Corn Snake Care (Pantherophis guttatus guttatus)

Corn Snake Care (Pantherophis guttatus guttatus)

Corn snakes have become the most extensively produced snake in captivity, and for satisfactory reason. They are docile, suit well to captive conditions, and reasonably sized among other things. They are certainly a first-rate beginner snake, possibly the best. In the following few pages, I will retract you through the various factors of keeping corn snakes.

Housing

When keeping any snake as a pet, you generally want to be able to notion the snake from the outside of its enclosure, in the most natural surroundings you can offer. This will be more aesthetically delicate and also wait on in the general condition of the snake. If the snake likes its surroundings, it will have a better feeding response and generally grow quicker. A larger vivarium also offers more interest to the corn snake's life, and by adding branches and other natural products you will enhance the quality of life the snake has, and halt it from becoming lethargic and overweight. Also, being stronger it should have more of a resistance to any viral infections or any other problems that it may encounter later in life.

For an adult corn snake, a vivarium 90cm Length x 45cm Width x 45cm Height is colossal. Contrary to accepted thought, and propaganda spread by various campaigners, you can actually have too spacious of an enclosure for corn snakes. The reason for this, is that snakes are very prone to stress, and being in an excessively gigantic enclosure can horror them. Imagine in the wild they are constantly hiding from predators, then, when they feel it's generous in the sad of night, they will venture out to hunt for food. Once they accept their food, they will return to the safety of their catch hiding dwelling until the next time around. Some species will not even venture out for their prey; instead they will sit and wait for it to advance along. They may also leave their den for sloughing their skin or finding a mate at determined times of the year. Many individual snakes feel very comfortable in captivity, although this generally comes with age and lots of handling. Snakes like these will often thrive in a larger than usual enclosure.

Snake enclosures can be made from a number of materials. Most commonly stale is a melamine coated wood which covers all sides except the front, which has glass sliding doors. Aquariums can also be old, although a specialist lid should be bought or made rather than the unique aquarium lid. It is critical when thinking about what type of enclosure you employ, you reflect about these 6 'SSSHHH' factors:

1) Safety - Can the snake or owner harm itself from the enclosure or any appliances held within?

2) rep - Can the snake hasten through any itsy-bitsy hole or cavity?

3) Size - Will the enclosure be appropriately sized?

4) Heating - Is the enclosure able to regulate the temperature properly?

5) Humidity - Will the enclosure last well in humid conditions? Is there enough ventilation for the moisture to speed?

6) Hygienic - Will the enclosure effect up a lot of bacteria in cramped cavities? Is it easy to desirable?

By following the steps above, you can have a top-notch enclosure made from a variety of materials.

Decor

Décor in your tank serves two purposes. First being extra mask for your snake and second, allowing for a more natural and heavenly appearance. When choosing décor, contemplate about the safety of the snake. earn distinct that whatever you settle to employ, it is securely fixed and that no rocks, wood or anything heavy can tumble and possibly wound, or even waste the snake. You must also construct distinct that everything obsolete is parasite free. If anything has been picked up from outside, or has originally approach from outside, such as cork bark, you should either boil it, or space the item in the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 30 minutes. Freezing works for some parasites, however others have been known to survive months in freezing conditions. Some parasites found in English conditions last winters in minus temperatures, so it is not entirely effective.

Once all your décor is parasite free, it is then genuine to region inside your enclosure. As a general rule, if you can build pressure on an item to knock it down, an adult corn snake is also honorable of doing this. When positioning rocks or heavy objects, get obvious they are completely fetch. If it is serene uneasy, screw them or exercise superglue to fix them securely. If it is not possible, the rule is simple: Do not set the item in the vivarium!

If you choose to go for a grand enclosure, you must provide plenty of screen and hiding areas. A hiding dwelling can be anything from an ice cream tub with a hole gash out to a naturalistic share of cork bark. There are many brands of untrue plants and décor you can exhaust which is both satisfactory for the animal and fair to the glance. Cork bark is available from almost any reptile pet shop in the UK, and can be ordered in if they do not have it in stock. This is honorable veil for any reptile and is 100% natural. One thing you must think when thinking about the size of the vivarium, is the bigger you go, the more hiding areas you must provide. I recommend at least one hiding plot per foot in length of the enclosure.

NOTE: Never expend sticky tape in an enclosure; this is an accident waiting to happen. occupy me; removing sticky tape from any snake is no easy task!

Heating

Corn snakes require a thermal gradient, meaning they must be allowed to proceed around the enclosure to earn their required temperature. The hot extinguish of the enclosure should be 86-88ºF while the icy ruin should be approximately 74-76ºF. During the night, the temperature should plunge to a more constant overall temperature of 74-78º

In my conception, the ideal device of heating a corn snake enclosure is to exhaust a power plate. This is a petite thin square plate, about 25mm thick which is screwed into the top of the vivarium. It does not need to be protected, as there is no arrangement a snake can grip onto it. It is almost invisible to the seek as it simply sits on the ceiling of the vivarium. The only trace available in the UK is HabiStat Reptile Radiator; it is 75 Watts and is sufficient for any vivarium up to 4ft long and possibly larger. It produces no light and therefore in a vivarium you will need a fabricate of lighting as well. A power plate should be passe in conjunction with a HabiStat Pulse Proportional Thermostat, which will discontinuance the power reaching the power plate as soon as the temperature goes above the setting, and turn encourage on as soon as it is too frigid. This is one of the most fair thermostats on the market today.

Ceramic heaters, dwelling bulbs and heat mats are also ways of heating a vivarium. These all have their advantages and disadvantages, but in my view, none quite weight out to be as friendly as a power plate.

Lighting

Corn snakes are primarily nocturnal, meaning they venture out in the sunless of night. This is when their main predators are sleeping, and their prey is awake. This is not to say though, that they never peep the sun, or any manufacture of lighting for that matter.

Having artificial light in a vivarium is aesthetically aesthetic to the owner, and is a profitable addition to a corn snake's enclosure. They will employ this as a photo-period, and their regular time clock will generally adjust to the settings on which you have your light station to.

They do not require any produce of special lighting, such as a D3 Ultra-Violet light commonly aged for diurnal species. An Arcadia Natural Sunlight Fluorescent Lamp is a pleasurable acquire of lighting. This comes in lengths of 12" up to 48" and I suggest you utilize the largest size able to fit inside your vivarium.

Humidity

Corn Snakes are found in the South Eastern States of North America where the humidity can be fairly high. It is not significant to be famous over the humidity with this species, but a general 40-60% humidity range should be offered. This is more well-known when the snake is approaching its slough, at which time a higher humidity will abet it shed it's skin properly.

Feeding

Hatchlings should be offered pinky mice, and as they grow the mice should become larger. An adult corn snake should be fed on substantial size mice or exiguous weaner rats. Hatchlings should be fed on a regular basis, every 4-5 days is ideal. Their metabolic rate is very high and as they are growing, they need a lot more food to retain them going. Adult corn snakes need feeding once every 2 weeks on 2 colossal mice. The only exception when they should be fed more is bringing them out of hibernation, getting them into condition for breeding and then, fattening up females for egg production. An egg-laying female should be fed more often than normal, once a week on 2 vast mice.