Corn Snake Care Sheet
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This page has been included in my site simply as a source of basic information for
those people who have minimal or no experience in keeping corn snakes. For more,
in-depth information about corn snakes and their care, Kathy Love's The Corn
Snake Manual and/or her 2005 up-dated edition, Corn Snakes The Comprehensive
directly from Kathy by visiting her website (www.corn-utopia.com). Another
Cornsnake Forum. A link to this site has been provided on my Home page.
General Information
The corn snake, Pantherophis guttata (formerly called Elaphe guttata guttata), is a
perfect snake for the beginner as well as a favorite of the experienced
herpetoculturist. They are extremely attractive, available in a wide variety of colors
and patterns. Corn snakes are known for their excellent dispositions, even in wild
caught specimens. They are easy to keep in captivity due to their moderate size,
willingness to eat easily obtained food items, relative ease of reproduction in
captivity, and minimal health problems.
Corn snakes generally reach maturity during their second to third year. Hatchlings
are 8 - 15 inches in total length. Adults generally range from 2 1/2 to 5 feet in total
length. In captivity, corn snakes can live to 15 - 18 years, with a recorded
maximum of 21 years. Heavy breeding of females will shorten their life span.
Corn snakes are constrictors and, in captivity, can be fed a diet consisting entirely
of domestic mice and rats of a size appropriate to the size of the snake. A good rule
of thumb is to feed mice that are as wide, to 1 1/2 times as wide, as the width of the
snake.
Sexing
Hatchlings can be fairly easily sexed by everting the two hemipenes of males. This
is accomplished by applying modest pressure with your thumb in a downward and
forward motion to the underside base of the tail of the snake. If performed
correctly, the two hemipenes of a male will appear while failure to evert the
hemipenes will indicate a female. Errors can be made with this method and falsely
sex a male as a female. Juveniles to adults may be sexed by viewing the underside
of the tails. Females' tails usually taper immediately after the vent while males'
tails remain fairly thick until well past the vent. This method, however, is not
100% accurate. Corn snakes of all sizes can be sexed by using a blunt probe of an
appropriate size. The probe is carefully inserted through the vent into the base of
the tail. If the snake is a female, the probe can only be inserted the length of about
2 - 4 caudal (tail) scales. If the snake is a male and the probe enters one of the
inverted hemipenes, the probe can be inserted the length of about 6 or more caudal
scales. Care should be used when sexing a snake with a probe as injury may result
if performed incorrectly. Errors in sexing may also occur if the width of the probe
is too wide to enter the hemipenes of a male, falsely sexing it as a female.
Habitat
A very important rule to remember when building or buying a habitat for your corn
snake is to make sure that it is escape proof, especially if your snake is a hatchling.
Corn snakes are fairly slender, have a good climbing ability, and are almost equal
to Houdini in their escaping abilities. Many pet stores carry habitats suitable to
house snakes or a habitat can be ordered through numerous advertisements found
in reptile magazines.
Besides a secure container, a corn snake habitat will require a daily fresh water
supply (a simple bowl will suffice), a shelter (either commercially produced or any
appropriately sized box or container, such as a milk carton or tupperware, with a
hole cut in it), substrate to line the habitat (such as newspaper, aspen chips or
commercially prepared reptile substrates - NEVER use cedar chips as they are toxic
to snakes, and be cautious using pine shavings as several sources now say that it is
also mildly toxic to snakes), and a heat source at one end (a heating pad set on low
or a commercial reptile heat strip is good - heating lamps work fairly well but corn
snakes are less likely to bask than other snakes - "hot rocks" should be avoided
since they may burn a snake that stays on them too long). A good temperature
range for adult corn snakes is between 75 - 85F (25 - 30C). Hatchlings corn snakes
prefer it slightly warmer - between 80 - 90F (27 - 32C). Temperatures too low are
undesirable and too high can kill. Corn snakes should have access to the upper and
lower temperature ranges so that they may cool or heat themselves as needed.
Feeding
Corn snakes can be fed an exclusive diet of domestic mice and rats with no
supplementation necessary. Corn snakes housed together should be fed separately
to prevent injuries should two snakes seize the same mouse. Adult snakes are
generally fed once a week while hatchlings are fed every four to five days to obtain
maximum growth rate. Hatchlings fed less frequently will be healthy, but growth
will be slower. Adult corns snakes may occasionally go 2 - 3 weeks without being
fed, but this should be strictly occasionally unless the snakes are being brumated.
Corn snakes should be fed pre-stunned, pre-killed or frozen and thawed mice as
older live prey, if not eaten immediately, may bite and injure a snake. Newborn
pinky mice and rats and very young mice and rats can safely be fed live, and may
be necessary to feed young hatchling corn snakes that are problem feeders or older
snakes that have gone off their food. Should you have a problem feeder, hatchling
or adult, there are numerous reference sources available to help you or consult an
experienced herpetoculturist.
Health Care
Many health problems occurring today in captive-bred and captive-raised snakes
can be attributed to improper environmental conditions. If housed and cared for
correctly, a corn snake should live a long, healthy life. Should any health problems
arise, contact a reptile veterinarian for proper treatment.
those people who have minimal or no experience in keeping corn snakes. For more,
in-depth information about corn snakes and their care, Kathy Love's The Corn
Snake Manual and/or her 2005 up-dated edition, Corn Snakes The Comprehensive
directly from Kathy by visiting her website (www.corn-utopia.com). Another
Cornsnake Forum. A link to this site has been provided on my Home page.
General Information
The corn snake, Pantherophis guttata (formerly called Elaphe guttata guttata), is a
perfect snake for the beginner as well as a favorite of the experienced
herpetoculturist. They are extremely attractive, available in a wide variety of colors
and patterns. Corn snakes are known for their excellent dispositions, even in wild
caught specimens. They are easy to keep in captivity due to their moderate size,
willingness to eat easily obtained food items, relative ease of reproduction in
captivity, and minimal health problems.
Corn snakes generally reach maturity during their second to third year. Hatchlings
are 8 - 15 inches in total length. Adults generally range from 2 1/2 to 5 feet in total
length. In captivity, corn snakes can live to 15 - 18 years, with a recorded
maximum of 21 years. Heavy breeding of females will shorten their life span.
Corn snakes are constrictors and, in captivity, can be fed a diet consisting entirely
of domestic mice and rats of a size appropriate to the size of the snake. A good rule
of thumb is to feed mice that are as wide, to 1 1/2 times as wide, as the width of the
snake.
Sexing
Hatchlings can be fairly easily sexed by everting the two hemipenes of males. This
is accomplished by applying modest pressure with your thumb in a downward and
forward motion to the underside base of the tail of the snake. If performed
correctly, the two hemipenes of a male will appear while failure to evert the
hemipenes will indicate a female. Errors can be made with this method and falsely
sex a male as a female. Juveniles to adults may be sexed by viewing the underside
of the tails. Females' tails usually taper immediately after the vent while males'
tails remain fairly thick until well past the vent. This method, however, is not
100% accurate. Corn snakes of all sizes can be sexed by using a blunt probe of an
appropriate size. The probe is carefully inserted through the vent into the base of
the tail. If the snake is a female, the probe can only be inserted the length of about
2 - 4 caudal (tail) scales. If the snake is a male and the probe enters one of the
inverted hemipenes, the probe can be inserted the length of about 6 or more caudal
scales. Care should be used when sexing a snake with a probe as injury may result
if performed incorrectly. Errors in sexing may also occur if the width of the probe
is too wide to enter the hemipenes of a male, falsely sexing it as a female.
Habitat
A very important rule to remember when building or buying a habitat for your corn
snake is to make sure that it is escape proof, especially if your snake is a hatchling.
Corn snakes are fairly slender, have a good climbing ability, and are almost equal
to Houdini in their escaping abilities. Many pet stores carry habitats suitable to
house snakes or a habitat can be ordered through numerous advertisements found
in reptile magazines.
Besides a secure container, a corn snake habitat will require a daily fresh water
supply (a simple bowl will suffice), a shelter (either commercially produced or any
appropriately sized box or container, such as a milk carton or tupperware, with a
hole cut in it), substrate to line the habitat (such as newspaper, aspen chips or
commercially prepared reptile substrates - NEVER use cedar chips as they are toxic
to snakes, and be cautious using pine shavings as several sources now say that it is
also mildly toxic to snakes), and a heat source at one end (a heating pad set on low
or a commercial reptile heat strip is good - heating lamps work fairly well but corn
snakes are less likely to bask than other snakes - "hot rocks" should be avoided
since they may burn a snake that stays on them too long). A good temperature
range for adult corn snakes is between 75 - 85F (25 - 30C). Hatchlings corn snakes
prefer it slightly warmer - between 80 - 90F (27 - 32C). Temperatures too low are
undesirable and too high can kill. Corn snakes should have access to the upper and
lower temperature ranges so that they may cool or heat themselves as needed.
Feeding
Corn snakes can be fed an exclusive diet of domestic mice and rats with no
supplementation necessary. Corn snakes housed together should be fed separately
to prevent injuries should two snakes seize the same mouse. Adult snakes are
generally fed once a week while hatchlings are fed every four to five days to obtain
maximum growth rate. Hatchlings fed less frequently will be healthy, but growth
will be slower. Adult corns snakes may occasionally go 2 - 3 weeks without being
fed, but this should be strictly occasionally unless the snakes are being brumated.
Corn snakes should be fed pre-stunned, pre-killed or frozen and thawed mice as
older live prey, if not eaten immediately, may bite and injure a snake. Newborn
pinky mice and rats and very young mice and rats can safely be fed live, and may
be necessary to feed young hatchling corn snakes that are problem feeders or older
snakes that have gone off their food. Should you have a problem feeder, hatchling
or adult, there are numerous reference sources available to help you or consult an
experienced herpetoculturist.
Health Care
Many health problems occurring today in captive-bred and captive-raised snakes
can be attributed to improper environmental conditions. If housed and cared for
correctly, a corn snake should live a long, healthy life. Should any health problems
arise, contact a reptile veterinarian for proper treatment.
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