Some corn snake questions.

So, as some of you might know, I have recently graduated my ball python to her adult enclosure, leaving her baby bin and complete setup vacant. I have been wanting a corn snake for a while, and I had a few questions.

So the bin I have is 41qt volume, it is 18"x24" floor space, but only 8" high. I know this is not ideal, but would it be okay for a baby/juvenile corn for a while? If so, I already have heating elements, t-stats, water bowl, substrate, I would just need to pick up a couple hides.

Also, if any of you have any care sheets you like, can you link them? I am just at the beginning stages of research and of course there's always conflicting info out there, but i trust y'all, so just looking for a good jumping off point.

Yes, it's fine for a while, & hatchling corn snakes are so tiny, you're better off making your own hides...small clean cardboard boxes (cut a doorway), cardboard rolls from
paper towels, many things work. If cardboard, throw away & replace when soiled...easy!

I hope you know that corn snakes do NOT require the same temps. as BPs? Much lower...assuming your house is not cold, just heat (UTH) one corner (w/ hide) to mid-
80's MAX, rest of cage can be 70*-78*...they actually seem to prefer low to mid-70's most of the time. I currently keep 5 corns, oldest one is 21 years, & have bred quite
a few in the past.

You'll need pinkie mice, assuming you get a hatchling, & they'll be eating that size for quite a while. Corn snakes change color quite a bit from when they hatch, so go by
the breeder's pics of parents. (the snake's parents, not the breeder, lol)

Corn snakes are tiny, so that means they can escape thru tiny gaps and since they like to climb, make SURE your enclosure is SECURE. You do NOT want to
play hide & seek with a tiny corn snake, it won't likely end well.

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Originally Posted by Southpaw91

So, as some of you might know, I have recently graduated my ball python to her adult enclosure, leaving her baby bin and complete setup vacant. I have been wanting a corn snake for a while, and I had a few questions.

So the bin I have is 41qt volume, it is 18"x24" floor space, but only 8" high. I know this is not ideal, but would it be okay for a baby/juvenile corn for a while? If so, I already have heating elements, t-stats, water bowl, substrate, I would just need to pick up a couple hides.

Also, if any of you have any care sheets you like, can you link them? I am just at the beginning stages of research and of course there's always conflicting info out there, but i trust y'all, so just looking for a good jumping off point.

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I see no reason that enclosure wouldn't work for a corn. I'm a King guy, myself, but have kept corns and husbandry is very similar.

In my experience juveniles spend more time hidden and burrowing than climbing. So in my opinion that enclosure will be good.

I've been out of the corn game a while though, so I'll let others help you out with husbandry and such.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Corn snakes change color quite a bit from when they hatch, so go by
the breeder's pics of parents. (the snake's parents, not the breeder, lol)

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Thanks for clearing that up :rofl:

Thank you! yeah most of the research I have done so far shows 86 max for hot spot. I have uth already set up on this bin and a thermostat so no problems there. My apartment is cold in the winter months but this time of year the low is about 70*.

I still haven't decided if i'll take the plunge yet, as I am limited on space. It just pains me to have an empty enclosure! lol

I feel your pain...:D (and a low of 70* is just fine)

One more question, I know every snake is different, but on average, i am finding corn snakes take about 2 years to reach adult size. So i'm guessing if i set up a hatchling in there, they would be good for probably about a year before I would need to start preparing to upgrade to adult enclosure? Or do you think sooner? Just trying to work out logistics.

They start putting on more size (length) once they graduate from pinkies...I'd guess maybe 1.5 years in current set-up, though personally I prefer taller (glass tanks) for
good air-flow & room for them to climb...they're not terrestrial snakes & much more fun to watch when you furnish branches.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

They start putting on more size (length) once they graduate from pinkies...I'd guess maybe 1.5 years in current set-up, though personally I prefer taller (glass tanks) for
good air-flow & room for them to climb...they're not terrestrial snakes & much more fun to watch when you furnish branches.

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Thank you so much for all your help! Alright so we'll say 1-1.5 years worst case scenario but sooner the better lol. At what size do you usually upgrade your young'ns?

I'm going to go home and take some measurements and see what furniture I can move around haha. I want to make sure i have room for a 40gal breeder or something similar. then maybe i'll be off to morphmarket :D (only to look for now, I won't buy anything until i'm sure i'm ready)

This is definitely not the place to go if you want to get talked out of buying a reptile lol. At this point, getting a corn seems too reasonable to NOT do lol

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Originally Posted by Southpaw91

Thank you! yeah most of the research I have done so far shows 86 max for hot spot. I have uth already set up on this bin and a thermostat so no problems there. My apartment is cold in the winter months but this time of year the low is about 70*.

I still haven't decided if i'll take the plunge yet, as I am limited on space. It just pains me to have an empty enclosure! lol

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My two cents. I love corns. I have 2. Despite having 3 boas, a Carpet Python, and a ball python, I still love my corns. They come in every color imaginable and pattern too. They are docile and active and great eaters. They do start out very small, but grow fast.

More than 86F and my corns get antsy and uncomfortable.

Because of the cages (Boaphiles) I use and how well insulated they are I range from a 84-85F hot spot down to a 75-77F cool side.

Having said that, a corn will do fine with an 84F hot spot (they need over 82F to digest properly and quickly) and a cool side that's room temp. As long as they can get their body on the hot spot completely.

That bin will be fine even for a younger corn as long as you give enough hides.

If you are looking for a corn I highly recommend Don Soderberg at South Mountain Reptiles. I bought Solana, my scaleless corn from him. Great guy and great animals. I think his website is cornsnake.net, and he picks up the phone if you call and want to talk shop.

Good luck and let us know what you decide or if you have more questions.

Well I've worked it out, I will have to sacrifice some workspace, but I can squeeze in up to a 40gal tank or something with similar dimensions. So I probably will get a corn snake in the somewhat near future. I will have to make some minor modifications to Luna's old bin for security, the holes I have drilled for ventilation will need to be covered with screen but that's really all! It has six positive locks on the lid, so I'd be seriously impressed if anything managed to escape lol. After having a look around though, I've decided to wait a month or two until hatchling season so I will have more selection.

I think I want an okeetee, or maybe a ghost. A palmeto would be lovely but I dont really have the coin to drop on one. We'll see!

Thank you all for your help!!

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I love Okeetees, that's what I used to raise & what my 21 year old corn is. Something related that I've not had & really like...have you seen Abbott's? It's basically
an Okeetee with much bolder black borders. But there's so many beautiful corns, good luck choosing just one, haha!

BTW, it will be quite some time before your corn snake grows into a 40 gal.* but do spend your time making sure there are no tiny (4-5 mm) gaps in cage tops. Even if a snake cannot successfully get thru a small gap, some get fatally injured just trying...snakes do their best to "seriously impress" us even when it hurts them. :rolleyes: (*you might want to transition to a 20-30 gal. size first)

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I love Okeetees, that's what I used to raise & what my 21 year old corn is. Something related that I've not had & really like...have you seen Abbott's? It's basically
an Okeetee with much bolder black borders. But there's so many beautiful corns, good luck choosing just one, hahahahaha!

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I have heard of Abbott's but I am still learning the differences between all the morphs. I just love the deeeeeep red I've seen on many okeetee babies and the lovely little markings they have that look like sunny side up eggs lol. Do they typically maintain the dark red into adulthood? Or does it wash out a little?

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Originally Posted by Southpaw91

I have heard of Abbott's but I am still learning the differences between all the morphs. I just love the deeeeeep red I've seen on many okeetee babies and the lovely little markings they have that look like sunny side up eggs lol. Do they typically maintain the dark red into adulthood? Or does it wash out a little?

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They pretty much maintain that color. They just don't start out that way though...they look pretty drab & ordinary as hatchlings, but at least red comes in much faster than yellow. And you can just google-search "Abbott's corn snake photos"...;)

Corn snakes are generally docile, but unless you're as thin-skinned as a toddler, you can't feel the teeth of a young corn snake even IF they try to bite you...it's more like being pecked by a sunflower seed (that's the size of their head). :rofl: Long before you can feel their teeth, they'll outgrow defensiveness anyway. They make great pets...& as babies, I've had some that felt more (?) "secure" when fed by hand, literally while cuddled IN my hands. (I'm currently "hand-feeding" 2 of my Florida rat snakes that hatched out of unfertilized eggs last summer. The 3rd one is very defensive still, so she is drop-fed.)

But in any case, most corn or rat snakes feed quite well in their homes on f/t pinkies from tongs.

Oh wow! They get so orange!!

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Originally Posted by Southpaw91

Oh wow! They get so orange!!

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Of course, if it's really orange you want, take a look at Everglades rat snakes. But they do get bigger & are usually feistier than corn snakes...I'm just being a bad influence. ;) Can't help it, I enjoy corn & most all "rat" snakes. They're so much more fun to feed than BPs...+ more active & curious...they watch US.

Idk, Luna is pretty fun to feed lol she has a very strong feeding response, and sometimes you gotta watch your face when you open her door hahaha. I am pretty excited about getting a corn though. When I first was looking into getting a snake it was a coin toss between a bp and a corn, but I just fell in love with bp's little ':3' faces lol. Now I'm like, well looks like it's both! haha

I would love a hognose too, but unfortunately in Colorado, you're not allowed to breed, buy, sell, or ship them because they are a native species. Which doesn't make any sense to me but okay...

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Originally Posted by Southpaw91

Idk, Luna is pretty fun to feed lol she has a very strong feeding response, and sometimes you gotta watch your face when you open her door hahaha. I am pretty excited about getting a corn though. When I first was looking into getting a snake it was a coin toss between a bp and a corn, but I just fell in love with bp's little ':3' faces lol. Now I'm like, well looks like it's both! haha

I would love a hognose too, but unfortunately in Colorado, you're not allowed to breed, buy, sell, or ship them because they are a native species. Which doesn't make any sense to me but okay...

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Oh I know...the variety of snakes is very addicting. I've been at this (keeping snakes, breeding some, rescuing some) for literally decades, & I've had many kinds of snakes- they ALL have their own special appeal, & for me at least, it's not always about having the most "screaming" colors...I enjoy their personalities mostly.

FYI, years back I got a pair of hatchling hognose snakes from a breeder in So. Calif.- but I didn't have good luck with them...for no apparent reasons, each one passed suddenly after they seemed OK for months. Neither one made it over a year. Had a house-full of snakes at the time, & no issues with any other, so I think it's something they "came with", & since then I've learned there ARE problems with their health, so maybe I was "ahead of time" on that? I didn't have necropsies done, sorta wish I had. Anyway, don't feel too left out on hoggies...

BTW, how old is Luna? (I ask because when I had BPs, they didn't get 'fussy' until they were adults...about 4 years old.)

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Oh I know...the variety of snakes is very addicting. I've been at this (keeping snakes, breeding some, rescuing some) for literally decades, & I've had many kinds of snakes- they ALL have their own special appeal, & for me at least, it's not always about having the most "screaming" colors...I enjoy their personalities mostly.

FYI, years back I got a pair of hatchling hognose snakes from a breeder in So. Calif.- but I didn't have good luck with them...for no apparent reasons, each one passed suddenly after they seemed OK for months. Neither one made it over a year. Had a house-full of snakes at the time, & no issues with any other, so I think it's something they "came with", & since then I've learned there ARE problems with their health, so maybe I was "ahead of time" on that? I didn't have necropsies done, sorta wish I had. Anyway, don't feel too left out on hoggies...

BTW, how old is Luna? (I ask because when I had BPs, they didn't get 'fussy' until they were adults...about 4 years old.)

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Oh no! That's so sad. I'm sorry. Its always terrible losing an animal, especially if you weren't expecting it...

Luna is still young. About 9 months. I expect her to slow down in a few years but hopefully she remains a good eater for me. I'm hoping it's a good sign that neither of her parents ever refused any meals for her breeder, apart from breeding related fasts according to him. And he said all of his bamboos have been just really great about eating. so i'm hoping for the best, preparing for the worst. I'll still love her though, even if she does drive me crazy with fasting at some point lol. She's sweet as candy when handling and gives lots of boops when you hold her within reach of your face lol.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I hope you know that corn snakes do NOT require the same temps. as BPs? Much lower...assuming your house is not cold, just heat (UTH) one corner (w/ hide) to mid-
80's MAX, rest of cage can be 70*-78*...they actually seem to prefer low to mid-70's most of the time. I currently keep 5 corns, oldest one is 21 years, & have bred quite
a few in the past.

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Don't want to steer this thread off course... Quick question....

So my snake room stays warm up to 80*, The rest of the house stays 71* at the coolest to maybe mid 70's depending on outside weather

So If I move my Corn snake out into the main area he would be more comfortable out there with us?? It's easy enough to do, and there is room for him.

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Originally Posted by Gocntry

Don't want to steer this thread off course... Quick question....

So my snake room stays warm up to 80*, The rest of the house stays 71* at the coolest to maybe mid 70's depending on outside weather

So If I move my Corn snake out into the main area he would be more comfortable out there with us?? It's easy enough to do, and there is room for him.

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It's honestly a toss-up: If your corn moves to the 71* area, he needs part (not more than 20% & possibly less) of his home heated to 85* by UTH (-preferably). If he stays where he is at "up to 80*" you can leave his heat OFF, except maybe offer it after meals & see if he uses it, or if this is an adult corn snake (that uses branches) you might try an overhead light (dimmed!) for a few hours of basking time per day, as needed for digestion. Either way, watch what he's doing: if he's too warm, he'll be in or around his water bowl much of the time...so take a hint about what's most comfortable for him by what he shows you. Of course, "up to 80*" might mean 77*, so he still might need a bit more heat to digest. Compared to my house in summer, it's not below 80* for at least a month or more...but I wouldn't expect that to be optimal for ALL year, does that make sense?

Corns are pretty flexible...my home is set to 70* (heat) in winter, & in the summer, my A/C is set to 80-82*...at that time most of my snakes' heat is OFF, for maybe a month or so. (with some exceptions- but certainly for my corn snakes) And btw, I've never had a corn snake with an R.I. ;)

That's a good question & not off-topic at all. Living with snakes is just about making it work for you & yours. Between the 2 options, if your temperatures are
as described all year, I'd move him out of the snake room, to where he has more temperature choices.

Not off-topic at all! Definitely keep the questions coming! There's always things you dont think of when researching a new species to keep!

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

It's honestly a toss-up: If your corn moves to the 71* area, he needs part (not more than 20% & possibly less) of his home heated to 85* by UTH (-preferably). If he stays where he is at "up to 80*" you can leave his heat OFF, except maybe offer it after meals & see if he uses it, or if this is an adult corn snake (that uses branches) you might try an overhead light (dimmed!) for a few hours of basking time per day, as needed for digestion. Either way, watch what he's doing: if he's too warm, he'll be in or around his water bowl much of the time...so take a hint about what's most comfortable for him by what he shows you. Of course, "up to 80*" might mean 77*, so he still might need a bit more heat to digest. Compared to my house in summer, it's not below 80* for at least a month or more...but I wouldn't expect that to be optimal for ALL year, does that make sense?

Corns are pretty flexible...my home is set to 70* (heat) in winter, & in the summer, my A/C is set to 80-82*...at that time most of my snakes' heat is OFF, for maybe a month or so. (with some exceptions- but certainly for my corn snakes) And btw, I've never had a corn snake with an R.I. ;)

That's a good question & not off-topic at all. Living with snakes is just about making it work for you & yours. Between the 2 options, if your temperatures are
as described all year, I'd move him out of the snake room, to where he has more temperature choices.

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Adult corn in a 36x18x18 Exo-Terra front opening for now. (still working on AP cages with radiant panels for all snakes)

The house ambient temp is 71* winter / 78* Summer , he has a UTH (an ultra therm controlled by a herpstat).

So looks like he would be comfortable out in the main room year round with out issues

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Originally Posted by Gocntry

Adult corn in a 36x18x18 Exo-Terra front opening for now. (still working on AP cages with radiant panels for all snakes)

The house ambient temp is 71* winter / 78* Summer , he has a UTH (an ultra therm controlled by a herpstat).

So looks like he would be comfortable out in the main room year round with out issues

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That's my take on it too. Snakes evolved making temperature choices, so keeping them at one temp. that's on the warm side "long-term" is probably not the best for their health- IMO. Most of the time I see my corn snakes preferring to use no heat, just the cooler room temps that are ambient temps in their homes too. In fact I've read it's no problem even if the temps drop to mid-upper 60's overnight, but mine never do anyway...I just know some ppl like to lower the heat @ night, & as long as your corn snakes have a heat option (warm hide), I wouldn't expect them to refuse food or become ill. They're wonderfully-adaptable pets. :love:

One thing: if your corn snake is young, it's best to use UTH, as they need to hide...but as they become adults, if you want to use any type of over-head heat instead, they'll have to adapt (be bold enough) to use that (assuming the enclosure is tall enough for them to have branches?), & what you could do is attach
a woven basket (or similar thing for them to use as a hide) to the branches so it's closer to the warmth (which rises & doesn't effectively reach the cage floor
so well). Many of my rat snakes appear to LOVE sleeping in their baskets, & they have a choice between that or a hide over a UTH. It's just something I've
noticed...they enjoy "tree houses" and it's really cute to watch. :D

This thread is giving me so many ideas!

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