is 80°f, having a gradient of approx. 82-85°f on the warm end and 75° on the cooler side is fine. I strongly recommend a heat mat as a heat source instead of a light. Lights will lower the humidity in a zap and will be hard to keep minimal levels. Heat mats can be found at most pet supply stores and stick to the bottom of the tank. Having a good thermometer is essential to moniter temps, I got a neat digital one for 15$ and a hygrometer to have an idea of the humidity levels, about 5$.

There are a variety of good substrates to use ranging from simple paper towels, newspaper or aspen to more naturalistic looking ones like coconut hust, repti bark and cypress mulch. I strongly recommend a simple substrate when housing your snake the first few weeks and especially with a hatchling or juvenile. That way you moniter the first time your snake "goes" more easily.

I would recommend a hatchling that is already eating or young juvenile. Corn snakes grow very fast and I find a lot of the fun is seeing them grow up and into their colors. You also get to learn it's personality or whatever you can call it!

I really wouldn't worry about them being flighty and possibly nippy when young, it's actually quite hilarious! Seeing this tiny snake the size of a pencil holding it's own! lol They outgrow it fairly quickly and tame very well. Not all of them are like that either, 2 out of my 4 were pretty mellow from the start.

Pixie

[Cooper]

Thank you very much. I looked around and couldnt find anything on humidity. Could please elaborate? Thanks again.

[sapphire_moon]

Well I was told that their humidity is very low....40-50%, and was even told that the humidity in your house was fine, but to up it when they were in shed......

[Pixie]

Yep, like sapphire_moon said, they tolerate low levels usually well. The "preferred" zone is around 50-60% but not absolutely crucial if the snake is not in shed phase and as long as it has fresh water at all times. Water dish big enough for it to soak in is preferable too.

The shed phase in corn snakes is rather quick compared to some other species. So what I do (for all my snakes) is provide a humid hide at all times. A tupperware lined with moist paper towels. When your snake enters shed phase, it will go to the humid area to help it shed.

I find that humidity levels are only problematic in the winter time when lots of heating is used. I then add a second water dish on the warm end and cover part of the tank. But I've never needed to do this with my corns, I have yet to have anything but a perfect one peice shed from my corns :)

Pixie

[Invictus]

Corns can tolerate any humidity level. They are found all over the eastern US, from swamplands with 100% humidity, to Arid zones with only 10-15%. They are very adpatable creatures. But yes, ideally, you want 50-60%.

[reverendsterlin]

lol, the only thing my neo corns fear is not getting their next meal, I'm just a big stick to them

[crashzone002]

I just got my first snake and its a snow corn and a beuty. Awsome little guy.