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13-03-2008, 03:36 AM
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Corn Snake Query
How to start... Well, it goes like this...
I'm going to buy a pet Corn Snake. Preferably a young anerythristic one for preference, but this is besides the point... I've been doing a lot of reading about corn snakes, care, reptiles in general, that sort of thing. But I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I hate doing anything without knowing EXACTLY what I'm doing, so I wanted to make a list of everything I'd need to give a cute little corny a nice cosy niché in the world. And, well, I was wondering if someone more experienced (i.e 99.9% of the people here) could have a look at my list and tell me if it works or not? Here it goes; --- One vivarium - I had my eyes on an Exo Terra glass terrarium, but I'm wondering what the biggest size is that a Corn would feel comfortable in. Personally I'd rather just get a bigger one, but it's always good to ask if there's a maximum size. One RUB, tub, plastic terrarium, whatever you wanna call it - For a hatchling to call home, and somewhere to keep the snake while I'm cleaning the full vivarium in later years. I've heard multiple times that young corn snakes are afraid of larger spaces, but how big do they need to get before they're likely to be comfortable in a larger living space? A heating mat - I was planning on using my awesome powers of logic to pick one of these based on the recommended size for the vivarium, seeing as it needs to cover half of the vivarium's floor. A thermostat - To stop my heat mat from cooking my poor little animal! A thermometer - Can pick up a good digital one fairly easily. Substrate - Which kind I've yet to decide, and am open to suggestions. At least two hides - Exo Terra has a selection I was looking at, and at least two because one needs to be put in the warm side and one in the cooler side, so that the snake can be comfortable no matter his temperature needs. Water dish - Which I should NOT fill with tap water, and should put in the COOL side of the vivarium. I can pick up filtered or otherwise snake-safe water without much trouble. Something to climb on - Which I can pick up from the local pet store. General aesthetic decor - To make everything look nice and provide my snake with plenty of places to hide. Food - To uh. Feed my snake. --- Okay, I don't think I've missed anything glaringly obvious. Other things I was wondering are temperatures people who actually OWN corn snakes would recommend, because finding random numbers on the internet doesn't work for me XD Do corn snakes require any specific humidities to get on well? I was planning on making a damp hide, one full of... Spag... Spag something. Moss. To aid with shedding and just in case the snake feels like a damp place to lurk. Oh yeah, and one last thing - Is it crucial to control the temperature of the cool side well? Because I thought the snake could make up it's own mind whether it wants to be on the cool side or the warm side and regulate it's own temperature as long as it has somewhere to get heat from. Thanks in advance for answers, and argh sorry wall of teeext.  
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 This thing! It goes bounce! *Watches at rapt attention*
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13-03-2008, 03:47 AM
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Looks like u got everything covered. substrate i would suggest aspen, use it meself and both corns love burrowing in it and helps with covering smells, absorbing urine and shedd also. allthough newspaper and kitchen roll are very cheap but still useful. + i would recommend exo terra snake cave (size dependent on snake) comes with free moss that can be damped to provide humidity which helps with shed. (i warn u they get a bit grumpy when they in there and u try take them out :P well mine do) or u can just grab some cork bark or general drift wood from stores which works nicely.
Oh and water can be tap it doesnt really matter, i think thats just preferance? hope this helps Daz
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13-03-2008, 07:25 AM
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as per last reply, however as for cool side that will regulate itself so no concerns there. Viv size is crucial as corns like to feel secure and to big can cause stress. We generally look at something in length just over half the length of the snake, we have a 4ft okettee that lives in a viv 3.5ft by 2 ft but keep the height down ours are 2.5 ft. This seems to work well for ours. As for moving vivs wait till they are about a year old then try a viv and if they are comfortable then great but if they seem stressed then add a few decorative items that make the interior of the viv seem smaller.
Water wise depends on where you live, so long as its not to hard or to highly chlorinated then tap water is fine. Make sure the water bowl is big enough that the snake can curl up in completely. They do and love to submerge there body completely They dont need much humidity except in the moss cave to aid shedding and temps are and here there is always differences of opinion but we work on an average of about 28 degrees. Aspen is a great substrate.
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13-03-2008, 09:20 AM
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another bedding is (auboise) hemp bedding you can get it from equestrian suppliers. i just got a quote for £7.77 for 20kg of the stuff thats compaired to £15 for 13.5kg of aspen
temp wise i keep my heat mats at a constant 85 degrees f and my corns seem fine with it
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13-03-2008, 10:09 AM
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I think you are worrying too much, corns are brilliant snakes for beginners and are hardy so won't come to any harm if you're not 100% on the basics.
You seem to have everything sorted so go get that corn baby! You'll learn a lot more about them once he/she is with you and you can adapt your care plan to suit both your and your snakes preferences. Do it! You know you want to 
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 1 x Royal Python: Evra 1 x Mexican Black King: Nagini 2 x Corns: Cyd & Cornelius 1 x Ghost Corn: Casper 1 x Reverse Okee: Jalosepeade 1 x Western Hognose: Wilbur 2 x Egyptian Toads: Cliff & Richard 11 X Fishies 
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13-03-2008, 01:22 PM
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I agree with Kazerella try not to get to worryed corn's are great snakes and easy to keep
Good luck and enjoy !
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13-03-2008, 04:44 PM
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sounds good, but i personally would use a wooden viv, as it holds heat better, and isn't so exposed so would make the corn feel more at home,
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New online rep shop opening within the next few months, (food, dry goods, and livestock). around 360 various reptiles
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