To get a corn snake or not to?

[prang11]

Well, I have never been a real snake fan but today I may have changed my ways. I was at my local pet shop getting the usual feed order for all my scorps when I saw a tank with like 20 three week old corn snakes in it. Immediatly I was drawn to the little guys. I am just not sure if it is something I am ready to get into. The price is $30 a peice which I think is a tad high but I have no problem paying a premium because the service at this shop is amazing.

Im basically wondering if this would be a good snake to start out with? They are 10-11" long at the moment and I was told they can get 5-6' long. How long would I be able to keep one in a 10 gallon tank? The lady at the pet store said a 10 gallon would work till they grow to about 2' long then after that I would want a 55 or 75 gallon tank. Do they really need all that space?

Sorry for all my rambling and questions. Any help you can offer would be great. I am going to start looking for care sheets now.

Thanks
Andrew

 

[Carole]

Hey there,

Corn snakes are great starter snakes. I think 6' is a bit much for a corn, but there are probably plenty of females out there that are that size. Males seem to stay closer to the 4' range. I would think for an adult you would want at least a 40 gal. long tank...corns are very active snakes, they'll appreciate any additional space you can give them. Check out these sites...

http://forums.kingsnake.com/forum.php?catid=70
http://www.corn-utopia.com/
http://www.cornsnakes.net/

Snakes are awesome pets, I don't think you'd regret it

 

[david31337]

Get one!! They are great stater snakes! They are so easy to look after, and unlike scorps and T's you can take them out eveyday(except after feedin) and interact. Think a 75g tank is big for a corn although it won't complain with all the space.
http://www.anapsid.org/corn.html --Good care sheet!

 

[prang11]

Is a corn snake a pet I can leave alone for a week or so when I go on vacation? I am away from my house for days on end usually and am not always around to be able to take care of the little guy. I have been reading that they have no problems surviving aslong as the temp is between 70-90 degrees. 75-85 seems to be the best heat range.

I need to think about this.
If I buy one am I going to get addicted to them like I am with scorps? I dont think I have room or cash for two addictions. :wall:

 

[YouLosePayUp]

Corns are nice and easy. The largest tank I had for 3 corns was 40 Gallons. 3 feet by 1 foot by 18 inches high. mind you mine werent quite full grown. I had anerythristic, amelanistic, and normal corn. The amounts of color choices are mind boggling for corn snakes.

Get one and Good Luck

 

[YouLosePayUp]

Is a corn snake a pet I can leave alone for a week or so when I go on vacation? I am away from my house for days on end usually and am not always around to be able to take care of the little guy. I have been reading that they have no problems surviving aslong as the temp is between 70-90 degrees. 75-85 seems to be the best heat range.

I need to think about this.
If I buy one am I going to get addicted to them like I am with scorps? I dont think I have room or cash for two addictions. :wall:

Just try to time your "weekly feeding" to your vacation schedule they dont need to eat more than once a week.

Cheers

 

[prang11]

So basicall aslong as they are warm, have water and eat once a week they dont need much else.

Sounds like a good pet for me

 

[YouLosePayUp]

You may get addicted but it will most likely be for other snakes, such as ball python, boas etc.

Is there a petaholics anonymous close by?? lol

 

[Madeline]

Get a Kenyan Sand Boa. They are about $50 and they are very docile. They only get about 3ft. long.

 

[Immortal_sin]

I am not a colubrid fan, but a corn snake is a fantastic beginner snake. They come in a wide range of colors/patterns too.
Another fantastic beginner snake is the rosy boa. Very hardy, can be kept very dry, and good eaters. Super docile too, and not nearly as active as a corn snake.

 

[prang11]

I would rather have an active pet. Been reading and it seems corn snakes are one of the best starter snakes.

I am going to vegas tommorow so if I come back with some winnings I will definatly be getting one of these guys.

 

[Cory Loomis]

Corn snakes have no disadvantages except the addiction part. You can keep multiple color morphs together but want to try to avoid unintentional hybridization. I'm down to nine snakes (from a high of 29), and my snow corn is one of my favorites. I do want to acquire both an Okeetee phase and a reverse Okeetee, (which I think is the prettiest of the albinos). I'd say go for it. When I go away for a couple of weeks, I have someone check water every other day and feed once a week. With water available, you could even skip the feeding.

 

[fluffy]

cornsnakes are by far the perfect pet snake for beginners
they feed well and tame down very easily and get to a manageable size of 4-5ft in length
other possibilities could be as said the sand or rosy boa or spotted/childrens pythons
lee

 

[Imegnixs_Cinder]

We have a corn snake (sorry no idea correct name for colour) but we have had him since he was about 10 inches long, that was 6 yrs ago and he is now about 5.5 foot long and dopey as can be and really active always wants to come out and play with you.
He is really easy to look after, we have him on wood bark with heat mat under one side of the 4 foot tank.
He has gone much much longer than a week without food and suffered no ill effects from it, so if you went away on holiday so long as someone can top up the water bowl it shouldnt really matter too much if they don't fancy the feeding part.
I think you should get one as they are brilliant pets, only be warned, they are excellent escape artists ours has gotten out twice.

 

[Bry]

Well, I have never been a real snake fan but today I may have changed my ways. I was at my local pet shop getting the usual feed order for all my scorps when I saw a tank with like 20 three week old corn snakes in it. Immediatly I was drawn to the little guys. I am just not sure if it is something I am ready to get into. The price is $30 a peice which I think is a tad high but I have no problem paying a premium because the service at this shop is amazing.

If you think $30 is a tad high...don't go shopping for ball python morphs, m'kay?

Seriously, for a first snake, you CANNOT go wrong with a corn snake. Unless of course, you have problems keeping a pet rock alive.

 

[Imegnixs_Cinder]

Does anyone please know what colour type this corn snake is? Im sorta curious after reading this thread.
Thanks

 

[david31337]

amel or possible a candy cane. Not to sure, although im sure somone will know.

 

[Psoulocybe]

it's neither amel or candy cane. Appears to be a nice normal or Okeetee.

Amelanistic is lacking dark pigments, and you can clearly see the black banding around the patterns, and candy cane is an albino variation which is primarlily red and white coloring.

 

[Imegnixs_Cinder]

Thanks
We generally just call him red (thats his name too lol)
Is there a decent site that has all the colours and names on it?

 

[david31337]

I think you are right the rings don't have a blank line round them. ops.
You can see most morphs here --
http://www.cornsnakes.net/gallery.php3?id=27
http://www.cornsnakes.net/gallery.php3?id=26
One of those, not sure which.