THE BASIC CARE OF CORNSNAKES


Common Names: Cornsnake, Red Ratsnake
Latin Name: Pantherophis guttatus
Origin: North America
Average Adult Size: 3-5 foot
Day Time Temperature: 28C
Night Time Temperature: 20C
Food Requirements: Rodents, Hatchlings feed every 3-5 days. Adults Weekly.
Experience: Novice


Introduction
The cornsnake must be the singularly most popular kept/bred snake in the herpetcultural world. Its popularity is down to it's ease of keeping and breeding and the array of colour and patterns available.

Housing
Hatchling corns should be kept in a small enclosure with adequate ventilation, Kitchen roll is the best choice of substrate. Fresh drinking water should be made available at all times and a small hide should be included in the setup to make the snake feel secure.
Adult snakes can be housed in wooden vivaria, with a wood chip substrate, again make sure that fresh water is available at all times and the snake has hides at both the hot end and cooler ends of the vivarium. The vivarium can be decorated with climbing branches and plastic plants.

Heating
Heat is an important element in the success of keeping snakes alive and healthy. A thermal gradient should be offered with the hot end being 28C the cooler being 26C for the daytime. Night temperatures can drop to 20C at the cooler end. What ever form of heating you use be it bulb or heat mat or a combination of both, make sure you use a reliable thermostat to control the temperature.

Feeding
Cornsnakes will thrive on a diet of rodents, eg: mice & rats.
Hatchling corns can be fed on pinkie mice every three to five days, by the time they are a year old they would normally be taking fuzzie or small mice. Adult cornsnakes eg: 3 foot plus will do well maintained on a diet of adult mice, larger specimens may also take weaner rats, on a weekly basis.

Hibernation
To hibernate a snake for the winter, make sure it has had no food for two weeks and that the temperature is normal during this time allowing the snake to fully digest it's last meal and empty it's guts. After this the temperature should be lowered gradually over a few weeks until its 55-60 degree F . The snake should not be fed during this period but fresh drinking water should be available at all times. After 10-12 weeks the snake can gradually be warmed up over a two week period and can then be offered food again.

Breeding
After hibernation and the females post hibernation shed they can be introduced to one another, males will sometimes not eat at this time being more interested in breeding than eating. Once several copulations have been witnessed or the female looks fatter mid body they should be separated. The female should be given a laying box. A plastic container big enough for her to coil loosely in it filled with damp sphagnum moss. Expect her to lay her eggs from 5-14 days after she has shed. The eggs when they are laid should be removed to another container two thirds filled with damp vermiculite ( when a handful is squeezed in the palm of the hand only a small amount of water should be produced. ). Do not rotate the eggs, and don't unnecessarily handle them. The box should have a fitted lid, and the humidity inside should be 100%, some condensation will form on the lid if this is too much and is dripping on the eggs, the vermiculite is too wet and a little dry should be sprinkled over the surface to take up the moisture. The eggs should be checked weekly removing the lid will give a good exchange of air. The Eggs should be incubated at 80-83 degrees F, expect them to hatch after 58-66 days.

Recommended Books:
The Corn Snake Manual by Bill & Kathy Love