what do i need to start a corn snake setup?

Question

i am getting a corn snake and i need to know what to put in it plz hlp me!!!!!!!!!! u can also suggest other lizzards or snakes as better pets. i plan to get it before christmas so plz answer before than.

Answer 1

Hello; I'll draft up a quick list of what you'll need for an adult of Corn snake and a rough estimate as to the cost. The prices are assuming you are purchasing everything new. :)



Secure, locking 20-30 gallon long terrarium with screen top- 60-100 dollars



Substrate- 1-15 dollars, depending on what type is used and how much you purchase. Aspen, Paper towels, and Eco-Earth by Zoo-Med are all great choices for this species. Avoid anything containing Pine or Cedar; as the oils in them can be toxic to small animals (reptiles included.)



Two thermometers and a hygrometer- 5-20 dollars, depending on the quality and type used.



Heating apparatus of some sort (Heat lamp, ceramic heat emitter, under-tank heater)- 20-30 dollars.



Two or three hides- 10-40 dollars, depending on which variety you choose. Try putting one at the hot end of the tank, one at the cool end, and if you have a third; one in the middle that way your snake never has to choose between proper thermoregulation and feeling secure. :)



Water dish- 1-15 dollars, depending on type used.



Unnecessary, but still nice to have Corn snakes:



Cage decor, such as branches, fixed rock formations, or decorative plants made for reptile use not only improve the look of the terrarium but also give the snake something to rub against while shedding- 5-60 dollars, depending on where it is purchased, how much, and what kind you use.



As far as other reptiles go; Here is a list of my top 10 favorite snakes that are great for beginner and experienced snake keepers alike (Corn snakes included); along with why I chose them, and a care sheet on each species. :)



1. Rosy boa. They are small, very docile, calm, are great eaters, and are slow moving (and thus easier to handle than a lot of colubrids like King snakes and Corn snakes). They are also very hardy, low maintenance, come in lots of different colors and localities, and aren't prone to shedding problems.

Care sheet: http://www.rosyboa.com/desertboas/caresheet.html



2. Kenyan sand boa. They have all of the good qualities of the Rosy like the gentle disposition, ease of care, small size, great feeders, etc, but the only problem that some keepers may have with them is that they spend most of their time under their substrate. For those who like to randomly walk by their snake's cage to check to see what the snake is up to and how it is doing, that could be frustrating for them.

Care sheet: http://www.wnyherp.org/care-sheets/snakes/kenyan-sand-boa.php



3. Corn snake. They are quite docile, low maintenance, great eaters, generally are great shedders, are a bit bigger than Rosys or Kenyans but not so big that they are awkward to handle, and come in a wide variety of colors. My only thing I'd worry about for a beginner with these guys is they are very quick moving and can be quite nervous as babies, so they require a bit more caution when handling.

Care sheet: http://www.anapsid.org/corn.html



4. Childrens pythons. They are very small (the second smallest python species in the world), are low maintenance, are great eaters, and usually have a great temperament. While I wouldn’t classify them as slow moving, they aren’t all that fast, either. However while I think that they are quite beautiful; some would consider them to be ‘bland’ looking, so if one was in search of a flashy looking snake, then these guys probably wouldn’t be for them.

Care sheet: http://www.tinypythons.com/caresheet_childreni.asp



5 & 6. King snakes and Milk snakes. I lump both species together due to their similar appearances, temperaments and care needs. The only notable difference in their behavior is that Kings tend to be a bit quicker to settle down when being handled. Both are a bit bigger than Rosys, Kenyans, or Childrens (roughly the same size as a Corn, though may be bigger or smaller depending on the subspecies), are low maintenance, great feeders, and usually tame down quickly with regular handling. The problems with these guys are that they are another quick-moving species that tend to be nervous when young. They are also cannibalistic, so it is under no circumstances a good idea to put a Milk or a King in the cage with another snake if you wish to keep both snakes alive and well.

Care sheet (works for both species): http://www.kingsnake.com/rockymountain/RMHPages/RMHkingsand.htm





7. Rough-scaled sand boa. These guys are a very small, generally docile, low maintenance species of sand boa. They are hardy and easy to care for, are great feeders, and are excellent for beginners. The only problems with these guys is that they are a bit harder to find than most of the others on this list, and like the Kenyans, they spend most of their time buried under their substrate.

Care Sheet: http://www.reptilia.org/care_sheets/snakes/csheets_snk_rough.htm



8. Ball pythons. They are a normally very sweet-tempered, medium-sized species of snake that is quite popular with beginners. They are slow moving, beautiful and exotic looking, easy to handle, and reluctant to bite. Unfortunately due to their high humidity needs, shedding problems, and notorious issues with feeding, I would only recommend them to a beginner if they had done extensive research on their care and knew how to deal with the common problems that they may have with these guys. Better yet if they had a ‘coach’ of some sort, another Ball python owner who knew how to handle this species, and could tell you the best kind of caging for them, the best sorts of substrate, and what to do when the snake goes off of feed. If the person knew how to deal with those issues, then these guys make a wonderful beginners species.

Care sheet: http://www.anapsid.org/ball.html



9. Hog Island Boa. These are a very beautiful, generally docile species that are medium sized and medium upkeep. They require a bit less humidity than other subspecies of Boa Constrictor, and are usually fantastic feeders. The only problem with Hog islands is that they are a bit difficult to find.

Care sheet: http://www.centralpets.com/animals/reptiles/snakes/snk2756.html



10. Western Hognose Snakes. They are a usually good-tempered, low maintenance, small, amusing species that could be mistaken for a Rattlesnake if someone wasn’t well versed in reptiles. They are generally very sweet, tame down quickly, are great feeders, and are great shedders. They are mildly venomous, though not enough so that it could pose of any danger to humans. Not only are they reluctant to bite; their fangs are also located in the back of their mouth thus making it very hard for them to bite you unless you literally stick your finger in there. Even if they did manage to bite you; you’d have to let them ‘chew’ on you to get any sort of reaction at all. Generally the reaction from their venom in humans is mild irritation and swelling.

Care sheet: http://www.reptileallsorts.com/westhognose-cs.htm



If you are interested in lizards; have you considered a Leopard Gecko, a Crested Gecko, a Viper Gecko, a Gargoyle Gecko, or an African Fat-tailed Gecko?



All are small, nocturnal so they don't need UV lighting, low maintenance, docile, interesting looking, hardy, do quite well with handling, and I am not sure how much prior reptile experience you have; but the African Fat-tails, Vipers and the Leopards in particular make great starter lizards. :)



Here are care sheets for all of the Gecko species I just named:



Leopard Gecko:

http://www.thegeckospot.com/shortleocare.html



Crested Gecko:

http://www.pangeareptile.com/id52.htm



Viper Gecko:

http://www.acmecritters.com/CARE_SHEETS.html



Gargoyle Gecko:

http://www.pangeareptile.com/gargoylecare.htm



African Fat-tailed Gecko:

http://www.acmecritters.com/CARE_SHEETS.html



I hope this helps, and if you have any further questions at all on the subject or on any of the species I named; please feel free to message me and I will be more than happy to assist you. :)



Good luck!

Answer 2

I can give you instructions on how to do this cheaply and effectively. You first need an enclosure about two times the snakes length in diameter. you can buy one if you can afford it, but corn snakes grow fast. What I did was go to wal-mart and I bought a long plastic tote box and melted holes in the top of it. When the snake actually reached full size I moved him into a large glass enclosure. Pine shavings work wonders. I use them for all my snakes and found it is very easy and quick to clean up. you need a hide box and a water dish. Use a small water dish as corn snakes are considered desert snakes and a dish to large will raise the humidity higher than what the snake is comfortable with. You don't really need branches or such but it does make the cage look better.



As for better reptiles, I can only think of one if your a beginner. Corn snakes are a good beginner snake, but ball pythons are relatively cheaper and in some cases are less tempermental. Be warned, corn snakes are very wiry. meaning the move A LOT. Not very fun to hold until they are tame.

I hope this helps.

Answer 3

you'll need:



a 3' vivarium, preferably a wooden one with sliding glass doors - these keep heat in better than glass tanks, and are more secure so the corn won't escape.



a heat mat - 1/3 the size of the viv to keep the correct temperatures. place the mat at one end of the viv to give a heat gradient which the snake will need to stay healthy



a thermostat - to stop the heat mat from getting too hot and burning your snake, or causing neurological problems from overheating.



a thermometer - preferably a digital type to measure the temperature - place this on the floor at the same end as the heat mat



hides - at least 2 hiding places, one at each end, but the more hiding places you provide the happier the snake will be



water dish - big enough for the snake to coil up in



substrate for the bottom of the viv - aspen shavings are best for this, or newspaper sheets. DO NOT use anything containing pine or cedar, these woods give off toxic fumes that can kill your snake.

DON'T USE SAND!! the snake will either swallow it and it will get something called 'gut impaction' which if left will kill it. sand can also cause respitory infections, again if left untreated will kill the snake because they only have one fully functional lung.



good luck with your new snake :)

Answer 4

Corn Snake Set Up

Answer 5

lol it summer dude any wayz o O O O O O PICK ME PICK ME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i got a corn snake about a idk 1 year or so ago i got it in 8th grade me and a friend did a project on it and anole lizards but sadly the poor lizards died :( *cries* ok lets get down to not so caleld bussiness the first thing u will need is a tank if u get a baby corn snake a 10-15 gallon will be fine but u will definatly have to buy a bigger one my corn snake is a little over a foot long and is in a 15 gallon plenty roomy so ya kool lol u will also need pet shavings anythign is kool except sand? this dude kept asking if he coud line it with sand i was like nooo ummm a log or 2 u know the kind they can hide under some branches i got this kind its one big thing and it feels like moss but its brown u can twist it and cut it anyway u want to fit the aquarium umm so leaves like the plants with the suction cups on it to stik to th wall so ur snake can hide and peep threw stuff o ya a water bowl/dish i have a medium sized plastic oval dush and it looks like an inground pool the only thing is sometimes my snake will sither into it but u know it mite want to go swimming soemtime o ya umm a heating pad or a heating rock i dont use a light but im thinking about gettign one that is tinted blue so at night it wont effect it couse their nocternal ..... o duuuu food lol well i feed mine pinkys i cant feed it fuzzies becouse i have 2 rats and a cat and when the anole's were around the snake wouldn't even be interested it still curls up tio my cat and sences the ratz running buy it let the lizards go right next to it withough a problem so yaaa ummmm mabey a tempurater thingy to put in the tank i dont have one but soem people like to make sure its the right temp well ummm thatz all from me good luck i hope i helped me and my 9th grade knowlage lol :)

Answer 6

ok u will need a 20 or 40 gallon tank. sand, wood chips, and mulch just put a lil of each and mix it arond in the tank. you will need a lil water blow but not to lil cuz they need water or they will dehydrat very fast, a heat light uv light and have a top for it were it cant bet out or nothing can get in. hope i helped...

Answer 7

Introduction







Corn snakes (Elaphe guttata guttata) are one of the most available snakes in the pet trade today. Vast numbers of corn snakes are captive bred annually, and are justifiably one of the most popular snakes of all time. Corn snakes are relatively small, rarely exceeding five feet in length, active feeders, tolerate a wide variety of environmental conditions, come in a dazzling arry of color morphs, and are very easy to breed. All of these factors combined make the corn snake an excellent choice for both the beginning and advanced reptile hobbyist.



Enclosure Size



Corn snakes are relatively small, and as such, they do not require large enclosures. A baby corn snake can happily live in a ten gallon aquarium or enclosure of similar size. Some people choose to keep baby corn snakes in plastic shoeboxes with holes punched in the side. This type of enclosure is acceptable as long as appropriate heating is provided. Upon reaching full adult size (about three to four years), a corn snake will require an enclosure with the minimum dimensions of a standard twenty gallon long aquarium. Larger aquariums such as a thirty gallon breeder or fifty-five gallon tank are also appropriate. No matter whether your corn snake lives in a humble home or a palace, there are several important details to keep in mind when setting up your new pet.



Substrate



The substrate of a cage is the material that is on the bottom. There are appropriate and not so appropriate choices of substrate in corn snake housing. Cedar shavings are unacceptable as they cause respiratory problems in snakes. I personally do not recommend pine for the same reason, but others have used this substrate without any problems. Corn cob bedding (manufactured for use with birds) should not be used as a substrate because it causes excessive drying of dermal tissues and can cause serious intestinal blockage if swallowed. Acceptable substrates include reptile bark, butcher paper, paper towels and Astroturf.



Reptile bark can be purchased in pet stores, and is attractive and natural-looking. Butcher paper can be acquired in many places such as home depot or art supply stores. This substrate, while not particularly attractive, allows one to keep the cage very clean by continuously replacing the soiled paper. Paper towels have the same advantages and disadvantages of butcher paper. Astroturf can be used, but it does tend to rot easily if wetted, so it is best to have several pieces cut to fit the cage so you can rotate dirty and clean pieces.



Appropriate Heating



There are several choices for appropriate corn snake heating. Whatever choice of heating is used, it is very important to provide one area of the cage where the ambient (air) temperature is 80-85 degrees F. Corn snakes, like all reptiles, do not make their own body heat and rely on a behavioral mechanism called thermoregualtion to regulate their body temperature. Thermoregulation means that when a reptile is too cool, it moves to an area to warm itself, and when it is too hot, it moves to a cooler area. Access to warm areas are critically important to the health of your snake. Appropriate heating is required for proper digestion and the effective functioning of the immune system.



If the tank has a screen top, a shop light or metal reflector may be placed on top of the cage, to one side, with a heating bulb inside to create a basking area of 80-85 degrees F. Another method of heating is the use of quality undertank heating pads. Undertank heaters are plastic with one adhesive side. The adhesive side of the heater is used to attach it to the bottom of the outside of the tank, on one side of the cage. These heaters can only be used with certain types of cages, so check the directions before purchase. Hot rocks are not recommended for corn snake heating for several reasons.



Hot rocks provide a localized heat source that is often too hot. As a result, the snake will curl itself about the rock in an attempt to raise its body temperature, this can result in serious thermal burns. Think about this from the snake's point of view. One tiny area of the cage is 100 degrees F, and the rest of the cage is freezing. Without some type of heat, reptiles will get sick, so the animal will use whatever source of heat is provided, even if it is too hot. Some of the new hot rocks that have thermostats are a much better choice if a hot rock must be used. If not, at least burying the hot rock in some substrate will help to diffuse the heat. It is much better to provide indirect heating, or heating that the animal has no direct access to. This will prevent thermal burns from occurring.



Feeding



Corn snakes are rarely picky eaters if they have the proper heat and enclosure. One important aspect of feeding that is often overlooked is the addition of hiding areas to the cage. Corn snakes, like most snakes, like to feel secure in their environment. One way of providing for this need to is put hiding spots in the enclosure. Hiding spots can be made of anything, as long as the snake can completely fit inside the area and hide itself from view. Old cardboard boxes are good for this, but so are many of the commercially manufactured hiding spots available in pet stores. A hiding spot should be placed both on the warm end and the cool end of the cage, so that the animal can feel secure in any spot. Corn snakes kept without appropriate hiding areas become stressed and may refuse to eat.



Hatchling corn snakes begin eating pinky mice, and progress up to adult mice once they are mature. A good rule of thumb is to feed the snake a food item that is the same, or close to, the snake's diameter. Feed an item that is too large, and the snake will often regurgitate it. Snakes will also regurgitate if they do not have a warm area or if they are handled too soon after they eat. Corn snakes can be fed two times a week, but once is usually enough. Clean water should be available at all times, corn snakes drink often.



Conclusion



Corn snakes are justifiably one of the most popular pet snakes of all time. Corn snakes come in many beautiful colors, and are hardy and docile. This care sheet is not all of the information required to care for a corn snake properly, but it is a start. If you own a corn snake or plan on purchasing one, it is YOUR responsibility to thoroughly research the needs of your pet, doing so will make both your lives easier.