Care Sheet for Corn SnakesAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 3.56 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 08/09/2005 |
Main Category: | Snakes |
Sub Category: | Corn Snakes |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | SnakeMan_BCT |
Years Experience: | Under 1 Year |
Species: | Cornsnake (Pantherophis guttatus) |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | Any corn snake or any other small rat snake. |
Sexing and Characteristics: | Sexing: The only way to accurately sex a corn snake or any snake for that matter is to either pop the snake (eject the hemipenes) or probe the snake (insert a tiny metal rod into the cloaca of the snake, it will go far in a male but only a little in a female). You should leave these methods to experts to prevent damage to your snake.
Characteristics: Corn snakes get between 5-6 feet. They come in many colors including amelinistic (albino) forms. Corn sakes are smaller than most other North American rat snakes. |
Mostly Active During: | Night |
Substrate and Water Needs: | Substrates: There are many substrates you can use. Newspaper, paper towel, aspen bark, and AstroTurf are all good substrates. Avoid using cedar, pine, and things like potting soil so no harm is done to your snake and there is low maintenance.
Water: Provide a large water bowl for your corn snake to bath, cool off, and drink from. Put it on the cool side of the terrarium to prevent evaporation of the water. You should get fresh water everyday but every 2-3 days is adequate. |
Lighting and UVB: | UVB lighting like Vita-light is not required although some people say it makes corn snakes happier. You may use a heat lamp, but i wouldn’t recommend it because it could burn the snake. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | Temperature: Use either a heating pad or heat lamp to warm one side of the cage. This is important so the corn snake can regulate his body temperature. Keep temp in the mid 80’s in the day and the night temperature can go do in the mid to high 70’s. Note: Warmer temperatures help corn snakes digest their food properly.
Humidity: Corn snakes don’t need special humidity conditions. (Use some common since though don’t dry them out or drown them) During shedding you might want to consider misting the terrarium a little and/or increasing the water bowl size to help aid in this process. |
Heating and Equipment: | Heating: Heat pad or heat lamp.
Equipment: Water bowl, hiding place, heating equipment. (All necessities). |
Caging Provided: | For a baby corn snake a 10 gallon tank is perfect. Adults need at least a 20 but a bigger one is better. Make sure the tanks are as close to escape proof as possible and have a screen top for ventilation. |
Diet: | Carnivorous |
Description of Diet: | Baby corns eat pinkie mice. As they get older switch to fuzzies. And when they reach adulthood use adult mice. One mouse a week is adequate. If you decide feed more mice make sure it has proper heating or regurgitation might result.
A mouse should be the size of the snakes diameter. Don’t handle a snake right after it has eaten. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | Don’t give them any or an overdose of vitamins will result. |
Maintenance: | Spot clean the tank daily. Disinfect everything at least once per month using a 5% bleach solution. |
Some Words on this Species: | This is one of the best reptiles for beginners and experts alike. They are very docile and rarely ever bite. I love them and I hope you do too! |
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