My name is Cierra, and I'm currently a college student who has developed an interest in snakes after seeing just how precious a Kenyan Sand boa can be. Of the snakes I've looked into, I've definitely decided a corn snake should be apart of my life.
I've been doing a lot of research, and while some information seems pretty obvious, I've got a little bit more obscure questions about these things.

1) Substrate, the wide consensus is Aspen shavings.
-Where do you get Aspen shavings from​?
-Ive seen concerns about dust, is there a way to rid a bag of Aspen shavings of dust?
-How deep should the substrate be?

2) Age, most people seem to have young, young snakes. I definitely think that they are PRECIOUS.
-What age of corn is best for someone new to snakes?
-Where is the best place to get a first pet snake? Online sellers feel kind of like a temperament roll-of-the-dice,

3) Breeders,
-Are there certain things I should look for when looking into getting a snake from someone?
-Are there things to look out for?
(This is less urgent because it'll be a while before I will get a snake)

4) Viv set up/ gear (I'm personally leaning towards a glass terrarium, I like the look, and I do want to provide things to climb on and decoration)
-Ive seen a lot of "probe" thermometer suggestions, I'm not sure how this works or what these look like. Do you leave them in the tank? Or check at set times of the day?
-What size tank would be a good size for a corn snake? Is it better to vary size as the snake grows?
-How often do things need to be "disinfected"? And with what?


Any and all information would be super appreciated!
I want to be as prepared as possible!
Links to other threads where any of these questions are discussed would also be stellar. Navigating a new site is always awkward for me..

Thank you all for reading and sharing experiences/information!!
<3
-Cierra