Looking at corn snakes...best enclosure?

[MidLifeCalm]

HI!

I am graduating with a master's in school counseling. As a gift to myself, I am looking at getting a corn snake to have in my office next year as a therapy animal.

Our current BP is in an aquarium tank with all sorts of cheats/tricks to keep the heat and humidity up. I know corn snakes need a *little less of these things, but I would also like the snake home to look nice in my office *as well as* keep the snake super happy. What set-ups do you all use? Who have you ordered custom tanks through that you really like? I would like to purchase the tank so I can get it set up before I get the snake.

EDIT: Also, what is your favorite way to heat your snake?

Thanks in advance!

[Bogertophis]

I'm a glass tank fan, always will be. Corn snakes do just fine with good air flow & look great, especially with some climbing branches to "hang out in". If you find your
corn snake needs more humidity, just provide a humid hide with damp sphagnum moss inside.

I make my own screen tops, but you can buy them to fit, be sure you lock them with clips or something. For heat I use UTH, just in one corner, but that's in my home,
with suitable household temperatures. Corns do fine down to about 68-70* overnight , & 70-75* by day (ambient temperatures). The UTH should be no more than 86*
or they won't use it. IF your office isn't heated round the clock, you'll need to be on a different program with the help of a good thermostat. In the summer I don't use
a lot of A/C, so when my house is 80-82*, my corn snake's UTH is turned off. They're adaptable snakes as well as docile & beautiful- nice idea for a 'therapy animal'.

Of course, for those few phobic students, they might need therapy once they see your pet...? But with any luck, I hope you'll change some perceptions.

[MidLifeCalm]

I'm a glass tank fan, always will be. Corn snakes do just fine with good air flow & look great, especially with some climbing branches to "hang out in". If you find your
corn snake needs more humidity, just provide a humid hide with damp sphagnum moss inside.


Of course, for those few phobic students, they might need therapy once they see your pet...? But with any luck, I hope you'll change some perceptions.

I have done some research about using them, it is thankfully not unheard of so I can show data to my future boss in favor of it. I even tested out taking my daughter's BP to my internship school and had a rotating group of students joining me for lunch so they could see/touch the snake. Even a couple of kids who were afraid touched it. It was a super positive experience that even had my mentor thinking about getting a snake of her own :-D

[Bogertophis]

I have done some research about using them, it is thankfully not unheard of so I can show data to my future boss in favor of it. I even tested out taking my daughter's BP to my internship school and had a rotating group of students joining me for lunch so they could see/touch the snake. Even a couple of kids who were afraid touched it. It was a super positive experience that even had my mentor thinking about getting a snake of her own :-D

Actually, over my decades of keeping many snakes, I've enjoyed sharing them via lectures or informal "meet & greets", and I'll never get tired of changing minds.

I've seen so many adults stand way back & watch others (even their own kids!) touching & meeting my snakes up close, & eventually most of them come over find out their mind has changed too. They say things like "I NEVER imagined I'd ever touch a snake, much less enjoy HOLDING one!?" And they mean it. One of the funniest episodes was many years ago, I was asked to do a snake talk for a large group of kids in a summer camp. The man in charge told me confidentially that he hated snakes & not to be either surprised or insulted when his own son (in the group) would likely be the first to duck out. Turned out his son was in the first row & he couldn't wait to see a snake up close & touch one..."sorry dad"!

The main thing is to have snakes that are unafraid of people...I've never had one "misbehave"- they're so tolerant that I have to run interference so they are touched gently, & are never mishandled. You can't trust really young children not to squeeze, drop or even hit animals, so I've always stayed right "on top" of any handling allowed, but the only time one of my snakes was ever dropped was by an older teenager, which was really surprising. Happily my snake was fine, & with a dirty look, I told they group of teens they were "done". (the gal was just not paying attention, she didn't mean for it to happen, but...)

I'm delighted that you're doing this...do keep us updated?

[Nick_MD]

I'm a glass tank fan, always will be. Corn snakes do just fine with good air flow & look great, especially with some climbing branches to "hang out in". If you find your
corn snake needs more humidity, just provide a humid hide with damp sphagnum moss inside.

What size glass tanks do you use?

[Bogertophis]

What size glass tanks do you use?

A full grown corn snake does best in a 40 gal tank, though it wouldn't hurt to go even larger if you wanted to. When they're younger, they're fine in 20-30 gal. size.
These are common tank sizes too, so you can usually find ready-made screen tops to fit them, if you don't feel like making your own (like I do).

[Cheesenugget]

I recently purchased a 40 gallon breeder Exo Terra tank from Petsmart. It was on sale for about $200, which is not bad because this brand for this size goes at least $250-350. It also comes with a background for the tank. This is my first Exo Terra and so far I'm loving it.

In the alternative, they have their own brand Thrive 40 gallon breeder kit, which cost a little more because it is a kit. I'm not a fan for paying for things I will not use and it is cheaper to buy your own supplies, so if you think you will use everything in that kit, then it might be worth the money. I used to have the old All Living Things 40 gallon breeder (Also Petsmart brand). It was for on sale for $75-80. Worked great, but the mesh lid has to be locked and is not a slide in lid. So if you forget to lock the lid, the snake can escape.

Another option is the Zilla 32 something inch tank. Not necessarily a 40 gallon breeder, about a few inches off, it is not as expensive though. It has sliding lids instead of front opening which can be a pain if you are short and need to get in there to clean. I currently use their smaller 5.5, 10, 20 and 29 gallon long and they are great. The major complaint is the lid, if the mesh is ripped, you will have difficulty finding a replacement. As long as you take care not to place heavy items on the mesh, it will be fine. I use these tanks for my corns as well as my king and Children python.

Reptihabitat has a 40 gallon breeder too I think. This brand is usually found at expos and reptile specialty stores. I have the 75 gallon for my beardie, but once he passes from old age, it will go back to one of my colubrids. It is a front opening, sliding door type of tank.

If you can wait, Black Friday and Xmas will have some sales, especially for the Petsmart brand.