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CARE SHEET - CORN SNAKE (Pantherophis guttatus)
The Corn Snake is recommended as a good choice of snake for the beginner due to its size, temperament and ease of care. They tend to be easy to handle.
DISTRIBUTION
Corn Snakes are found in the southeastern United States. They range from North Carolina, south to the Florida Keys and west to the Mississippi.
DESCRIPTION
It is a slender snake with a long prehensile tail. A normally coloured Corn Snake has black-edged reddish brown saddles down its length on a tan background. There are smaller spots on the flanks. There is normally an arrow shaped pattern on the head. Their underside has a white and black checked pattern. The colours are highly variable and Corn snakes are now available in dozens of colour forms. The most common variations are the amelanistic (no black pigment) and the anerythristic (no red pigment). It is an active nocturnal snake, which frequents a variety of habitats, and is often found in or around human dwellings in its area of origin.
SIZE
As a hatchling, Corn Snakes normally measure 20 - 28 cm. Typical individuals range from 1 - 1.5 m. The largest recorded size for a Corn Snake is just under 2 m.
HOUSING
Adult Corn Snakes will need a vivarium of at least 75 x 50 x 50 cm (although a larger space will definitely be appreciated by your animal. Corn snakes can be described as the Houdini of the snake world, so be absolutely certain that the cage is escape-proof. There are a variety of substrates suitable. Wood chippings (not Cedar as these can be toxic to your snake), Carefresh (paper based), newspaper, or natural wood cat litter are all absorbent and easy to maintain. For hygiene reasons remove waste matter as soon as practicable this will also ensure that there are no unpleasant odours from your vivarium. The entire substrate should be replaced every month or so. The Vivarium should be heated with a hot spot at one end of 25 - 30°C (80 - 90°F). The heat source should be positioned at the extreme end of the cage, allowing for a thermal gradient between the two ends. Hide boxes on both the warm and cool ends should be available to allow your Corn Snakes to hide away. Climbing branches, although not necessary, will be appreciated. Artificial and UV light are not required although basking lights can be effective, as long as the enclosure does not overheat, and the light is covered in a mesh cage to prevent contact. At night, the temperature can be allowed to drop but should not go below 18°C (65°F). Humidity is not a critical keeping factor except when the snake is in shed. At that time a very light misting once a day or every other day will promote a clean, healthy shed. Provide clean water at all times. The water bowl should be heavy to stop it from being tipped over and large enough for the snake to soak in. Corn Snakes do not soak frequently but they will do so on occasion, especially during a shed or on very hot days.
DIET AND FEEDING
In the wild Corn Snakes take a variety of prey including most small mammals, lizards, and birds. In captivity, they almost always accept defrosted mice and rats without a problem. Hatchlings should be fed every 4 - 6 days; adults no more than once every 7 - 10 days. The width of the prey item should not exceed 1½ times the width of the snake’s head. Watch out for your snakes weight as the backbone and skeletal frame should not be readily visible, but the scales should not be distended and showing the skin between them either. If you over feed your animal it will become obese and associated health problems may follow. Because of their slow metabolism an overweight snake will take a very long time to lose its excess fat
BREEDING
To prepare the corn snakes for breeding, a cooling period must be provided. The snakes should be cooled to 8 - 10°C for about 2 - 3 months (usually November - January). This temperature should be reached gradually to reduce thermal shock. Only healthy snakes should be cooled and used for breeding. Prior to cooling the snake must be fasted for up to one month to allow the passage of food through the snakes' body (any food left in the gut will rot and can kill your snake). In the spring, usually late February or March the temperature of the snakes should gradually be raised and feeding can commence. After several good feeds the snakes can be paired. Mating is more successful if the female has just sloughed. Copulation can take continue from 10 minutes to several hours and may be repeated several times. After you have observed the animals mating, part them and try again after a few days, to make sure. If mating has been successful, the female will normally stop eating after a couple of weeks. She will be ready to lay her eggs in approximately 60 days. Between 10 - 15 days prior to laying the female will undergo a pre-laying slough. At this point a nest box should be placed in the vivarium. A plastic container such as an ice cream tub lined with sphagnum moss / moist vermiculite will suffice. The female can spend several days in the box prior to laying. Once the eggs have been laid, they should be moved as soon as possible to a plastic box with a substrate of moist vermiculite. The humidity should be maintained at 100% and kept at a constant temperature around 25°C (80°F). The average number of eggs laid is between 10 and 20; they are about 42 – 50 mm long, 20 – 22 mm diameter. There is no need to separate the eggs, and unlike birds eggs they must not be turned. The eggs are normally ivory white. Do not worry if they discolour slightly; however if they appear to collapse and go mouldy they can be removed. When the juveniles arrive they should be placed into separate containers. They will slough after about 7 days and will then accept food. Sexual maturity can be reached at 2.5 years.
(Adapted from the care sheet of the Portsmouth Reptile and Amphibian Society www.pras-uk.co.uk)
