Corn Snakes

The corn snake is probably the most widely kept snake on earth, and is probably the very best species for kids to start out with. The various species of king snake are also excellent pets. Ball pythons are one of the smaller members of the python family, seldom exceeding four feet in length. They tame easily. Boa constrictors get larger than most snakes, reaching adult lengths up to ten feet, but they are docile and unaggressive. Boas can be suitable for older children, provided these snakes are obtained when small and handled often to keep them tame.

Hunger strikes
A couple of things will signal to you that your reptilian housemate is feeling out of sorts. Usually the first sign is that he will stop eating. Still, this doesn’t necessarily mean anything is wrong—snakes will stop taking food for a period of several weeks before they shed their skin. If your snake refuses food and, a week or so later, has a cloudy blue color (especially noticeable on the eyes) it means that he is soon going to shed his skin and is perfectly healthy.

If your little buddy hasn’t eaten for four weeks or more and isn’t getting ready to shed, then, before assuming the worst, be sure to look for an environmental cause. It’s possible that your snake is just too cold. A snake’s body activity varies with the temperature and if it is too cool, the snake will stop eating. Make sure the temperature is between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, dropping to between 70 and 75 degrees at night. His appetite should improve quickly.

Snakes will also refuse to eat if they are feeling exposed and vulnerable. This won’t be a problem if you give your friend a suitable hide box to feel secure in.
If your snake has suitable temperatures and a hide box and STILL won’t eat, it’s time for a trip to the vet. He may have intestinal parasites or worms.

One of the hardest parts of being a snake Pet Parent for many people to accept is the necessity of feeding. Corn snakes, like all snakes, are carnivorous predators. In the wild, the snake menu consists of mice and other small rodents, bird eggs, and nestling birds. Corn snakes that share their homes with humans can be kept healthy on a steady diet of whole mice. While dogs and cats are also carnivorous, their food has been so processed and prepared that it is no longer recognizable as the flesh of dead animals. Snakes, on the other hand, require their food to be in its natural unprocessed state. The feeding process for a snake, moreover, is neither delicate nor dainty. They have terrible table manners. While it would be much nicer (and easier) if snakes could eat hamburgers or pizza, they do not, and any potential snake Pet Parent must come to terms with the dietary requirements of his slithery friend.

Corn snakes, like most snakes, are constrictors. They kill their prey by seizing it with their jaws and quickly wrapping their body coils around it. Squeezing with their powerful muscles, the snake tightens its coils each time the prey animal tries to take a breathe, quickly suffocating it. Once the prey is dead, the snake will swallow it whole, beginning at the head. The snake’s jaws are not connected to the skull, which allows the mouth to open wide enough to swallow very large prey animals, up to three times the diameter of the snake’s body. This is the equivalent of you or I swallowing a beach-ball whole, without using our hands. After the snake has eaten, you will see a noticeable bulge in its body where the skin and muscle have stretched to accommodate the lump of food as it is digested.

Live food or pre-killed?
Despite what you may hear, snakes do not require live prey animals as food. Even though live food makes up the bulk of their prey in the wild, snakes will not pass up a free and easy meal if they happen upon it, and will happily gulp down carrion or dead prey animals if they find it.

Feeding live prey animals to your scaley friend is very dangerous. Mice have sharp teeth that they will use to fight for their lives, and are capable of biting, kicking and scratching. Any veterinarian will be able to tell you horror stories of snakes who have been bitten by mice and severely injured or killed. Don’t take the chance. Pre-killed food is much safer, and is just as complete, nutritionally, as live prey. It is also much cheaper to bulk-order pre-killed frozen mice and store them in the freezer. There are several suppliers of frozen rodents on the Internet and in pet magazines.

Most snakes will accept thawed prey that is simply dropped into the tank. Many times, your reptilian housemate will drag the food into his hide box where he can eat in privacy. Some snakes may be stubborn and refuse to take food that is not moving. Pet Parents of such a headstrong pet can deal with this by fooling the snake into thinking his food is alive. Simply use a pair of long tweezers or forceps to jiggle the thawed food near the snake’s head. Make sure you keep your fingers well clear—in his feeding excitement, your snake might mistake you for a very large mouse and try to bite you!

Ringing the dinner bell
The good news is that snakes do not need to eat very often. Most of the food energy that warm-blooded animals produce goes directly into maintaining their high body temperatures. Snakes, on the other hand, have no need to do this, since they use outside sources of heat to regulate their internal temperature. Because of this, snakes can get by on a surprisingly small amount of food. Adult corn snakes will thrive on one properly sized meal every two weeks (a “properly-sized” meal is one that is slightly smaller than the largest diameter of the snake’s body). Hatchling and sub-adult corn snakes are growing furiously and need a bit more food energy, so they are best fed every week.

If you go on vacation and can’t find any volunteers to feed your snake while you’re gone (a not unusual problem), don’t worry. With their low metabolism and reduced energy needs, snakes can go for shockingly long times without eating. A fast of two or three weeks is nothing to a healthy snake, and in extreme circumstances they can go months without eating, though this is very stressful. Just feed your friend a good-sized mouse before you leave, and he’ll barely miss you while you’re gone!

Handling your Corn (snake, that is!)
Nearly all of the corn snakes that are available from breeders and other adoption facilities have been captive bred and are used to human contact, being around humans all their lives. As a result, they do not view people as threats and do not usually need to be tamed. (Wild-caught snakes are a whole different ball of wax, though, and can be quite pugnacious and strike at anything within range—one of many reasons why a captive bred snake is always to be preferred over a wild-caught one.)

Most snake Pet Parents will want to interact and spend some “quality time” with their scaley little companion. This can be enjoyable and safe for both human and snake, provided that a few simple precautions are taken.

Snakes and small children
Snakes are rather delicate animals. Their thin ribs and long spine are prone to injury if they are handled roughly. Even the tamest of snakes can be provoked into biting if treated too rudely. Since toddlers and very young children cannot be trusted to be properly gentle with your snake, it is best that they not be allowed to hold or handle him. Allowing small children to see and touch snakes, though, is an excellent way to teach them that most snakes are not dangerous, they are not “slimy” or “icky,” and that people should not be afraid of them. If small children wish to interact with the snake, it is best for you to hold the snake securely and properly and then allow small children to touch and pet him (warning them not to touch or go near the snake’s head).

Picking your snake up
Snakes are predators, but they are also potential prey for many larger animals. Therefore, they have evolved methods of protecting themselves. The most effective way for snakes to avoid becoming lunch for other animals is to stay hidden—which is why your friend will spend most of his time curled up inside his hide box. When you reach in to take him out for some play-time, you are intruding into an area where he feels safe and secure. Even though a tame snake will know that you are not going to hurt him, his instinct for fear will still be there and he may react aggressively.

To make your snake feel comfortable interacting with you, there are a few simple procedures you should follow when handling him. Whenever reaching to pick up your snake, move slowly but deliberately. Quick grabs and sudden pounces are the actions of a predator. If you approach your snake in this manner, he is likely to think you are going to hurt him and may react defensively. Be cautions with snakes of all ages and sizes, as even a half-grown corn snake can bite hard enough to break skin and draw blood.

You should also try to approach your pet from as close to the ground as possible, sliding your hands under his belly to lift him up. Large looming shapes that approach from above will remind your little friend of a hawk or eagle—a snake’s deadliest predators—and may provoke a defensive bite.

Holding your snake
Snakes should always be held with both hands. This will help to support their weight and give them a sense of security. Never lift your snake by the head or neck, since this can cause severe injury. Even if tame, your snake may be a bit excited when first picked up, and he should be held in a way that prevents him from biting. One hand should grasp the neck, just tightly enough to prevent the head from turning and reaching you with his teeth, while the other hand should support the snake’s body weight about two-thirds along its length. If your snake becomes afraid or excited, he may void the contents of his anal glands on you, which is messy and smelly but not harmful. (Fortunately, tame snakes usually don’t resort to this unless they are extremely distressed.)

Once your snake settles down, he can be allowed to crawl and glide from hand to hand. He may decide to do a little exploring, and might try to crawl down the front of your shirt or up on top of your head (eyeglasses are a favorite spot for small snakes). If your little friend starts going someplace that he’s not supposed to, grasp him gently behind the neck and maneuver him in the direction you want him to go instead. Corn snakes tire very easily, and your buddy will intersperse active bouts of slithering with periods of quiet rest. Keep a close eye on him, though—snakes may appear to be slow-moving, but they are capable of outrunning a human for short distances and may easily get away from you and disappear behind the couch, down the heating duct, or out the window if you are not careful.

So remember, it’s great for you and your snake to enjoy a comfortable, close relationship made up of play-time…and even cuddling! Just be sure you take the necessary precautions to create an atmosphere of safety and happiness for all

Involved

A comfortable home for your Corny guy!
The corn snake is a brightly colored serpent that is native to the southeastern part of the United States. Corn snakes reach adult lengths of between four and five feet. The name comes from the resemblance of the snake’s belly to the Indian corn that can be found during Halloween.

Housing for a corn snake is not difficult or very expensive. With just a little effort, you can provide your reptilian friend with a comfortable home that will keep him happy and healthy throughout his life.

A home for your corn snake
The best home for a corn snake consists of an ordinary glass tropical fish aquarium. A twenty-gallon aquarium will provide sufficient room throughout your snake’s life, from baby to grownup. In the wild, corn snakes spend a lot of time climbing in trees, and the best homes will have a large area of vertical space for climbing. The “high” or “show” style of aquarium is better suited for these snakes than the “low.”

Your snake’s home will need a securely locking screen lid. All snakes are escape artists, and can wedge their way through the smallest of cracks or openings. Even if you provide your little friend with the most perfect snake apartment, he will still be occasionally struck with a natural wanderlust and a desire to roam, and if he manages to get out of his cage, you most likely will never see him again. The most secure lids are made from heavy mesh screen in a metal frame, held secure by metal clips and springs. These are available in sizes that fit all the common aquariums.

Heating
Corn snakes, like all reptiles, are “ectotherms”, which means they cannot produce their own body heat metabolically and are dependent upon outside heat sources to maintain their body temperature. This means that your snake’s home will need to be provided with a localized source of heat to keep him cozy and comfy. There are two equally good methods to do this. The first consists of using an incandescent reflector bulb to focus heat in a “basking spot.” Since you don’t want your snake to burn himself on a bare light bulb, this should be placed outside the tank on one corner of the screen lid. A flat pile of rocks or a tree branch should be placed directly below the basking lamp. The basking lamp thus provides a localized “hot spot” when your snake feels like sunbathing. The temperature directly under the basking lamp should be around 90 degrees, while the temperature at the cool end of the tank should be about 75 degrees. The snake will then be able to hang out and bask when he wants to, and move to a cooler area when he’s done.

Another option to provide heat is to use one of the commonly available undertank heaters. These are small flat pads that attach directly to the underside of the tank and are heated electrically. The heat diffuses through the floor to provide a localized hot spot.

The electric “heat rocks” or “sizzle stones” commonly seen in pet stores can present a potential hazard to your ophidian friend, and should not be used. Since snakes have few nerve endings in their bellies, they won’t be able to tell when the rock is getting too hot for them, and may not realize that their belly scales are being burned to a crisp.

Substrates
The snake’s home should be lined with a substrate to help keep the cage clean. The most functional substrate is ordinary newspaper. Simply line the bottom of the snake’s tank with three or four sheets of newspaper and replace when it is dirty. Some snake Pet Parents don’t like the rather “sterile” appearance of newspaper and prefer a more natural looking substrate. Suitable replacements include aspen wood chips or “Repti-Bark” fir nuggets. Wood shavings, such as those used for mice or hamsters, contain volatile oils and dust that are very irritating to your snake and should not be used. Aquarium gravel is not absorbent enough for use in a snake cage.

Hide Boxes
Your corn snake will also need a cozy retreat or hide box where he can feel safe and secure. Commercial plastic hide boxes are available that resemble natural rock caves. An ordinary shoe box with a hole cut in one side, just large enough for the snake to squeeze through, also serves as a hide box. This retreat need not be very large—snakes prefer to be able to coil up inside with their body touching all four walls at the same time.

Your corn snake loves to climb, and will happily clamber around any tree branches that you give him.

Water
Snakes must be provided with clean drinking water at all times. Corn snakes also enjoy a swim occasionally, and the water pan must therefore be large enough for the snake to submerge himself completely. Many snakes have the unfortunate habit of defecating in their water dish (they can’t be housebroken), so you will probably have to clean and refill the water dish often.

So remember, it’s up to you as your snake’s caring Pet Parent to provide him with a home he feels safe and comfortable with. Be sure you take this responsibility seriously…and create a wonderful environment for your pet snake he can call his own!