Corn Snakes
Housing
Most adult Corn Snakes will live comfortably in a 20-gallon tank provided that you let them out for exercise. Bigger is always better in this case though and a 30-gallon or larger would be very nice. The tank must have a locking screen top. This is very important. Most pet stores sell clips that lock the top down securely. Buying 4 clips will ensure that you won't be doing any "snake hunting" around the house. People will tell you to just stack books on top, but beware, snakes are escape artists that can wriggle through a very small hole.
Substrate
The substrate of a cage is the material that is on the bottom. There are appropriate and not so appropriate choices of substrate in corn snake housing. Cedar shavings are unacceptable as they cause respiratory problems in snakes. I personally do not recommend pine for the same reason, but others have used this substrate without any problems. Corn cob bedding (manufactured for use with birds) should not be used as a substrate because it causes excessive drying of dermal tissues and can cause serious intestinal blockage if swallowed. Acceptable substrates include reptile bark, butcher paper, paper towels and Astroturf.
Appropriate Heating
There are several choices for appropriate corn snake heating. Whatever choice of heating is used, it is very important to provide one area of the cage where the ambient (air) temperature is 80-85 degrees F. Corn snakes, like all reptiles, do not make their own body heat and rely on a behavioral mechanism called thermoregualtion to regulate their body temperature. Thermoregulation means that when a reptile is too cool, it moves to an area to warm itself, and when it is too hot, it moves to a cooler area. Access to warm areas are critically important to the health of your snake. Appropriate heating is required for proper digestion and the effective functioning of the immune system.
If the tank has a screen top, a shop light or metal reflector may be placed on top of the cage, to one side, with a heating bulb inside to create a basking area of 80-85 degrees F. Another method of heating is the use of quality undertank heating pads. Undertank heaters are plastic with one adhesive side. The adhesive side of the heater is used to attach it to the bottom of the outside of the tank, on one side of the cage. These heaters can only be used with certain types of cages, so check the directions before purchase. Hot rocks are not recommended for corn snake heating for several reasons.
Feeding
Corn snakes are rarely picky eaters if they have the proper heat and enclosure. One important aspect of feeding that is often overlooked is the addition of hiding areas to the cage. Corn snakes, like most snakes, like to feel secure in their environment. One way of providing for this need to is put hiding spots in the enclosure. Hiding spots can be made of anything, as long as the snake can completely fit inside the area and hide itself from view. Old cardboard boxes are good for this, but so are many of the commercially manufactured hiding spots available in pet stores. A hiding spot should be placed both on the warm end and the cool end of the cage, so that the animal can feel secure in any spot. Corn snakes kept without appropriate hiding areas become stressed and may refuse to eat.
Hatchling corn snakes begin eating pinky mice, and progress up to adult mice once they are mature. A good rule of thumb is to feed the snake a food item that is the same, or close to, the snake's diameter. Feed an item that is too large, and the snake will often regurgitate it. Snakes will also regurgitate if they do not have a warm area or if they are handled too soon after they eat. Corn snakes can be fed two times a week, but once is usually enough. Clean water should be available at all times, corn snakes drink often.
Water
Your Corn Snake is going to need a water dish filled with clean water at all times. It should be big enough for him to get his whole body into. Yes, they like to "take a bath" once in a while. Many times when your snake is going to shed he will take a dip in his water dish to help the skin come off. Unfortunately most snakes also like to relieve themselves while in water also. This is just a fact of life and you must be prepared to change the water frequently. Actually it makes cage cleanup very easy when they go in the water. I've had some snakes that go every time in their water and I've had others who never go near the water except to drink.
Shedding
As a reptile grows, its old skin become too tight and worn. A new skin awaits just below the old. As a snake gets ready to shed, its eyes will turn a milky blue over the course of several days, and the body color will start to dull and develop a whitish sheen. Once the eyes have cleared, the snake is ready to shed. To assure proper hydration, soak the snake in warmish water after the eyes clear; this should enable to snake to shed easily within the next 24 hours.
Most adult Corn Snakes will live comfortably in a 20-gallon tank provided that you let them out for exercise. Bigger is always better in this case though and a 30-gallon or larger would be very nice. The tank must have a locking screen top. This is very important. Most pet stores sell clips that lock the top down securely. Buying 4 clips will ensure that you won't be doing any "snake hunting" around the house. People will tell you to just stack books on top, but beware, snakes are escape artists that can wriggle through a very small hole.
Substrate
The substrate of a cage is the material that is on the bottom. There are appropriate and not so appropriate choices of substrate in corn snake housing. Cedar shavings are unacceptable as they cause respiratory problems in snakes. I personally do not recommend pine for the same reason, but others have used this substrate without any problems. Corn cob bedding (manufactured for use with birds) should not be used as a substrate because it causes excessive drying of dermal tissues and can cause serious intestinal blockage if swallowed. Acceptable substrates include reptile bark, butcher paper, paper towels and Astroturf.
Appropriate Heating
There are several choices for appropriate corn snake heating. Whatever choice of heating is used, it is very important to provide one area of the cage where the ambient (air) temperature is 80-85 degrees F. Corn snakes, like all reptiles, do not make their own body heat and rely on a behavioral mechanism called thermoregualtion to regulate their body temperature. Thermoregulation means that when a reptile is too cool, it moves to an area to warm itself, and when it is too hot, it moves to a cooler area. Access to warm areas are critically important to the health of your snake. Appropriate heating is required for proper digestion and the effective functioning of the immune system.
If the tank has a screen top, a shop light or metal reflector may be placed on top of the cage, to one side, with a heating bulb inside to create a basking area of 80-85 degrees F. Another method of heating is the use of quality undertank heating pads. Undertank heaters are plastic with one adhesive side. The adhesive side of the heater is used to attach it to the bottom of the outside of the tank, on one side of the cage. These heaters can only be used with certain types of cages, so check the directions before purchase. Hot rocks are not recommended for corn snake heating for several reasons.
Feeding
Corn snakes are rarely picky eaters if they have the proper heat and enclosure. One important aspect of feeding that is often overlooked is the addition of hiding areas to the cage. Corn snakes, like most snakes, like to feel secure in their environment. One way of providing for this need to is put hiding spots in the enclosure. Hiding spots can be made of anything, as long as the snake can completely fit inside the area and hide itself from view. Old cardboard boxes are good for this, but so are many of the commercially manufactured hiding spots available in pet stores. A hiding spot should be placed both on the warm end and the cool end of the cage, so that the animal can feel secure in any spot. Corn snakes kept without appropriate hiding areas become stressed and may refuse to eat.
Hatchling corn snakes begin eating pinky mice, and progress up to adult mice once they are mature. A good rule of thumb is to feed the snake a food item that is the same, or close to, the snake's diameter. Feed an item that is too large, and the snake will often regurgitate it. Snakes will also regurgitate if they do not have a warm area or if they are handled too soon after they eat. Corn snakes can be fed two times a week, but once is usually enough. Clean water should be available at all times, corn snakes drink often.
Water
Your Corn Snake is going to need a water dish filled with clean water at all times. It should be big enough for him to get his whole body into. Yes, they like to "take a bath" once in a while. Many times when your snake is going to shed he will take a dip in his water dish to help the skin come off. Unfortunately most snakes also like to relieve themselves while in water also. This is just a fact of life and you must be prepared to change the water frequently. Actually it makes cage cleanup very easy when they go in the water. I've had some snakes that go every time in their water and I've had others who never go near the water except to drink.
Shedding
As a reptile grows, its old skin become too tight and worn. A new skin awaits just below the old. As a snake gets ready to shed, its eyes will turn a milky blue over the course of several days, and the body color will start to dull and develop a whitish sheen. Once the eyes have cleared, the snake is ready to shed. To assure proper hydration, soak the snake in warmish water after the eyes clear; this should enable to snake to shed easily within the next 24 hours.