4 Tips For Caring For A Pet Corn Snake
Once you decide to have a snake for a pet when looking at reptiles for sale, opting for a corn snake is a great choice. Corn snakes are known for their beautiful, bright coloring, docile temperaments, and tendency to be low maintenance pets. While corn snakes are on the easy end of the pet ownership spectrum, there are still special care considerations you should take into account before you bring your snake home. Here are four tips for caring for a pet corn snake:
Choose the Right Enclosure
Corn snakes are on the smaller side, but once full grown can be around five feet long. You will want to get them an enclosure that has plenty of space for them to stretch out and move around, so count on buying an approximately 40 gallon tank. Corn snakes can be escape artists, so be sure to buy a tank that has a securely fitted lid they can't get out of.
Line the bottom of your corn snake's cage with shredded newspaper, pine chips, or even artificial grass, to give your snake a comfortable sleeping environment. Their cage should also include a water bowl and a food bowl.
Stick with Only One Snake
While some types of snakes are more sociable, corn snakes tend to be solitary creatures and are not comfortable sharing a cage or enclosure with another snake. In fact, when kept in the same cage, corn snakes will sometimes eat each other. f you were hoping to own multiple snakes, you may want to look into different breeds of snakes, or simply plan to always keep your corn snake in its own cage, even after you add more snakes to your household.
Give Your Corn Snake a Hiding Place
Corn snakes are happiest when they have a dark, hidden place to hide and rest. You can buy a specially designed hiding box at a snake supply store, or make one from a cardboard box. It should be just big enough for your snake to crawl inside, but close-fitting and cozy.
Feed and Water Your Snake
Corn snakes are typically fed mice, which you can purchase already dead and frozen at a snake supply store, for easy and mess-free feeding. Corn snakes also need access to plenty of clean, cold water, so plan on keeping up with filling and cleaning their water bowl once you bring your snake home.
By following these tips, you will help ensure that your pet corn snake is happy and healthy in his new home.