How to Care for & Feed Your Pet Corn Snake

Corn snakes are quite small and don't need very large enclosures. A newborn corn snake can contentedly live in a 10 gallon glass container or any type of enclosure for that matter as long as it is of similar size. When it reaches full growth, which takes about 3 to 4 years, it will then require an enclosure equal to at least a 20 gallon container. Just make sure the enclosure is at least 2/3 of the snake's body length long.

Substrate Needs

The substrate of the snake's house is the material that can be found in the bottom of the container. There are some materials which shouldn't be use such as cedar or pine shavings. These are undesirable because can cause respiratory problems. Newspaper with ink is also not recommended. Suitable substrates include paper towels, aspen shavings, repti-turf, shredded butcher paper and Astroturf.

Hiding Places

The hiding places don't have to be elaborate. It can be made of any material, provided that the snake can entirely fit within the area and hide. Just a box with a hole in it will suffice although most people put more esthetically pleasing ones such as hollow logs or rock caves in the enclosure. Hides should be located both in the warm area and in the cooler area. This will make your pet corn snake feel secure wherever it wishes to hide.

Proper Temperature

It is very vital to supply an area of the housing cage where the temperature is eighty to eighty five degrees Fahrenheit with the rest of the area being at least 80 degrees. At night the temperature can drop to 70 degrees without harm. Corn snakes cannot produce their own body heat and they rely on thermoregulation to maintain normal body temperature and is essential to the snake's health. Proper heating is also required for them to properly digest foods and to make the immune system function effectively.

Feeding a Corn Snake

Corn snakes are not finicky eaters but will eat best when they have an area of their cage in the 85 degree range. They are happy being fed frozen mice and rats so its easy for you to always have a supply of food on hand. An aspect of feeding that is important is that they need hiding places. If there are no places for them to hide they may become stressed and quit eating. Newborn corn snakes may start feeding on pinky or baby mice and advance to a fully developed mouse once they are full-grown.

Make sure the food is not too big for your pet. Feeding them food that is too big will usually make the snake throw it up. Corn snakes tend to regurgitate if they are not provided with a warm area during eating or if they are picked up too soon subsequent to their feeding. You need to be aware of your pet snakes age when it comes to feeding them. Younger snakes should be fed twice a week while older ones need to be fed a larger amount but only once a week. Its very important that you have clean water for them to drink at all times.

The Corn Snake As a Pet

Corn snakes are always named as one of the best snakes for beginning collectors as well as veterans. They have very good temperament and don't mind being handled. They seldom bite, but if they do they aren't venomous. Many collectors like them as pets due to the many different colors and patterns they come in. All in all if you decide you want a snake as a pet you won't go wrong with a corn snake.