Corn Snake Advice.

[colbye12]

Ok. On thursday i bought a albino corn snake from Petco. The little Petco worker person told us that the snake was about 3 months old and for now a 10 gallon tank would be fine.So thats what we bought a kit. It came with 2 heat lights, cage, cage top, two claps, and a temperture/humity gauge. We bought aspen bedding, a water dish, and a rock hind. Also we bought three frozen pinkie mice. Is this ok? When will we need to upgrade to a larger cage? What do i do when it sheds?




Thanks, Colby

 

[TwistedSerpent]

Usually at about a year old is when you will need to upgrade, by all means though you can do it beforehand if you feel comfortable the little guy is going to do well (some babies are a lot more sensitive to larger enclosures then other and need a little more time maturing).

If your room temp is in the 70's you dont need heat on it, corns I've found actually prefer temps in the mid to upper 70's instead of the recommended 85 as the warm spot. You really dont want to keep it any warmer then that. If you want a nice viewing light go with the flourescent tube lighting as they emit very little heat. Most guages that come with those kits are crap, both the dial ones that stick to the side and the sticker ones. Theyre ususally rather innacurate and you dont need to be taking the temp by the glass a few inches up anyways. For cornsnakes its not a huge deal but its well worth the extra money to get a good digital indoor/outdoor thermometer with a probe that will let you take exact reading of where the snake actually is. Dont worry at all about humidity with corns rarely is it an issue. Their native range is so broad they are comfortable and adaptable to a huge array of climates. Because of that there should be no issues when it comes to shedding you shouldnt have to do a thing. If you notice its sticking or coming off in little pieces just put him in a very small container with a tiny bit of room temp water for a few minutes, sometimes they just need the little added moisture, even in the wild they have shedding problems now and then. If its a regular occurance or if you just want to be safe you can easily make a humid hide for it where it can go if it wants to be moist.


The biggest challenge with babies is getting them eating at first, or moreso its making them comfortable enough to want to eat. If they dont feel safe theyre not going to eat, and just about every cause to that is because their home is inadequate. Even a little 10 gallon is a huge space for a tiny baby who is on the menu for nearly everything larger then it. They prefer hides that touch every side of them, they love a lot of ground cover like branches and fake plants, and it is going to spend most of its time hiding and burrowed. Also a big thing is to just leave it alone until its had a few good meals, they have not recognised you as a non threat and see you as a predator so I always recommend not to mess with it until you know its comfortable enough and have eaten a few times for you.


Also, it is an absolute must that you be sure that lid is securely locked every single time. If you dont I guarentee you that snake will get out and with it being so small its very unlikely you'll be seeing it again. Its one of the most common mishaps that happens with baby snakes, if it can fit its nose through the rest of the body withh follow and it will search every inch looking for a way out.

 

[blueeyeddemon]

OMG!!! Thank you! I am very new to Albino Corn Snakes and I needed help! I just had bought it yesterday and I don't, yet, have the fake plants, a log to hide in/under, a bathing dish, or a climbing branch! I am in need of it all! :/