WC!! Need help and advice

[littleindiangirl]

Hey all, i'm totally new to colubrids... like a half an hour new. I was taking my beast of a ball, Maximus, outside for some pics, and i stopped in the middle of a stride just before i stepped on a baby corn snake! I had my hands full with snake and camera, so i called to my bf to grab it and he got it. And he's gorgeous!



There he is, and he's a whole whoppin' 4 grams!

anyways, reading the caresheets and all. But where do i start? Feeding pinkie mice is a must?? or can i feed it insects? What am i doing here?? ah! please help me!

[Reptilian]

Insects are a no no. Try day old pinky mice. If you plan on keeping him then you'll need a tub or tank to keep him in. (10 gallons are good for corns up to 18 months I believe). Warm side should be 88°F cool side should be 77°F. UTH heater attached to rheostat or thermostat. 2 hides each side. water dish. make sure the lid had a good lock or cage clips, if there is a small space they will escape. A tub make work best.

I'd wait a few days before feeding him. Let him settle down.

I suggest reading The Corn Snake Manual by Bill adn Kathy Love. It has everything you need to know in it

It's a cutie by the way.

[littleindiangirl]

yea, i got a few balls, and i was thinking of keeping him in the rack with them, but he would get out in a heartbeat. So here's the set up.

27qt tub
3" flexwatt running along one side
88 hot side
ambient room temp 72-75
newspaper (i use it for the balls)
small water dish
humidity 40-45%

[Reptilian]

sounds good. If you want to add a hide in there, you can use an empy toiletpaper tube. mine loved 'em when they were that small. They like to hid in tiny spaces.

[littleindiangirl]

awesome! Thanks a bunch, i'm pretty geeked up i found a corn snake in the wild like that. I've never even seen a corn until i went to a reptile show last winter. And i've lived here in mich my whole life.

[littleindiangirl]

what kinda color and pattern would you call it? i cant find any pictures that have such a contrast between the white and red.... I have no idea. Is it even a corn snake??!!

Here's a belly shot...



Also, do corn snakes rattle their tail at all? He was just rattling his against the side of the deli cup.

[fergie]

Hey all, i'm totally new to colubrids... like a half an hour new. I was taking my beast of a ball, Maximus, outside for some pics, and i stopped in the middle of a stride just before i stepped on a baby corn snake! I had my hands full with snake and camera, so i called to my bf to grab it and he got it. And he's gorgeous!



There he is, and he's a whole whoppin' 4 grams!

anyways, reading the caresheets and all. But where do i start? Feeding pinkie mice is a must?? or can i feed it insects? What am i doing here?? ah! please help me!

Nice little find you got yourself there. That little guy you found is an Eastern Milk snake but it is very similar to a corn. Basic husbandry requirements are roughly the same as a Corn though. Good luck with your find.

[littleindiangirl]

Yep, I JUST figured out it was a milk snake after doing a little more research, but ya beat me to it!!! Thanks a bunch!

[fergie]

No worries

[frankykeno]

I would change the substrate from newspaper to a nice thick layer of aspen. Corns, milks, etc. love to burrow and it makes them feel more secure and safe to be able to do so. The tail rattling is a defensive mechanism. I'd add in a couple of very small hides plus some fake vines, etc. Basically anything that gives the baby milk something to slither around, through and under for cover. Remember like all colubrids, this one will be an escape artist so a good lid with tight clips is a must. Sounds like you are off to find a pinky mice supplier LOL.