Habitat:

Woodlands

Average Size:

3 to 5 feet

Lifespan:

20+ Years

Corn Snake Introduction

Corn snakes are Ideal for beginners yet interesting enough for advanced hobbyists. Also known as the Red Rat Snake (Pantherophis guttata), the corn snake is one of North America’s most beautifully-colored reptiles and the world’s most popular pet snake.

Behavior

Adults are generally calm and easy to handle. Hatchlings may be defensive, but most calm down quickly and take well to handling. Wild corn snakes hibernate in the northern part of their range but remain active year-round in the south. Captives sometimes refuse food during the winter, even if kept warm. Hungry corn snakes will actively search for food but otherwise remain in their favorite basking and hiding spots.

Companions

It is recommended to keep corn snakes as solitary pets. That Pet Place cannot guarantee that any reptile will get along with any other reptile, even if they are purchased from the same cage or habitat.

Habitat

Corn snakes should be provided with as much space as possible. while maintaining a safe and secure environment. Large enclosures are necessary to establish a thermal gradient. Snakes will move from warmer to cooler areas as needed to regulate their body temperature. This behavior, called thermoregulation, is important to their health and is usually not possible in small tanks.

We recommend:
• 20 gallon Long 30”x12” – juvenile to 2’ in length
• 40 gallon Breeder 36”x18” or larger –Adults

Air circulation is important for all reptiles, so your terrarium should be equipped with a screen top. The screen top should be secured with clips or locks as corn snakes are very skilled escape artists.

TFP-TPP PRO TIP:
Keeping a corn snake in a small enclosure will not keep them smaller but, it will cause the snake to be stressed and uncomfortable.

Habitat Furnishings

• Water dish
• Two hides (1 for hot side, 1 for cool side)
• Substrate
• Décor

Always provide at least two hides for shelter. Being forced to remain in the open is stressful. A hide will make your snake feel more secure and more likely to eat when it is comfortable. Hides are also required for proper thermoregulation.

Substrate:
Several different types of substrates, eco-earth, keepers' choice tropical mix, cypress mulch, and/or reptisoil may be used as long as they are soil-based and can hold humidity. Remove the substrate entirely once every 3 months, clean the habitat itself with pet disinfectant, & provide fresh new bedding.

TFP-TPP PRO TIP:
Wood chips can lodge in their mouth and cause wounds during feeding; watch your snake carefully or feed it in a bare-bottomed enclosure to prevent this.

Décor:
The cage can be decorated with artificial pieces of wood, plants, rocks, or tree stumps to provide a more natural habitat. Stout, well-anchored branches can be added as basking sites. Make sure anything used in the cage is insect-free and secure, so it does not fall on your snake. Décor also provides an object to rub against when your snake is shedding.

Light, Heat and Humidity

Light:
Corn snakes benefit from a small amount of UVB. A UV index (UVI) of 2-3 UVI is recommended. For example, this can be provided by a T-5 2.5% UVB bulb at a 10-15” distance between the bulb and the basking site. Be sure to provide hides or other forms of shade so that the snake can self-regulate as necessary. UVA light may be useful in encouraging natural behavior and breeding. Lights should remain on for approximately 10-12 hours daily. However, it is important to provide a period of darkness overnight to prevent stress-related health issues.

Heat:
Reptiles need the proper amount of heat to digest their food and maintain their immune system. Each species has its own temperature requirements that must be met by providing the appropriate amount of heat with some combination of heat bulbs, ceramic emitters and heat mats. Reptiles cannot maintain their body temperature by producing metabolic heat. They rely on external conditions (i.e., heat bulbs) to regulate the temperature of their bodies. Consequently, a thermal gradient must be established in your corn snake’s habitat. That means you must provide a basking area (90°F) and a cooling area (75-80°F).

Required temperatures for your corn snake:
• Basking area temperature 90°F
• Cooling area temperature 75-80°F
• Nighttime Temperature minimum: 70°F

To provide the recommended basking temperature, we recommend the use of a heat spotlight and an under-the-tank heater plugged into a thermostat. At night, turn off the spotlight to allow the air temperature to cool down to around 75°F. If the temperature at night goes below 70°F, you may need a ceramic heat emitter or reptile night light, which gives off heat but not visible light. It will also enable you to view your pet’s nocturnal activities. Use two separate thermometers to monitor the temperature in the basking area and the cooling area.

Watching your reptile’s behavior and movement can indicate whether your temperatures are correct. For example, if your reptile always stays on the heated side it’s never hot enough. Always staying on the cool side means the heated side is too hot.

Humidity
Humidity should be moderate, (30-50%) and the substrate should be kept dry. Use a hygrometer to monitor your tank’s humidity. Corn snakes usually benefit from a small patch of moss kept damp, this adds humidity and is beneficial during shedding.

Feeding

Adult corn snakes readily accept live or frozen-thawed mice. Hatchlings can usually handle newborn mice (“pinkies”), but particularly small individuals may need sectioned pinkies for the first few weeks of their lives. Youngsters should be fed once weekly; adults do fine with a meal each 7-10 days.

When you feed your snake, it is important to keep the size of the food item small rather than too large. A large food item can cause difficulty in swallowing and some snakes will regurgitate after eating a large food item due to difficulty in swallowing/digesting.

If you feed frozen food, be certain the food is completely thawed before offering it to your cold-blooded snake. Swallowing even a partially frozen food item can cause your snake to go into shock and die from the extreme temperature change.

TFP-TPP PRO TIP:
We recommend thawing at least 30 minutes in warm water before introducing the rodent to the snake’s cage. NEVER MICROWAVE to thaw.

Water:
Water for drinking and soaking must always be available. Bowls should be filled to a point where they will not overflow when the snake curls up within, as overly damp conditions for prolonged periods of time could lead to health problems.

Daily Care & Maintenance

Corn snakes require attention & care every day.
You will need to:
• Provide fresh water.
• Spot clean, remove fecal waste & uneaten food.
• Complete health checks.
• Complete heating checks.

Observe your snake each morning, health problems can sometimes be difficult to identify. Observation can mean simply looking at them closely while they are in their habitat. Continual handling is not required as that can cause undue stress.

You will learn to recognize slight differences in snake postures. A limp or “un-muscled” appearance is typical of snakes that are not well. Other signs of illness include refusing to eat, no tongue flickering, and little movement between different temperature zones. Also, check their underside for reddened scales. Lastly, check for small parasites, and mites, crawling anywhere on your snake’s body and head. Mites dehydrate the reptile and can carry diseases just as fleas and ticks do in mammals. It is critical to provide treatment right away for any illness. Most animals are good at hiding an illness until it reaches an advanced stage.

TFP-TPP PRO TIP:
If your snake is soaking very often in its water dish it could indicate:
• Temperature is to hot.
• Humidity is to low.
• Your snake has mites.

Health & Sanitation Considerations

Your snake’s head should always be kept away from one’s face during handling, as even long-term pets may react to smells or vibrations that people cannot sense. Bite wounds can be severe and may be inflicted without warning by normally docile reptiles or animals.

Salmonella bacteria, commonly present in reptile & amphibian digestive tracts, can cause severe illnesses in people. Handling an animal will not cause an infection, as the bacteria must be ingested. Salmonella infections are easy to avoid via the use of proper hygiene. Wash your hands with warm, soapy water before and after handling any animal. Please speak with your family doctor or veterinarian for more tips on preventing Salmonella, or please read our care guide “Cleaning and Disinfecting Recommendations” for additional instructions.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about your new family member. We recommend scheduling a check up with an exotics veterinarian soon after you bring your new pet home. It is helpful to keep a medical record about your pet should an emergency ever occur.

Pet care is always evolving & changing. Please continue to research and monitor your pet’s behavior to assure they are thriving. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our reptile department at 717-299-5691 ext. 1240 or petpros@thatpetplace.com.