First time snake owner, looking for help!

[Kylie]

Hello Everyone,

I have just gotten a 2 year old female corn snake. This is my first snake. The previous owner had given me their tank and supplies, along with general tips about corn snake ownership. I have looked up a few things since getting her yesterday and it appears most if not everything i have been told is wrong. This is why i have come here searching for your help.


The tank provided is roughly 2ft/1ft in size, at a glance the snake appears to be 3ft in length possibly longer. i was told that the snake is 2 years old and was told it will not get any bigger. in the tank is a small water pool, a hollow rock house, a weird curved small log, as well as 2 hanging bundles of fake leaves. i am using Aspin snake bedding shavings for the under lay, as recommended by the previous owner. Also the take is heated by a 150 watt heat lamp. The previous owner has kept the light on 24/7 and told us to do so.

After looking on Google, it appears that the tank is too small, the pool is to small, the kind of bedding is bad, and that heat lamps are bad.
As i am a new snake owner im not overly knowledgeable on this subject and would like to learn proper ways of corn snake care before i develop bad habits, i will provide a picture of the tank with snake in it.
Any help is GREATLY appreciated!!!


http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac282/RaveApex/DSCF4431.jpg
http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac282/RaveApex/DSCF4432.jpg



-Kylie

[infernalis]

Welcome to the forum.

1. The tank in your picture will be OK for now, however Corn snakes do grow up to 4 feet long, My corn snake is 5 years old and pretty close to 4 feet long.

2. The snake would benefit from a larger tank, I was able to get a nice 4 foot long tank for $20 from a lady who had fish and the fish died. so keep an eye out and look through ads in newspapers and online for a deal.

3. We keep our corn snake on aspen bedding without any problems.

4. Since corn snakes are a north American colubrid species (not tropical) heating ant temperatures are not super critical, as long as you don't let your cage get too hot, or fall below freezing, your snake will be fine. A good comfortable temperature for the snake is anywhere from 70-85 degrees, so ordinary room temperatures are just fine, as long as you do not place the tank near a window that would allow direct sunlight to over heat it.

5. For a better water bowl, We simply use medium/large size dog water bowls found at most department/retail stores.

6. that hide is too small, there is not enough room inside for the snake to hide completely in it. the stick looks a little small to be of any real use to the snake as well.

I'm sure some of our resident Corn snake keepers will jump in with some more great tips.


sSnakeSs.com - Rules (http://www.ssnakess.com/index.php?page=rules)

http://www.thamfriends.com/mat.jpg

[Swany]

Hi and welcome to the madhouse. the members here are really nice and helpful. Hope you get a lot of enjoyment from your new friend ;-)

[Norm66]

Welcome! I'm not a corn snake keeper so I'll let someone who actually knows what they're talking about (like Wayne did) help. I just wanted to say that while not perfect your setup isn't the worst one I've seen for a beginner. And your snake is really pretty too.

Enjoy your new pet. :)

[KORBIN5895]

Welcome. It's a jungle in here!

First off that is a gorgeous snake! I no longer have any corns but I would recommend two things.

First get a bigger tank when you can. It is not necessary right now but soon.

Secondly heat lamps are okay but 150 watts seems a little too much for that small of a tank.

Good luck.

[Gungirl]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I am glad to see that you are looking to do the best for your snake and get all the proper information. You got a beautiful snake too!

First thing I would do is turn off the heat lamp and get an UTH ( under tank heater) and a thermostat. This will allow your snake proper temps to be happy. Do not use the UTH without a thermostat it will get far to hot. I keep my corn at 78 and it works great.
Second thing you want to do is get a 2 hides/caves that match , place one on the hot side and one on the cold side. This will allow for her to choose how warm/cool she wants/needs to be without having to choose feeling secure over warmth.
I use aspen and it works great just spot clean as needed and change out completely every 6 months.
Good luck with your new girl and feel free to ask any questions you need to.

[shaunyboy]

hello and welcome

you've had some great advice in the above posts

cheers shaun

[Lankyrob]

If you continue with the lamp make sure it has a thermostat attached (not sure if it has now!)

You need to giv ethe snake a hide at both ends of the tank so that it can hide and regulate temps at the same time, a bigger tank would be good but not too desperate for right now. Apart from that it looks ok - bigger water bowl would be good too tho none of my corns use theirs for bathing.

If you have any specific questions let us know and as long as you are willing to listen we are willing to help :) :)

[reptile65]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I am glad to see that you are looking to do the best for your snake and get all the proper information. You got a beautiful snake too!

First thing I would do is turn off the heat lamp and get an UTH ( under tank heater) and a thermostat. This will allow your snake proper temps to be happy. Do not use the UTH without a thermostat it will get far to hot. I keep my corn at 78 and it works great.
Second thing you want to do is get a 2 hides/caves that match , place one on the hot side and one on the cold side. This will allow for her to choose how warm/cool she wants/needs to be without having to choose feeling secure over warmth.
I use aspen and it works great just spot clean as needed and change out completely every 6 months.
Good luck with your new girl and feel free to ask any questions you need to.

I agree with the above advice about switching to a UTH. The nice thing about using a UTH is that you can leave it on 24/7 so the snake always has heat, but since it doesn't give off any light, it won't disrupt the snake's day/night cycle. Place the UTH off to one side of the tank so that she can properly thermoregulate. As mentioned, make sure you get a thermostat or the UTH will reach temperatures of 100+. I would recommend setting it somewhere between 80-85 degrees.

Your corn will most likely keep growing. Corn snakes are relatively slow growers, so it may take them 4-5 years or more to reach adult size. Generally, a 20 gallon long tank is the recommended minimum for an adult. Of course, you can always go bigger than that as long as you provide adequate hiding spots. Let us know if you have any other questions and welcome to the forum!

[alessia55]

Welcome! Congrats on your first snake! It's a wonderful experience. You've definitely come to the right place for advice on how to properly take care of your new friend.

I agree with all of what's been said above.

-Get two bigger hides/caves, one for each side of the tank.
-Eventually, she'll need a bigger tank, but you're OK for now.
-She'll want something bigger to climb up on.
-Get a temperature gun to measure the temperatures inside your tank. What are the temperatures at the hot end and the cool end? (right now your hot end would be the one with the light over it)
-Get a bigger water dish. Big enough so that the whole snake can fit in it. This is so that when she needs to shed, she'll be able to get in there and soak in it if she needs to.
-The aspen bedding you have her on is fine :)

You're taking the rights steps in making sure you correct her enclosure to fit her needs. Kudos to you :) Feel free to ask any more questions!

[theapexgerman]

you can find good temp gun's on ebay for like 10 buck's i got my on amazon for 16 and when you get a bigger cage look at yard sale's on craiglist there most likely have a tank for cheap and get 2 hide's something that fit's the snake lose but tight i use the half log's you can use like cardboard box just cut a hole into to it and there ya go and for a water dish use a dog/cat water bowl or a house hold bowl if it's big enough

[Kylie]

Thanks for all the advise everyone! you all helped me out so much! i want to be the best snake owner i can be! if i have any more questions ill be sure to come to you guys!

Just a couple more things tho,
Its ok to change all this even tho she has been in this habitat for most her life (1.5yrs or so)? it wont shock her? i have a heat strip and i dont really know how to read it, it has 3 different colors so i take it, that's the 3 different areas in the tank? right now there at, 84F, 28C, and 80F.

-kylie

[alessia55]

Thanks for all the advise everyone! you all helped me out so much! i want to be the best snake owner i can be! if i have any more questions ill be sure to come to you guys!

Just a couple more things tho,
Its ok to change all this even tho she has been in this habitat for most her life (1.5yrs or so)? it wont shock her? i have a heat strip and i dont really know how to read it, it has 3 different colors so i take it, that's the 3 different areas in the tank? right now there at, 84F, 28C, and 80F.

-kylie

I don't think it'll "shock" her. I think she'll actually be happy... much like, "phew! finally somebody is giving me what I need!" She might take a while to get used to her new little environment, but she'll be happy you did the change.

Get rid of that heat strip thing. They're useless really. I'd get a temp gun or a temperature probe asap. You can buy a temperature probe at most pet stores that sell reptile stuff, or you can order one off Amazon for as little as $10. ;)

[Lankyrob]

With regard to teh light/uth question - i use non light emitting Ceramic Heat bulbs - they stay on 24/7

[Kylie]

Thanks everyone!!!!

My friend who has had boas is giving me a longer tank, a bigger rock house and water dish and a different "stick". So all i have left to get is a heat source? Im getting some mixed feed back, what is the best and preferably cheapest way to go? And what temp should it be in the tank at all times? Also when giving her baths in my tub what temp should the water be? can i bath her whenever? I have so many questions! but i just want the best for bella! :)

[Lankyrob]

Baths arent overly necessary unless the snake crawls through its own poop.

The hot end should be 86f and cool end no lower than 70f.

Am sure you will but make sure any thing you get from your friend is sterilised before putting into your snakes tank :)

KEep the questions coming, no matter how silly you think they sound, we have all been there at one time and we are all here to help :)

[Kylie]

What should i use to sterilise everything with? And what is the best heat source to use? Is it normal for her to climb the tank? normal for her to Barry her head in the shavings? i just want to know what this all means if shes to warm to cold, im not to sure. I am going out today to get a heat gun to make sure im not cooking her or freezing her.

[alessia55]

What should i use to sterilise everything with? And what is the best heat source to use? Is it normal for her to climb the tank? normal for her to Barry her head in the shavings? i just want to know what this all means if shes to warm to cold, im not to sure. I am going out today to get a heat gun to make sure im not cooking her or freezing her.

Getting a temperature gun is a great idea. You'll be able to tell better where her temps are.

Yes, it is normal for her to climb the sides of her tank. Snakes do this out of curiosity for the most part. Yes, it is normal for her to bury her head in the shavings. Sometimes snakes do silly things.

What's the best heat source? Different people have different methods. When I had a corn snake, I used an under tank heating pad on a thermostat. Others use ceramic heat emitters or heat lamps. It doesn't matter all that much so long as whatever you're using is giving the tank the heat gradient your snake needs. Using the temp gun will help you decide what might work best for you.

[Kylie]

Okay thanks again!!!

Another thing is, what watt light bulb is good for a 2Ft tank? they had a 150 watt bulb in? to much? i put a 50 watt in just from other people telling me its a good choice. Also they are feeding her 3 "hoppers" at a time, my friend who had the boas told me i could probably try 1 reg. mouse?

-Kylie

[Lankyrob]

The heat source nEeds to be thermostatted whatever you decide on so the wattage of the bulb wont matter as much because the temps will be controlled anyway. :)

[Kylie]

Ok, i can not find a thermostat right now, i guess the pet store here does not carry them, only the one i am using now. Also to staralize, just bleach? anything safer?

[ladyjustice33]

I have 8 corns and none have a heat lamp. Mine are in 25 qt tubs in a rack system on heat tape and are doing very well. I use sani chips for a substrate and looking at the size of your corn, she can most definitely handle an adult mouse every week. I spot clean every week and clean out the entire tub around once a month with a reptile safe cleaner I got at petsmart, can't remember the name right at this moment. My corns have only one hide over the heat tape and when they want to cool off usually get on top of the hide or hand at the front of the tub. All they have in their tub is a water bowl and hide, but then a tub is a lot different than a glass tank. They also love to burrow under the substrate. All my corns do it, so I think they feel more secure under the substrate. My ball pythons don't burrow, but my rainbow boas do also now that I think about it!

[Kayla90]

Welcome to the forum :D
Very cute looking corn you have :)

[Kylie]

Thanks! i love her! i have alot of learning to do tho!

Is it bad to handle snakes often? like i know not to handle her after she eats, and during shedding time, but anytime after is it bad? she sometimes hisses at me and i know its a noise snakes make but what does it mean when she does it when im holding her?

[millertime89]

hello Kylie, I'm Kyle, nice to make your acquaintance.

as far as thermostats go shop around for a better price on one of these and order online. I got two for about 50 bucks after shipping, but I don't know if the place I ordered from will ship up north.
Amazon.com: Hydrofarm MTPRTC Digital Thermostat For Heat Mats: Patio, Lawn & Garden (http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPRTC-Digital-Thermostat-Heat/dp/B000NZZG3S)

I also recommend a uth for easiest heat source, just place it on the ground under the tank with the thermostat probe in between and set it to about 85 and see where that leaves you and adjust accordingly.

[Kayla90]

Thanks! i love her! i have alot of learning to do tho!

Is it bad to handle snakes often? like i know not to handle her after she eats, and during shedding time, but anytime after is it bad? she sometimes hisses at me and i know its a noise snakes make but what does it mean when she does it when im holding her?

Well it really depends.. you have to get to know her personality more.. So like my roommates female hiss when she's pissed.. or we won't let her go where so wants to go lmao...
But some may hiss in a defensive way..

I handle my snakes as often as I can, but not for long periods of time... Once they start to cool down I like to put them back because the cooler temps aren't that good for them..

[Kylie]

She hissed at me once when i was taking her out of her tank, and once when i first got her and was just randomly holding her, i think that's the only 2 times she hissed at me, but she hissed at my mom and friend alot more in a short period. That probably means that she didnt feel to comfortable? I have a cat and she likes to sit up at the tank and stare, sometimes pill lightly paw at the tank, will this stress bella out? When i get my new used tank, what should i use to clean it out? or disinfect it per say. Any certain type or brand of thermostat and uth i should use? can i stick with my lamp? or would that be a bad choice? Anything elce i should order online? is ebay a bad site to get some things off?

[Maclyal]

hello Kylie, I'm Kyle, nice to make your acquaintance.

as far as thermostats go shop around for a better price on one of these and order online. I got two for about 50 bucks after shipping, but I don't know if the place I ordered from will ship up north.
Amazon.com: Hydrofarm MTPRTC Digital Thermostat For Heat Mats: Patio, Lawn & Garden (http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPRTC-Digital-Thermostat-Heat/dp/B000NZZG3S)

I also recommend a uth for easiest heat source, just place it on the ground under the tank with the thermostat probe in between and set it to about 85 and see where that leaves you and adjust accordingly.

Don't know if you have them in Canada, but Hydroponic stores carry thermostats for heat mats they use for seedlings.
sounds silly but the one I got is digital & cost less than the mechanical ones. working great on my incubator.

[Kayla90]

She hissed at me once when i was taking her out of her tank, and once when i first got her and was just randomly holding her, i think that's the only 2 times she hissed at me, but she hissed at my mom and friend alot more in a short period. That probably means that she didnt feel to comfortable? I have a cat and she likes to sit up at the tank and stare, sometimes pill lightly paw at the tank, will this stress bella out? When i get my new used tank, what should i use to clean it out? or disinfect it per say. Any certain type or brand of thermostat and uth i should use? can i stick with my lamp? or would that be a bad choice? Anything elce i should order online? is ebay a bad site to get some things off?

Yea, that sounds defensive. She should stop for the most part once she gets more comfortable around you. Less scared. Handling her will help that, but just remember to give her those days off before, during and after feeding day.

[Kylie]

You guys are so much help! Thanks again, and im sorry for all the questions LOL...

I found it odd, the people i bought her off fed her the day before i came, and i new before that you shouldn't hold them during and after feeding time, and i had mentioned to the old owners when she had picked Bella up and handed her to me and they told me " no you can hold her whenever".

She spends alot of time in her rock, When do snakes sleep? are they nocturnal?
No we dont have one of those stores and i went to the pet shop today and they do not have much, so id have to go into "edmonton" or order it online. I live in a small town.

I am trying to make a list of things i need to order, so far i have;

-Thermostat or heat probe?
-UTH heat source
- Bigger tank ( friends giving me)
- 2 rocks, bigger then i have now
-bigger water dish.

Am i missing anything?

[Maclyal]

the thermostat has a probe on it that is attached to it.
you put the probe next to your heat sorce & it makes the thermostat regulate the heat.

works like a waterbed heater & thermostat.

[Kylie]

Oh ok, and i can use it even if i have to stick with the light too? if i cant find a matt?

[Kylie]

Is this a good UTH mat to use for bella?
Zoo Med Reptile Under Tank Heater RH-6 Heat Pad Mat 50-60 UTH | eBay (http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Zoo-Med-Reptile-Under-Tank-Heater-RH-6-Heat-Pad-Mat-50-60-UTH-/290653893110?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43ac5271f6)

[Kylie]

Oh never mind, i just relized its for a bigger tank! crap! i dont know if ill be able to find one :( that was the only one their selling on ebay for some off reason!

[alessia55]

Looks like you're on the right track Kylie :)

[youngster]

Zoo Med UTH under tank reptile heaters (u pick size) | eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Zoo-Med-UTH-under-tank-reptile-heaters-u-pick-size-/230519941302?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item7b6730c689#ht_2216wt_1396)

[Kylie]

Thanks!!! for some reason i couldn't find that! Im worried about her burning herself if i get a mat, Shes been using a lamp all her life, would it be terrible if i just stuck with the lamp, and got a thermostat to monitor the heat?

So now that i changed the bulb in her lamp i think shes to cold? she hasnt left her rock since i changed it...the temp strip says its, 77 on the warm side.... should i go get a different bulb?

[Kayla90]

It would be better if you got a thermostat and a mat.. that way the thermostat can monitor the heat from the pad.

And you attach the mat to the under side of the glass.. I only have one snake that isn't in my rack system, and he has a mat and I've never had an issue with it, as long as you have stuff on top of it for him to lie on.

[Kylie]

I dont understand the thermostat thing, im sure i would once i get it into my home, call me stupid haha how does it monitor the heat? like what does it do? does it connect to the mat? this is what i was thinking about getting if i can order off amazon.

Amazon.com Shopping Cart (http://www.amazon.com/gp/cart/view.html/ref=lh_cart)

[Kayla90]

Yes.. it plugs into the wall, then the mat plugs into the thermostat, the probe is put in direct contact with the mat, and it will control the temp. You program the thermostat to be the temperature you need it to be.

[millertime89]

picture time!
http://www.1320video.com/img/album337/IMG_1105.sized.jpg
In my hand is the thermostat, the chord going into the tub on the right is the probe (thermometer) and the chord going to the thing under the tub is the power chord for the UTH (flexwatt in this case)
the other chord going into the tub is a hygrometer (measures humidity)

[Kylie]

And all that will come with the thermostat and mat? LOL thanks for the pik, im kinda getting it, im sure ill get it even better when i have them in my hands :p the mat is thin? will it lift my tank? And i only put it under the hot spot?

Also im planning on giving her a bath tonight, what is a good temp for the water?

[Lankyrob]

You can use a thermostat with a light - the probe from the thermostat sits in the viv on top of the substrate directly under the light - my opinion would be tho that it is better to use heat bulbs that only emit heat not light :)

[Lankyrob]

And all that will come with the thermostat and mat? LOL thanks for the pik, im kinda getting it, im sure ill get it even better when i have them in my hands :p the mat is thin? will it lift my tank? And i only put it under the hot spot?

Also im planning on giving her a bath tonight, what is a good temp for the water?


Any reason why the bath?? They really dont need tobe bathed as long as their humidity is right unless they get covered in their own poo (which has never happened to me so far)

[Kylie]

She is shedding a bit, and some of it wont come off, i heard it helped?
Also how do you tell if the humidity is ok?? the previous owners never said anything about that... i didn't know you could get bulb with no light! i kinda want to stick with the light it seems a little easier on my half...but the mat is better for her right?

[Lankyrob]

Corns dont really need humidity - they are easy in this way but if he is having stuck shed then i would suggest that you put some sphagnum moss into one of the hides, keep it slightly moist and the snake will use it for its next shed - my corns seem to prefer it to their other hides! :)

[Lankyrob]

Rahter than a bath use a slightly warm damp facecloth - hold it across your palm and let the snake run through the cloth - apply a little pressure if it wont come off :)

[millertime89]

the thermostat comes with the probe and you'll have to buy the UTH separately, but once you get everything its pretty easy and clear how to set it up.

[Kylie]

Another question guys!!!

Bella hasnt left her rock since almost atleast 6Am could have been longer...i want to knwo if this is normal and if shes ok? should i try to get her active some how?

[alessia55]

Another question guys!!!

Bella hasnt left her rock since almost atleast 6Am could have been longer...i want to knwo if this is normal and if shes ok? should i try to get her active some how?

Relax, it's totally normal :) Sometimes my guys won't move from their hides for what seems like days........unless they move at night and go back to the same spot :p In any case, it's normal. You've got nothing to worry about and definitely don't need to go in there and poke her. ;)

[Kylie]

LOL thanks! I was worried she maybe got depressed with the move and such. iv heard so many horror stories from my other friends who have had snakes!

Just want to say once again, you guys are awsome!!! Helped me out tooo much!!

[Swany]

Us new owners get stressed waaaayyyyyyyy easier than our snakes do lol

[millertime89]

Us new owners get stressed waaaayyyyyyyy easier than our snakes do lol

troof
just let her be, she's probably in there because she feels comfortable and safe in their. Snakes are completely the opposite of claustrophobic, in the tight dark spaces they feel safest. Only the biggest ones feel safe in the open, but even when they're babies they'll still seek out cover.
I rarely see my snakes except in the evening/early night when they like to come out for a while unless I pull them out (except my retic).

[Kylie]

LOL weird question, is it possible for them to get hick-ups?! bella was "twitching" earlier.

[millertime89]

dunno if its possible, but wouldn't surprise me. Can you define the twitching better?

[Kylie]

I had lifted her rock to check on her, and as she was un raveling to move around it looked like she had the hik ups, i think thats the best way to explain it. u know how a person hickups and kinda jolts? almost like that.

[Lankyrob]

Probably just a little startled from having her hidey safe place removed - she should be fine :)

[millertime89]

aye, that would be my guess.

[Kylie]

Thanks guys! I have another question for all of you, im going to get a heat mat for her, the pet store offeres 2 different ones, one is a rainforest one and the other is a desert one. the pet store owner said the desert one is a little warmer then the other one but is my under lay is thicker i should be fine with the desert. whats best for my corn?

[youngster]

Doesn't really matter which you get if you have a thermostat. But I would get the rainforest one.

[alessia55]

It doesn't matter which of the two you get. Either one will need to be hooked up to a thermostat that will regulate how hot it gets.

[Kylie]

Okay thanks guys! the only one the pet store had was the desert one but like u said the thermostat will help. i have to order that online and i cant do that until atleast tomorrow, so for now im sticking to the light bulb, but the temps are good. Do cats stress them out? my cant wont leave her tank alone, she dont paw at it but she sits right at the glass, it almost seems as the snake plays with the cat...that possible? lol but when i hold the snake my cat follows me everywere and the snake gets kinda tense... More silly questions :p

[Swany]

More silly questions
No such thing here, if someone can answer, they will ;-)

[Kylie]

Thanks! i just feel silly asking so many questions, i guess its not horrible that i want the best for Bella! First snake and im so in love with her! I need to know everything i can possibly need to know! if anyone else has any other tips, suggestions...let them fly at me PLEASE!! :)

[Swany]

Just read all you can on the treads on here, it's a great way to learn lots of stuff ;-)

[Kylie]

First time to threads as well, i dont even no how to work most of it, or were to find most things. haha im so not a computer person. all i usually use my laptop for is facebook :p ill do some exploring tho! Thanks! :)

[Swany]

First time to threads as well, i dont even no how to work most of it, or were to find most things. haha im so not a computer person. all i usually use my laptop for is facebook :p ill do some exploring tho! Thanks! :)

When you sign in, on the first page you see, on the left hand side you'll see the word "forums" click on that and scroll down to find the relevant section for your snake, click on that and Bob's your uncle ;-)

[Kylie]

I don't remember if i asked already but...My first feed is going to be this Thursday, im nervous! The previous owners were feeding her 3 hoppers, im going to do that for this feeding, how do i go about it? im feeding her in a tuper were type container...can i put them in before her or should i put them in after shes in the container? Also my friend who has had a bunch of snakes told me that i should try to switch her to just 1 adult mouse, cause 3 if alot for the, to fit in their tummys? Shes not the big tho...help? :p

[alessia55]

I don't remember if i asked already but...My first feed is going to be this Thursday, im nervous! The previous owners were feeding her 3 hoppers, im going to do that for this feeding, how do i go about it? im feeding her in a tuper were type container...can i put them in before her or should i put them in after shes in the container? Also my friend who has had a bunch of snakes told me that i should try to switch her to just 1 adult mouse, cause 3 if alot for the, to fit in their tummys? Shes not the big tho...help? :p

That's a good question :)
I feed in a separate container sometimes too, so this is what I do: I put the snake in there first, then I introduce the prey by using tongs. Your snake is probably better off eating one large mouse than 3 small hoppers. Corn snakes can easily eat something that is at least twice the size of the largest part of their body.

I have a question though... are you feeding live or frozen/thawed?

[KORBIN5895]

One adult mouse should be fine. Three hoppers are just a pain. If you feed the snake outside of the viv put the snake in the container first. Does it eat live or frozen?

[Kylie]

The hoppers are live.

[alessia55]

The hoppers are live.

You might want to try switching her over to frozen/thawed adult mice. One of the benefits of feeding f/t is that it is safer for your snakes (live mice can scratch and bite your snake). Corns are usually pretty easy to feed, so at your next feeding on Thursday, offer her a f/t adult mouse. You can get these at most pet markets near you (ask a sales person; there's usually a fridge somewhere that has some). There are several ways to thaw a mouse:
1. Leave the mouse out to thaw out naturally; this can take a while until the mouse is room temperature. Then you can warm it up a bit with a hair dryer. You want the mouse to be warm so that your corn will smell it more.
2. Run the frozen mouse under hot water until it feels warm to the touch. You can then dry it using a hair dryer or paper towels. My snakes don't mind eating wet rats, so I just feed it as is.
There are more methods, but those are two of them to explore with.
Buy a set of tongs... something like this:
http://pet.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pPETS-3761268t400.jpg
Use the tongs to pick up the thawed mouse by the scruff of the neck. Make the mouse "dance" or walk around as if it were alive. This will entice your snake to think it's alive and will wake its instinct to feed.
Your snake might not eat this Thursday, and there are many reasons for that. One of them being that she hasn't settled in enough yet, that she's not comfortable in her new environment just yet. Some snakes take longer to adjust than others. If she refuses to eat, wait another 7-10 days before trying again. Trying any more often will only stress her out.
I have a video of me doing the "zombie rat dance" for one of my snakes. I've been trying to upload it. I'll post it if I manage to so you can get an idea of what it'll look like.
Good luck with your first feeding! :)

[OSMDEATHOWNER]

Welcome and Estevan you do, don't go cheapest, go best! Beautiful snake!

[OSMDEATHOWNER]

Meant wateva you do

[Kylie]

Lol thanks! i probibly stressed her out a big more too, i just put her in her new tank. its bigger... shes kinda checking it out now...also this feeding i need to feed her the hoppers as i had to pre order them...their being shipped here. Can i start next feed? how do i feed live? do i have to touch them LOL

Another question, do corn snakes like small spaces? i picked her up a bigger hide rock, and its pre big the old one she had was tiney she had to coil quit tight..should i just leave her with the small one or should the big one be ok?

[alessia55]

Ok, since you pre-ordered the mice already, you should feed her those. Technically it would be best if you waited 7-10 AFTER having moved her to her new enclosure since she needs time to get used to it. But if it can't wait, go ahead and feed her this Thursday. You can begin the process to switch her over to f/t after that (which is also cheaper usually).

To feed live:
1. Put the snake in the container
2. Put ONE mouse in
3. SUPERVISE. This is so important. Don't let that mouse out of your sight. When she grabs it and coils around it, you MUST watch the whole process. If you see the little mouse scratching at your snake as she coils it, grab those little paws and hold them so that it doesn't scratch scales off your snake.
4. Once she's down swallowing the first mouse, you can introduce the next hopper and repeat the process.
5. Depending on how big the container is, here is how I take my snake out after feeding...... since they have a full belly and you don't want them to regurgitate, I take the container and put it inside the enclosure. They can slither out of it themselves. If the container is too big to fit inside her enclosure, WASH YOUR HANDS so they don't smell like mouse, then you can GENTLY lift her supporting her whole body and GENTLY put her inside her enclosure near one of her hides.

[Kylie]

Ok awsome! Thanks your so much help! i love it!!!!

[BlackIndigo]

Hi Kylie,
Cheapest way is as follows. Get a small UTH from Amazon.com and a "plug in lamp" dimmer at home depot. You do not need a thermostat for this snake, I don't care what anyone says... Having had king snakes since 1980!!!! Giving the snake room to move, and a hide with access to plenty of water is the key. Take it out often, and you have yourself a very happy snake.

[youngster]

You do not need a thermostat for this snake, I don't care what anyone says...

O_o.... errrrr
You don't "NEED" one, but ultimately the extra 30-40 dollars goes a long way.
Those, "rheostats" are very unreliable.

With thermostats, you set the temp and you're done, with dimmers they don't change with the ambient so you have to keep adjusting it.

[Kylie]

Im going with a thermostat as i have already ordered it...Its not a bad thing to have one right??

[millertime89]

never a bad thing, its preferable in case something goes wrong or changes outside the environment.

[Kylie]

Oh ok well thats good.

[Kylie]

Im worried i might have shocked bella by moving her into her new home...she hasnt moved much since i did so. and i know a few people whos snakes starved themselfs to death after being moved...

[Kylie]

Iv been exploring some of the forums, and some people find it exciting that some people have chosen an albino for their first..are they any different the normal other then their eye color? Thats all i have noticed about mine is her eyes are red....

[millertime89]

albinos lack black pigment, dunno why people think its exciting to choose an albino as a first. In fact, I think its less surprising because albinos are generally more visually striking.
Just leave her be, she'll come out when she wants to. Like I said, they stay where they're comfortable. She probably moves, just when you're never there to see it.

[Lankyrob]

My PERSONAL opinion, please feel free to ignore if you so wish.

Dont feed the snake live until you are absolutely sure that it will NOT eat frozen thawed.

Also dont feed in a separate container, all the moving around is more likely to stress the snake and make it less likely to eat.

Also dont try to feed it until it has been in its new home for at least 7 days - it is probably staying in one place because it is shocked with moving twice in a short time.

Buy some frozen mice or rats that are roughly 1.5 times the girth of the widest part of the snake, in about 7-10days time defrost one and then warm it up, paying particular attention to the skull. Put a plastic plate into the viv and entice the snake to strike at the mouse over the plate, this reduces any risk of the snake eating substrate. Obviously hold the mouse with tongs/tweezers and NOT in your hand.

[KORBIN5895]

Hi Kylie,
Cheapest way is as follows. Get a small UTH from Amazon.com and a "plug in lamp" dimmer at home depot. You do not need a thermostat for this snake, I don't care what anyone says... Having had king snakes since 1980!!!! Giving the snake room to move, and a hide with access to plenty of water is the key. Take it out often, and you have yourself a very happy snake.

That's awesome! Can we get pics of your snakes?

[Kylie]

Do snakes need sticks in their tank? as u see in mine she has one but i dont ever see her climbing it, if i take it out will it harm her? its taking up alot of room and i dont thinks he likes to climb over/around it..

[alessia55]

Do snakes need sticks in their tank? as u see in mine she has one but i dont ever see her climbing it, if i take it out will it harm her? its taking up alot of room and i dont thinks he likes to climb over/around it..

Your snake not using the stick in there is totally normal. However, I would keep it in if it's something good for her to rub up against when she's shedding. I have a "stick" in my Kaybe's cage because he uses it to help himself shed. In my Pika's cage I don't have one because the hides he has are pretty rough and he can use the top of them to help himself shed, and space is pretty cramped in his cage as it is. It's totally optional. But just make sure there's something rough in there for her to use when she's shedding.

[Kylie]

What bout corns?

[alessia55]

What bout corns?

I fixed my post. I made a silly mistake; I momentarily forgot yours is a corn! Oopsies. My post still applies :)

[Kylie]

Oh ok haha i want a boa!! they have a gorgious one at the pet store

[Kylie]

What does it mean when your snake is shy? lol
She will pop her head out of her rock, and as soon as somebody walks by she runs back into her hide, its probably just her getting used to everything right? just want to make sure...i love her already! don't want anyyything to happen to her! :)

[Lankyrob]

I have 7 snakes on any given day i will guarantee only to see 2 of them, some days i MIGHT see 4 of them - snakes arent generally animals that are on show on a regular basiss.

[alessia55]

What does it mean when your snake is shy? lol
She will pop her head out of her rock, and as soon as somebody walks by she runs back into her hide, its probably just her getting used to everything right? just want to make sure...i love her already! don't want anyyything to happen to her! :)

She's fine :) She's just getting used to her surroundings still. One of mine ALWAYS has his head out of his log and doesn't care if you go right up to his cage. My baby snake stays in his hide completely all day and if I walk by he'll also duck his head back in. It's normal- just getting used to a big monster walking by and trying to remember you're not dangerous ;) She'll warm up to you soon enough

[Kylie]

Once i have her in my hands/arms she seems fine, but she gets scared when lifting her out i think she might have been doped it seems like she has some trust issues when being held. She hasnt "hissed" at much lately and she does not always feel so tence, does this mean shes kinda liking me? lol

[Kylie]

Is there a certain type of fake plants that can go into snake tanks? any certain type of material that is bad

[alessia55]

Once i have her in my hands/arms she seems fine, but she gets scared when lifting her out i think she might have been doped it seems like she has some trust issues when being held. She hasnt "hissed" at much lately and she does not always feel so tence, does this mean shes kinda liking me? lol

I know taking out your snake and handling her is a point of much excitement... but you really shouldn't handle her at all until she has eaten for you at least once or twice. This is because handling can be stressful for the snake, and what matters more is that she get some food in her belly. Taking her out before she's settled in and eating can cause her to be more stressed out, and it might mean she misses her meal this week. Just something to think about.

That being said, most snakes do get a bit tense when they're being lifted because it's an unusual feeling for a snake. They're not used to suddenly being air lifted into nowhere-ness. They prefer to be on the ground. With time, she'll get used to the feeling and start to realize that when she gets lifted she will be handled gently and get to explore the area a bit. It's all about time, patience, and being gentle... She'll tolerate it more after a few sessions. :)

[alessia55]

Is there a certain type of fake plants that can go into snake tanks? any certain type of material that is bad

Most fake plants are fine. I use the kind that they sell in pet stores and at reptile expos that have a suction cup on them. If you go with a fake plant in a pot or something like that, make sure it's heavy enough that your snake can't push it over or have it topple onto her and hurt her. These are the kind I use, and I drape the between hides to increase the sense of security the snake feels:

http://d2oqjo3nc0aqra.cloudfront.net/11442/product/standard/504809.jpg

[Kiljosh]

Just mentioning this because I learned it soon after I bought a thermostat.

If you hook it to a light, unless it's a special type, the light will turn on and off depending on the temperature at the probe. So if it's in your room at night, you have to deal with a click from the thermostat and the light coming on and off constantly.

If you attach it to a pad to heat the tank all you hear is the click, much better :)


And also, a 150watt bulb seems like a lot of power to get those temps unregulated, what does the mesh on the top of the tank look like? I've been told a fine mesh blocks a lot of heat and UV rays. UV doesn't matter with him I'm pretty sure but with more heat getting to the floor by just using a wider mesh you could save yourself some money on electricity and switch to a lower watt bulb I'm betting.

Nice snake I'm sure you'll be a great owner because you came here!

[Lankyrob]

Just mentioning this because I learned it soon after I bought a thermostat.

If you hook it to a light, unless it's a special type, the light will turn on and off depending on the temperature at the probe. So if it's in your room at night, you have to deal with a click from the thermostat and the light coming on and off constantly.

If you attach it to a pad to heat the tank all you hear is the click, much better :)


And also, a 150watt bulb seems like a lot of power to get those temps unregulated, what does the mesh on the top of the tank look like? I've been told a fine mesh blocks a lot of heat and UV rays. UV doesn't matter with him I'm pretty sure but with more heat getting to the floor by just using a wider mesh you could save yourself some money on electricity and switch to a lower watt bulb I'm betting.

Nice snake I'm sure you'll be a great owner because you came here!

Or just use heat bulbs that dont emit light ;)

[exwizard]

What does it mean when your snake is shy? lol
She will pop her head out of her rock, and as soon as somebody walks by she runs back into her hide, its probably just her getting used to everything right? just want to make sure...i love her already! don't want anyyything to happen to her! :)

Schatzi, my amel corn almost always is curled up in her hide. Totally normal. :)

[Kylie]

Thanks guys, i LOVE getting replies!! :)
I got a mat and ordered a thermostat, just waiting for that to come in before I use the mat, in the mean while i am using a 100wat bulb cause the 150 was WAY to got, and the 50 i tried was WAY to cool, right now the warm end is at 85F, and the cool end is at 70F good temps? The warm end gets up to 90 and i turn it off for a little untill the temp goes down, i know the light going on and off might not be to good for her but i dont want her to over heat!! The previous owners had these plants in her tank that were the bendy ones with medal bars in them...bella kept getting caught in them and i was worried she would hurt herself. so im going out to buy her some that has nothing in them that could hurt her, was just curious if there was a certain type :)


So should i not handle her anymore? im going to be trying to feed her Thursday evening...I just want her to get used to me!! im so in love!! :)

[alessia55]

So should i not handle her anymore? im going to be trying to feed her Thursday evening...I just want her to get used to me!! im so in love!! :)

Yup, I'd hold off on handling her again until she eats. After she eats you ALWAYS want to give her at least 48 hours to digest before you handle her. Trust me, you'll get lots of time to get used to each other :) You just need to make sure she's eating first! If all goes well (which it should, since you're making the changes necessary), she'll be with you for many, many years. These few days of no handling won't matter in the long run.

Good luck on Thursday; keep us posted on how it goes please! :)

[Kylie]

Thanks i will for sure, im really nervious to feed her haha, im hoping one of my friends who have done this before will come over and help me! im still confused on what i should do the pet store has no frozen right now so i have no choice but to feed her the live hoppers...and i don't know if i should leave her in her tank or take her out to a container..one guy told me to leave her? but shes always been fed out of tank. but its hard to get her out of her hide without lifting it and ill need to be able to see her eat so the mice dont hurt her, you know?

Ill definitely let you all know how it goes!

[Swany]

Thanks i will for sure, im really nervious to feed her haha, im hoping one of my friends who have done this before will come over and help me! im still confused on what i should do the pet store has no frozen right now so i have no choice but to feed her the live hoppers...and i don't know if i should leave her in her tank or take her out to a container..one guy told me to leave her? but shes always been fed out of tank. but its hard to get her out of her hide without lifting it and ill need to be able to see her eat so the mice dont hurt her, you know?

Ill definitely let you all know how it goes!

Keep the posts coming. I'm really enjoying thus thread. Your excitement and joy really comes through in your posts ;-)

[KORBIN5895]

You could always kill the hoppers yourself or have someone do it for you.

[Kylie]

Lol really? Im So excited to even have a snake! iv always wanted one, but i never realized it was going to be so much work, and its kinda difficult! How do you guys do it, and most of you have more then one! :) there pre awesome creatures tho im definitely in love and want her to be with me for many many years! my cat "optimus prime" really enjoys her too ( i think Bella like optimus too)

[Kylie]

I wouldn't be able to do it, and i dont know if anyone would do it for me, she has always eaten live too and the previous owners said she has never had an issue. She probably wont go to frozen... If i were to find someone to kill them for me, what is the best way to go about doing so? ( sorry, may be a silly and gross question) i had a friend do that and im not sure how she did it, but apparently it made her snake sick and killed it?

[Swany]

Lol really? Im So excited to even have a snake! iv always wanted one, but i never realized it was going to be so much work, and its kinda difficult! How do you guys do it, and most of you have more then one! :) there pre awesome creatures tho im definitely in love and want her to be with me for many many years! my cat "optimus prime" really enjoys her too ( i think Bella like optimus too)

I'm the same I always wanted one. I got mine just before Xmas. I'm lucky tho cos I got her from a breeder so I was able to get a LOT of help from him.

[KORBIN5895]

I wouldn't be able to do it, and i dont know if anyone would do it for me, she has always eaten live too and the previous owners said she has never had an issue. She probably wont go to frozen... If i were to find someone to kill them for me, what is the best way to go about doing so? ( sorry, may be a silly and gross question) i had a friend do that and im not sure how she did it, but apparently it made her snake sick and killed it?

The easiest and cleanest way for you to kill them would be to put them in a plastic Tupperware container and put the lid on and leave it for ten minuets. I personally would do one to see if he will take it. Another way is to break their necks which is a little more hands on.

[Kylie]

Oh yeah, i just got mine from a random lady who had bella, and a ball. And she was only getting rid of them because she didn't have time for them anymore. but she didnt seem to know much...

[Kylie]

Ok just like a small container? were they can JUST fit it??

[KORBIN5895]

The smaller the container the quicker the will die. Again I would just do one first to see if he will take the dead mouse.

[Kylie]

Oh ya, ill kill one try it and then give her one of the live if she wont :) thanks!

[KORBIN5895]

Keep us posted. Good luck and good night.

[Kylie]

What is the coolest the warm end should be?????? When i leave my lamp on it gets up to 90+ if im not watching it, i want to no if it would be safe to leave it off all night without having to worrie about her getting to cold?

[Kiljosh]

You can let the temps drop overnight. As a corn he's pretty resilient, as long as your room is above 70 he should be fine. You could also try elevating the light off the cage so it's further from the floor. It will heat the tank less but you'll have to lift it pretty far im betting.

[Lankyrob]

Much better to let the temps get a bit low over night tahn be at over 90f overnight,

[Gungirl]

My corn snake is kept at room temp for the most part. My house stays about 66f. He has a heat mat set to 85f on one side of his viv and he has always done very well with this set up. The good thing about corns is that they are not overly sensitive to lower temps. I would not feel good having my corn at 90f at all.

[youngster]

It's easier to recover from a drop in temps than a spike.

I had a corn escape and he was gone for over a month in 50 degree temps.
Corns are very resilient.

[Kylie]

Yeah i check on it every 20 mins when im at home lol because i dont want her to over heat either. i even get up at night, im losing sleep cause of it. thanks for the help again guys!!

[Kiljosh]

One more reason a thermostat makes everything so much easier.

You don't have to stay home and play mommy as much

[Kylie]

Yeah for sure!!! i ordered one and hopefully it comes in tomorrow!! Thanks guys im hoping it comes with instructions cause im going to have no idea how to work it haha!

[alessia55]

Yeah for sure!!! i ordered one and hopefully it comes in tomorrow!! Thanks guys im hoping it comes with instructions cause im going to have no idea how to work it haha!

And if it doesn't, we're here to guide you through it :)

[Kylie]

I know! you are all the best! dont even no you and i love u all ahah!!! dont no what i would do without you! :)

[Swany]

Infernalis would say as we all would. That's what family is for ;-)

[Kylie]

True that! :)

[Kylie]

I have seen bella more yesterday and today then i have since iv had her!!! :)

[Swany]

I have seen bella more yesterday and today then i have since iv had her!!! :)

Its better than watching TV lol Glad she's out and about ;-)

[Kylie]

It is! i could sit here and watch her do her thing forever, but as soon as i get close to the tank she quickly runs back into her hide :(

[Swany]

Give her time to settle and get accustomed to her new home, you'll be buddies in no time ;-)

[youngster]

My baby hides once he sees me come up to his tank but my adults don't.
I'm sure once he settles in, he'll be perfect :)

[Kylie]

Shes 2 years old, but i mean iv probibly stressed her to the max latly.

[Swany]

Shes 2 years old, but i mean iv probibly stressed her to the max latly.

Quite possibly, but with time and patience she'll chill. I dont think I've read any other thread where the excitement jumps out at you the way yours does here lol

[Kylie]

Lol is that a good or bad thing? :P im like a kid in a candy store for the first time! everytime i walk into the room shes in ( the main room) my eyes go to her tank to see if i can see her! lol :p

[Swany]

That's a good thing and if it's any comfort to you. I do exactly the same ;-)

[Kylie]

Lol awe!!! :)

[Lankyrob]

After two years of keeping snakes the first theing i do on waking up, coming home, coming back to living room after going to the loo, getting up to get a drink is.......... Check all the snakes vivs. I often catch myself watching them move about and realising that i have missed half of the tv show i was meant to be watching :)

[Kylie]

LOL that's awesome! well now i know im not the only one! their so interesting! how many do you have???

[Lankyrob]

We got first one in march 2010 and by about june 2010 we had 7, not added any more recently as money and space dont allow it but most likely will expand our collection in the future at some point :)

[CK SandBoas]

The first thing i do when i wake up is check all my snakes enclosures, get them fresh water, spot clean any messes they left me, and just stare at them, if they're out and about, lol.

I truly love watching my animals, even if they're just curled up and not moving at that moment. :)

[Kylie]

Lol are! waht do the numbers under your messages mean?? iv been curious!!

And 7 snakes? wow thats crazy! what kind are they? snakes only "leave a mess" after they eat right? cause i have only had to clean up a mess after i got her and the lady who sold her to me said they fed her the day before. i havnt even seen her pee? is this normal? and the shed after they eat too right??

[CK SandBoas]

Lol are! waht do the numbers under your messages mean?? iv been curious!!

And 7 snakes? wow thats crazy! what kind are they? snakes only "leave a mess" after they eat right? cause i have only had to clean up a mess after i got her and the lady who sold her to me said they fed her the day before. i havnt even seen her pee? is this normal? and the shed after they eat too right??


You mean like the 1.0 BRB, etc, that's how many males and females i have of certain snakes, so if you add my numbers up, i have a grand total of 25 snakes all together:)
Besides cleaning their poop and Urates (snake pee, aka the white stuff), if a snake has any damp bedding from water, i'll clean that out too.

I have a Kingsnake that poops and pees every other day it seems, after he's had a meal, while all my other snakes will have a few meals before they leave some nice, healthy deposits for me :D

[Swany]

Man do you ever stop asking questions ? :-) JK The numbers you would have Corn 0.1 because you have 1 female corn if she was a he it would be corn 1.0 and if you don't know its 0.0.1 as for leaving a mess, they're all different. shedding, my baby's probably going to shed every 4/5 weeks as she grows it'll lessen. Yours maybe 3/4 times a year I'm guessing.

[Swany]

Chris we were both on it at the same time lol

[CK SandBoas]

Chris we were both on it at the same time lol


Great minds think alike Swany!!:D

[Swany]

Very true lol

[Gungirl]

If you read through a lot of the stickies it will help you read us. There is a sticky for herp lingo and all sorts of good stuff.

[Kylie]

LOL no i dont stop asking questions! :p haha

Oh ok so id have 0.1 corn and 0.1 cat?

[CK SandBoas]

LOL no i dont stop asking questions! :p haha

Oh ok so id have 0.1 corn and 0.1 cat?


If they're both females, yes you do:)

And heck, we've all started where you are at one time or another, asking questions is how you learn, how you become a responsible owner:) Soak up all the knowledge you can, that's my advice, and research.

[Swany]

LOL no i dont stop asking questions! :p haha

Oh ok so id have 0.1 corn and 0.1 cat?

Well, unless you have any elephants, polar bears or monkeys tucked away that you're not telling us about, then yup that's what you have ;-)

[alessia55]

When I wake up, come back from class, and before I go to bed, I say *out loud* "good night Kaybe, good night Pika!" Lol. We're all a little(?) crazy about our snakes :)

[Shmoges]

Hello Kylie. Welcome to the nut house! I'm so happy for you and your new snake, corns are awesome. We have lots of different snakes but the corns just seem to be our favorites. The really great thing about corn snakes is that you almost have to do something on purpose to kill them. They are tough snakes and can tolerate wide ranges of temperature and lack of husbandry. Thats no reason to be lazy or not care about them but I'm just throwing that out there. I applaud your research and you are correct with many observations however aspen bedding is a good substrate and I use it myself. In regard to ingestion being a reason to not use it well that can happen with any substrate. If your feeding a wet rat to your snake and toss it on the aspen thats a problem. If your patting it dry and dangling it that limits a lot of potential aspen breading of the food lol. Corns can grow bigger than 3 feet fyi, ours are all over 4 feet. The best tank imo for corns is a 20 gallon long. Its big enough for the snake to have room to move around and cool seek from its heat source and not so big that you have no room for it. Maybe I am thinking ceramic heater wattages but 150 seems way to beefy for a heet lamp. I have ambient heat in my snake room from 68 at the bottom of the room to 80 at the top and have the corns in the middle at 74ish and I don't have heaters on there tanks. Just to let you know they don't (need) a basking area of 100 that I would imagine is how hot that light is or more. I highly recommend a water dish big enough and deep enough that they can curl up in if they want. I use ceramic dog dishes and fill them about half full so the snake doesn't ruin there bedding from getting in and making a mess. Its not required but mine really seem to like moist hides for when they are going into a shed. I wouldn't leave it in the tank 24-7 because they will stay in there 24-7 and possibly get scalerot from really extended exposure. I can tell you how to make one for cheap later. I feel like I have typed to much already lol. Oh but we need to talk food! I don't recommend live food unless its really easy and cheap for you to get or the snake is picky and won't eat anything else (really doesn't happen with corns) and its small enough that it wont bite your snake (pinky or pup). Adult corns have a bigger appetite than that though. I feed mine frozen weaned rats, they are healthier than adult or xl mice.

[Kylie]

Oh wow! thats alot to take in! im going to PM you lol

[Swany]

When I wake up, come back from class, and before I go to bed, I say *out loud* "good night Kaybe, good night Pika!" Lol. We're all a little(?) crazy about our snakes :)

Alessia, I was waaayyyyy crazy before i got my snake :crazy2:

[Kylie]

I am wayyyyyyyy crazy! and i just want to hold her 24/7 but i know i cant it sucks!!

[CK SandBoas]

Alessia, I was waaayyyyy crazy before i got my snake :crazy2:

Same here!:wacky:

Wacky would be an appropriate term for me, actually

[Kylie]

Lol so when is a bad time to hold them?
After they eat of course

[CK SandBoas]

Lol so when is a bad time to hold them?
After they eat of course


I would not hold them for at least 48 hours after they've had a meal, and also when you notice they're going into a shed cycle. They will be feeling very insecure during a shed cycle, so it's best to let them be until they shed their skin.:)

[Kylie]

How do u ussualy tell? just see skin fallin off? Lol

[CK SandBoas]

How do u ussualy tell? just see skin fallin off? Lol


One of the first signs is their belly will get a pinkish tinge to it, followed by their color fading, and their eyes getting a milky sheen to them. The lighter colored the snake, the harder it is to tell when they're in shed, at least it is to me, but when my Brazilian Rainbow goes into shed, the color difference is startling:)

[Kylie]

Well bella is pre bright, ya i was told to keep and eye on her eyes for shedding! so ill go with that one. but it ussualy happened after feeding?

[alessia55]

How do u ussualy tell? just see skin fallin off? Lol

It doesn't fall off in pieces. It'll come off all in one piece, actually (if the shed is 100% successful).

This is a photo of a snake mid-shed...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H0QvyFC1DiM/RvQP8SiB42I/AAAAAAAAADo/4fZvthPlFVY/s400/unt.jpeg

and this is the shed completely off...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4700858974_8e446c38e4.jpg

Signs that your snake is about to shed...

- rosy/pink belly
- milk/blue/grey eyes
- duller coloring
- dryer skin

Then she'll look fine for a few days, as if nothing happened. It's confusing... but a few days after that she'll have shed! So you'll see the signs, then they'll disappear, and then she'll shed. :)

[CK SandBoas]

Well bella is pre bright, ya i was told to keep and eye on her eyes for shedding! so ill go with that one. but it ussualy happened after feeding?


It usually takes a few feedings before a snake goes into shed, but it all depends on how fast it's growing. :)

[alessia55]

Well bella is pre bright, ya i was told to keep and eye on her eyes for shedding! so ill go with that one. but it ussualy happened after feeding?

Shedding and feeding don't have anything to do with each other, as far as I know. Just keep feeding her regularly as you would. Some snakes won't eat when they're about to shed, others don't care and they eat anyway.

[KORBIN5895]

Catching up on lost time Shmoges? :)

[alessia55]

Lol so when is a bad time to hold them?
After they eat of course

Bad times to hold your snake are
- 48 hours after feeding. This is to give her enough time to digest most of her food. You wouldn't want to be held and gripped around the belly after eating either ;)
- right before she sheds. This is mostly because when they shed, they shed their eye caps as well. So in preparing to shed, their eye sight is greatly reduced, and so she might feel a little less secure and more defensive if she can't see well.

[Kylie]

yeah thats the hard thing about not buying it as a baby. shes 2yrs old lol so its not her first sheds or anything shes been going like that for 2yrs. when i got her and cleaned her cage out there were 2 small peices of shed in the tank and when i asked the previous owners if they new when she shed she said no she wasnt paying attention.

[Shmoges]

Yeah I fed one of my corns last weekend and was moving around in the snake room and she yacked it up. Just that annoyance of me moving around made her change her mind but she ate it after I left the room :D Sometimes I put a towel over there tanks so they don't see me feeding other snakes.

[Kylie]

Lol they have great personalities.

[Aaron_S]

Im worried i might have shocked bella by moving her into her new home...she hasnt moved much since i did so. and i know a few people whos snakes starved themselfs to death after being moved...


I know this is going back a number of pages but I wanted to address this as this is rather important.

Snakes don't just starve themselves after being moved. If they were healthy in the first place and regular eaters then I don't see why a simple move would do this to any snake. Corns are rather simple to keep and very forgiving of housing errors so they'll generally eat pretty regular. There are times when it could happen but then we'd be discussing wild caught and sickly animals.

I'd really like to know what part of Canada you're from and who these people might be who have had this happen apparently.

Also, you need to stop thinking you're constantly stressing this snake out. They aren't like other pets. They don't really need all the attention. Just keep ensuring you're giving her the proper housing as you're already doing and she'll be fine.

[Kylie]

I am from alberta, and so are my friends who iv been talking about. but none of them had corns

[lady_bug87]

saying that I have never had a new arrival refuse a meal the only one that gave me trouble was my green tree she didn't like how we were feeding her once we changed our method she hasn't missed a meal. She's a picky eater but that's about it

[Kylie]

Awsome! im hoping she will eat! im a nervous wreck haha! Im hoping she eats , i dont no how to feed her thats the part im kinda confused on. im thinking im going to give her the live hoppers but just stun then by bonking them on a counter or somthing so they wont get aggressive. and feed her in her tank cause i dnt need to move her again and im not rough when i pick her up so she shouldn't get mean with me? ill do 1 at a time. Does this all sound good? or??


can i use tweesers to pick then up by the tail? lol

[lady_bug87]

you can always pre-kill the hopper and then offer it you can buy forcepts to use for feeding they look like long tweezers

[Kylie]

yeah i bought some jumo ones lol. i dont no if i really want to kill them, i think knocking them out is hard enough lol

[lady_bug87]

you could always feed frozen thawed (dont know if that came up already) some of the people on here raise and euthanize their own rodents I'm sure they can give you tips

I for one buy them frozen because its convenient and I have no need for babies really. most of mine are on sub adult rats and only 2 are on baby mice

[youngster]

Try f/t first. Corns are pretty good about eating f/t.

[Aaron_S]

Just try f/t. If she doesn't eat them then she doesn't eat it. It won't harm her if she missed a meal and you just try live 5 days later.

[Kylie]

The thing is, i had to pre order these hoppers, as i had said earlier. and my pet store is out of mice and f/t. so i have no choice but to feed her these hoppers, and now all im having to decide on is how to do so.

[Kylie]

And she has been eating live for 2years, the previous owners never tried to do f/t. but as soon as next feeding come along and the pet store has some frozen mice ill grab a few of those. but right now i cant. shes not to big and only 2 years old, i should just go with 1 adult mouse right?

[Aaron_S]

Step 1: Drop a single mouse in
Step 2:Close enclosure and leave room
Step 3:Check on snake 10 minutes later
Step 4:Success

[Kylie]

Yeah thanks Aaron

[Lankyrob]

Step 1: Drop a single mouse in
Step 2:Close enclosure and leave room
Step 3:Check on snake 10 minutes later
Step 4:Success

Dont like arguing with Aaron ;) but if you are feeding live you shouldnt leave the snake/mouse unattended in case the mouse attacks the snake, all live feeding should be 100% supervised imo :)

[Kylie]

Yah i know :) you told me that already so thats what im going to do. is there a certain time of day i should feed her? the mice dont ussualy come till 5

[Gungirl]

Night time is better than day time. My snakes all get into hunting mode around 8-9pm.

[Kylie]

Ok so i should wait till later, it dont really matter what time?

[Gungirl]

Some snakes will eat any time of day or night. My GTP will not eat before 7pm, so I tend to feed everyone at night.

So no time really doesn't matter but some snakes make up their own time. lol

[lady_bug87]

my bullsnake will only eat during the day, my BP will eat whenever and so will my boa.. my GTP will not eat unless its dark usually I have to wait until around 10pm to feed her and 90% of the lights have to be off if she sees light its no deal until you turn it off

[Kiljosh]

It usually takes a few feedings before a snake goes into shed, but it all depends on how fast it's growing. :)


Just case in point here....my Ball will Shed every month or so, about 4 feeds. When I got him in July he was 330grams and now weighs 600.5grams.

My king who eats once a week as well on 4 Pinkies almost ready for Fuzzies grew like a weed this month. He shed on 1/10 and as of yesterday he's already got blue eyes. So once they fade I know don't touch him till I see shed in the cage, which is like 24-48 hours after his eyes turn back to normal.

But yea, I keep an Excel sheet of when I see shed's, record bi-weekly weighings, what I have fed(weight of food), and any odd behavior I notice. So I am a little crazy, always have been ;)

[Kiljosh]

Also, on feeding...

I have always fed my Ball at night, since he's always sleeping in the day. I don't like removing him from the hide, but if I have to I give it two light flicks before I lift it so he knows he's being taken out. Haven't been bit yet. But recently had to start feeding in the viv since it's so cold in my house I don't think he wants to eat outside it so we'll see how long till I join the Bite Club..

Just cause I feed Stubbs at night I usually feed Noodle as Stubbs' rat is thawing, since Noodle's food thaws so much quicker.

[Kylie]

Im so confused on waht i should start feeding her after this feed, cause i know she likes live hoppers that is what the previous owners fed her for 2 years, and have neer tried dead. i dont know if i should order 3 dead and 3 live just in case she wont eat the dead?
I dont know if i should keep her eating hoppers or move her to a mouse? im sooo confused!

[Gungirl]

If she is eating 3 hoppers in a week I would move up to 1 mouse. Also when you offer her F/t she might not take it and that's ok. Don't feed live right away just because she refused to eat f/t. Give her a full week with out bugging her at all then offer a nice warm f/t mouse again. After a few weeks she will take them. Snakes CAN go a long time with out eating and have no issues due to that. I switched my BP from live to f/t and he went about 5 months without eating but now he takes f/t like a champ. If you give in the snake will never take f/t.

[alessia55]

Im so confused on waht i should start feeding her after this feed, cause i know she likes live hoppers that is what the previous owners fed her for 2 years, and have neer tried dead. i dont know if i should order 3 dead and 3 live just in case she wont eat the dead?
I dont know if i should keep her eating hoppers or move her to a mouse? im sooo confused!

It can be quite confusing- so many different opinions out there!
Here is what I recommend:

Switch her over to f/t adult mice starting with the next feed. Corns usually switch over pretty easily. For her next feed, you should order a frozen adult mouse. We've given you lots of reasons for switching over to frozen/thawed prey, and how to do it. Remember the post I made about how to thaw the mouse? It's a few pages back :)

Do not order live prey "just in case she doesn't eat". Have faith that she will. That being said, if you offered her live prey after a failed frozen attempt, she'll assume that if she refuses the frozen, she'll get the live option. You want her to see the frozen/thawed mouse as her only choice of food. She'll eventually take it. If she doesn't take it the first time, don't give up. Sometimes it takes a while. But don't give up the fight! It is totally possible to do. Snakes can go a very long time without eating and not lose weight. Missing a meal (or two, or three, or four) won't do her any harm. If anything she'll just be hungrier each time and eventually cave in and eat it ;) It helps if you do what I call "the nom nom dance" with the thawed prey, to entice her. It's to make it look alive. Here is a video of me doing it for my baby ball python so you get an idea of what it looks like:

JUWl9j3qbZI

You should also wait 7-10 days between attempts. Offering her food any more often will only stress her out.

Be persistent, don't stress about it, and success will be yours ;)

[Kylie]

Ok so for this feeding cause i have no choice but to do the live hoppers as they will be in, in 2 hours. but for the next feeding i should order a forzen mouse? 1 will be good? and if she does not eat it can i re freeze it untill next time i try? and i dont think she eats every week. she eats every second week

[KORBIN5895]

Personally I would refreeze mine but I probably am the only one. I would try killing one of the fuzzies and offering that first.

[Gungirl]

I would order a few frozen mice, doesn't hurt to have them on hand. Also I treat my snakes food as I treat my food. I would not thaw a steak then refreeze it for later use. If the snake doesn't eat throw it away and wait 10 days then offer another.

[Shmoges]

Thats kind of a waist of a rodent don't you think? I will offer uneaten ones that have been frozen twice then I toss them.

[exwizard]

Thats kind of a waist of a rodent don't you think? I will offer uneaten ones that have been frozen twice then I toss them.

Refreezing is never good IMO. It deteriorates the quality of the food. If I ever was to feed f/t and the snake did not eat it, and if there are no other snakes willing to take it, I would throw it away, wasteful as that may seem. That is the downside to feeding f/t but all things considered, thats a small downside.

[Swany]

I'd go with Kat, for the sake of a couple of pounds, why take the risk of making your pet ill.

[lady_bug87]

I dont know.. some snakes eat road kill...

[alessia55]

I dont know.. some snakes eat road kill...

Yeah, but thankfully I can afford to feed my snakes, and prefer to feed them fresh ;)

[Swany]

I dont know.. some snakes eat road kill...

Oh I'm not saying it would make a snake ill, I'm just thinking, why take the chance lady bug.

[Gungirl]

I dont know.. some snakes eat road kill...

Yes some snakes will eat road kill. If the road kill was fresh I might eat it also depending on the animal. Some snakes in the wild also get very ill and die but if we can prevent having to deal with these issues why wouldn't we?

[exwizard]

Yes some snakes will eat road kill. If the road kill was fresh I might eat it also depending on the animal. Some snakes in the wild also get very ill and die but if we can prevent having to deal with these issues why wouldn't we?

Agreed....

[KORBIN5895]

Is now a god time to mention I eat road kill? My choice of re-freezing a rodent is I honestly have a very serious issue with throwing anything away. I eat ALL of the leftovers in my house. My wife threatens to toss something as her way of cleaning the fridge.

Now lets say you are paying $5 a mouse and the snake refuses to switch for 5 months. You try every week by offering one mouse and throwing it away when it refuses. That's $100!

Also in my defense I never leave a mouse in over night. If he doesn't take it after five minutes I just feed it to the next guy and anything unbeaten gets refrozen.

[exwizard]

Is now a god time to mention I eat road kill? My choice of re-freezing a rodent is I honestly have a very serious issue with throwing anything away. I eat ALL of the leftovers in my house. My wife threatens to toss something as her way of cleaning the fridge.

Now lets say you are paying $5 a mouse and the snake refuses to switch for 5 months. You try every week by offering one mouse and throwing it away when it refuses. That's $100!

Also in my defense I never leave a mouse in over night. If he doesn't take it after five minutes I just feed it to the next guy and anything unbeaten gets refrozen.

Ok if I had to pay $5 a mouse, I see your point. We only charge $1 per adult mouse so I cant imagine $5.

[KORBIN5895]

Also a rats ( large and up) cost $11.99 plus hst ( 13% sales tax) so plug that into the aforesaid mentioned equation and you just threw away $270.97.

[KORBIN5895]

Ok if I had to pay $5 a mouse, I see your point. We only charge $1 per adult mouse so I cant imagine $5.

Rodent prices are rediculous here.

Mice

Pinkies. $2

Hoppers. $3

Adult. $4

Rats

Pinkies. $3

Pups. $4

Small. $7

Mediun $9

Large. $12

[Kylie]

Ok you gus wrote to much aha


I fed her it went AMAZING!!!!!!! She ate 2 F/t hoppers, im going to get some more now as i can take the live back. i dont know if i should stick with the 2 hoppers a feeding or just go with 1 adult mouse???? help!!

[alessia55]

Definitely go up to 1 adult f/t mouse!

[Swany]

Also a rats ( large and up) cost $11.99 plus hst ( 13% sales tax) so plug that into the aforesaid mentioned equation and you just threw away $270.97.

Point taken man, that's a lot of cash :-D

[Swany]

Ok you gus wrote to much aha


I fed her it went AMAZING!!!!!!! She ate 2 F/t hoppers, im going to get some more now as i can take the live back. i dont know if i should stick with the 2 hoppers a feeding or just go with 1 adult mouse???? help!!

EXCELLENT woo hoo. Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome our newest snake keeper KYLIE lol. Come on then spill the beans, tell us allll about it :-)

[alessia55]

Because of her age and the photos you've posted, she could definitely have an adult f/t mouse from now on

[KORBIN5895]

Awesome Kylie! Out of morbid curiosity how did you kill them? Also I would go with the adult mouse.

[millertime89]

Congrats! I would definitely go with 1 adult as well.

[exwizard]

Also a rats ( large and up) cost $11.99 plus hst ( 13% sales tax) so plug that into the aforesaid mentioned equation and you just threw away $270.97.

Yikes! Thats pet store prices.

We only charge $2.50 for the large and even the XXX is $4.00

[Kylie]

Well i was thinking on my way to the pet store, ill grab 2 Frozen hoppers and take the live as well just in case she wont eat the F/t.
So i thawed out the frozen ones in hot water and dried it with a town. Tried it and at first she was little hesitant and didn't no if she wanted it, but then she snatched it and scared the SH*T out of me! i jumped so high haha!!! But she ate 2 F/T hoppers and is now in her bigger hide.

I had to get 3 more frozen hoppers as i got to take the live ones back, so im going to feed her those the next feeding ( on the 16th) and then the feeding after that ill go with a adult mouse, i dont know it looked like she was having issues with the hoppers but that could just be me as iv never fed a snake before! but that was the best thing ever im so proud of her!!! :)


Thanks for all the help guys! now all i have to do is get the temp thing under control and get her used to me!! :) YAY!!! :)

[Swany]

It's a great feeling the first time they eat for you. Glad everything went well. And yeah I think we all jumped the first time ;-) lol

[Kylie]

Lol yeah i hope! my mom laghed at me i jumped so high. the only thing i did that i didnt really want to cause iv heard horrer stories is, i fed her in her tank. will be bite me when i go to hold her next? ( of course not for 2-3days) im worried bout that now...but she didnt want to be picked up when i went to get her.

[Swany]

Opinions vary. Some feed in. Some feed out. But you change her water every two days. Your going to be handling most days. And only feeding once a week. So she's not going to associate her viv being opened just with getting fed. Give her a few days to settle (I know it's hard lol) before you try handling again. Ideally don't try handling untill she's fed two/ three times.

[Kylie]

Wow really? i wont feed her every week? every 2 weeks i thought? thats what the previous owners said...i fed her tonight now i wont feed her again till the 16th...

[alessia55]

Feeding every other week as you're planning to, for a 2yr old corn snake, is perfectly OK. I'd stick to that plan. :)

She's not going to try and bite you because you fed in her cage... Your hands won't smell like mouse when you're going in to change water or handle her, so you shouldn't have anything to worry about. If you do get a small bite, it's most likely a defensive one because she's a bit nervous. But most corns are real tame and get used to handling pretty quickly. Make sure she's eaten at least twice for you before you handle her though! This will make sure she has enough time to get relay settled in. It'll also give her more time to get used to the sight of you first :)

Here's the video I promised you of Pika eating... it's 6 minutes long, but I've included text throughout it explaining some stuff. Hopefully it puts your mind at ease a bit about the feeding process. They look kind of awkward at times, as if they're struggling, but it's all natural.

And don't judge my music choice... LOL!!!!! :p

WJ25wYgYSAA

[Kylie]

THats crazy it looks like it hurts lol! bellas no as big as him tho, shes longer but not as wide, u think she will be ok with a adult mouse?

So i cant hold her for like 6 weeks???? :( booo

[Kylie]

BTW hes a gorgious snake...wat kind? i want one lol
And i loooooooved the music...no judging haha

[alessia55]

THats crazy it looks like it hurts lol! bellas no as big as him tho, shes longer but not as wide, u think she will be ok with a adult mouse?

So i cant hold her for like 6 weeks???? :( booo

The rat Pika is eating in that video is bigger than an adult mouse ;) Bella will be fine.

[alessia55]

BTW hes a gorgious snake...wat kind? i want one lol
And i loooooooved the music...no judging haha

Glad you liked the music :D Pika is a male albino ball python. If you use the "Search" feature on the forums and type in "Pika" you'll get lots of threads and posts and photos of him ;) Thanks for the compliment!

[millertime89]

I would hold of on holding him until 2 days after your next feeding, and he should have no problem taking an adult mouse, snakes can get massive sized prey down. I need to upload the video of my BP taking a medium rat. You wouldn't think its possible, but he does it.

[Kylie]

Do it! i love all you guys videos! i want to see it!! :)

[Kylie]

HEy guys

Another question for yall!!! I got my heat mat and thermostat in the mail today, bella just ate last night should i just keep using the lamp untill shes done her system? or would it be ok to do the heat mat now? as it will be moving her take...

[Swany]

I think most folks will advise you to leave her for a couple of days Kylie. Has she been hiding all day after her feed last night ?

[Kylie]

Iv seen her about 4 times today.

[Swany]

And you're dying to pick her up lol

[Kylie]

noo nooo!!!!!!! im not asking if i should pick her up i know i cant! but i want to hook up the heat matt and thermostat but thats gunna mean me moving her tank a bit, im wondering if thats ok!?

[Swany]

noo nooo!!!!!!! im not asking if i should pick her up i know i cant! but i want to hook up the heat matt and thermostat but thats gunna mean me moving her tank a bit, im wondering if thats ok!?

No Kylie you misunderstand me, sorry. I just meant, when you saw her today you were like, i want to hold you, but I know I can't.
Alessia has way way more knowledge than me, hopefully she'll log in soon and help you out, I know she's given you lots of advice, but going on what Iv'e picked up, I'd say give it a couple of days to let her digest her feed before hooking up the mat.

[Kylie]

Ok ill wait for her. Thanks. and yeah ahah every time i see her im like ooooohhhh i want snake cuddles!!

[KORBIN5895]

You should be fine if you want to hook the heat mat up tonight.

[Kylie]

Even if i have to move her tank a pit to do so???

[KORBIN5895]

Honestly I will take my snakes out of the enclosure after 24 hours if something needs done. Just don't handle her alot.

[Aaron_S]

Dont like arguing with Aaron ;) but if you are feeding live you shouldnt leave the snake/mouse unattended in case the mouse attacks the snake, all live feeding should be 100% supervised imo :)

I know it's pages apart but sometimes a snake won't eat when someone is around and lights are on. There obviously wasn't an issue with this cornsnake but some snakes are difficult and leaving the room for 10 minutes or so won't really hurt. Aslong as you're using prey that can't really hurt a snake. I generally leave fuzzy mice in overnight with my sand boas.

[KORBIN5895]

I saw Aaron post and thought I was gonna get both barrels! ;)

[Aaron_S]

Oh man you people just wait for me to post eh?

I'm feeling all tingly,warm and fuzzy on the inside ;)

[KORBIN5895]

Actually I like your posts......

[Aaron_S]

Well I'm glad you do.

Anyway back to the topic at hand. Kylie, sounds like you've got things well in hand and just keep asking questions.

Korbin is right, if it's been 24 hours if it wasn't a large meal than you could handle your little girl for a very brief time to readjust the enclosure. I would place her in a small tub or deli cup for the duration of you moving things around though.

[Kylie]

So should i take her out at put her in a different tank while im doing thiis or should i leave leave her in her tank and just do it with her init?

[Aaron_S]

We posted at roughly the same time. Refer to my above post :)

[Kylie]

I was goig to put a little bit of shavings in her old tank and put her in there wile i do the other tank? that ok?

[Kylie]

Do u think that will be ok?

[Aaron_S]

Yes, that'll be fine. Just ensure she can't escape.