Corn Snakes and other Colubrids

Recommended Reading

Corn Snakes ( Elaphe gutatta gutatta ) are about 10 to 12 inches long when they first hatch. Average length for a corn snake is about 3-4 feet. They usually top out at 5 feet or less in some cases. With proper care, a Corn Snake can live 20 years or longer.

HOUSING:

The first thing to know about hatchling Corn Snakes is that they are very accomplished escape artists.  When choosing an enclosure for you new snake, being escape proof should be the top priority. A beautiful enclosure is worthless if your snake escapes from it the first night. You may want to buy a small enclosure, and then buy a bigger one when your snake has grown a little.

HEAT:

Probably the single most important thing for the health of your Corn Snake is having a proper heat source. Since reptiles are cold blooded, the only way that they can regulate their body temperature is to move from a warm spot to a cooler spot, or visa versa. Therefore the heat source should be located at one end of the enclosure, so your snake can move to it, or away from it when they feel the need to. They also need heat to properly digest their food. Temperature for your corn snake should be in the range of 72-82

HIDING PLACE:

Most Reptiles feel more safe and secure when they are hiding. For this reason, you should provide a place for your snake to hide. There are commercially manufactured products on the market for this purpose, or you can use something as simple as a plastic container with a hole cut in the side or top. You should provide two hiding places. One on the cool end, and one on the warm end, or just provide one, and put it in the middle of the enclosure. 

WATER:

A bowl of fresh water that is big enough for your snake to curl up in should be provided. The water should be checked often, and changed when necessary. Some times snakes will actually defecate in their water bowl.  

SUBSTRATE:

There are many products on the market today that you can use on the floor of your enclosure, or you can use something as simple as newspaper, sani-chips or aspen bedding. It is really up to what each person wants in eye appeal, and ease of cleaning. Cedar chips are NOT recommended.

FOOD:

A feeding schedule of one mouse per week should work fine. Hatchling Corn Snakes will start out on pinky mice, and the size of the meal should be increased as the snake grows. If your snake ever regurgitates its meal, there might not be enough heat for it to properly digest its food.( Feeding Difficult Hatchlings ) Or you may have fed it too large a meal, or you may be feeding too often. If this occurs, give your snake a rest for a week, and then resume feeding with a much smaller meal. Also space the meals farther apart until you are sure that your snake is digesting its meal properly. If you can see the lump made by the meal for more than a couple of days then the meal may be too large. 

Please, if you let children handle your new pet reptile, it is a good idea to wash your hands before & after handling any reptile.

Keep in mind that the information given here is just a very basic version of what is required. Please find a good book about whatever animal you are thinking about buying, and read as much as you can about it, before making a purchase.