Corn Snake Cages

Hey i wanted to get to somewhat small cornsnakes, I already have a ball python, and was interested in getting a corn snake. I recently got a 25 gallon tank? And i was wondering if I could house two juveniles in that for awhile, but of course to upgrading to something larger.
Thanks

Hi Arie,
I never recommend housing more than one snake in the same cage. Although it’s tempting to try it to save money and space, there are very good reasons not to. Please read my post here about housing multiple snakes in the same cage for more information. Thanks for visiting.

Good luck!
Mike

Hi i want a corn snake ridicuously bad but i also have 3 birdds… a cockatiel a love bird and a sun conure. I’m really worried about this, what if he got out would he try and eat my birds? Two of the three are high up in cages but i suppose he could climb up and get them… Do you have any helpful suggestions? Should i not get a snake because of this situation or can this be avoided?

Hi Sammy,

Corn snakes are escape artists, so it’s important to have a cage that is very secure. If you buy a cage that is made for reptiles, or an aquarium with a locking lid, you will be fine. Putting something heavy on top is not enough. It has to be a locking lid. If by chance it did get out, it most likely would not eat the birds, as they would probably fight back and raise such a ruckus that it would leave them alone. So there’s really no reason you can’t have both birds and snakes, just make sure the cage is secured. Good luck!

Mike

I have four sugar gliders (think skinny chipmonk sized flying squirrel) and just got a corn snake Did I make a blunder? I really wanted the snake and the pet store guy assured me he wouldn’t escape this housing (Zilla brand with latching screen lid).

Daniel,

So long as you keep the cage secure there won’t be a problem. Gliders are furry mammals, so a snake would certainly consider them food, but many people keep them and reptiles with no issues. I know reptile keepers who also keep rats as pets. They just keep them separated. Keeping any animal requires a bit of responsibility. As long as you are responsible enough to keep the cages secured, you can keep any combination of pet you choose. Good luck!

Mike

I just bought a baby corn snake and am keeping him in a cage that i also have two plants growing in. The substrate is about an inch of potting soil with an inch of repti bark on top. Is the soil ok to have in there? or will it make him sick? thank you so much.

FYI–This was helpful! T^T Thank gods!
I am a new snake owner, corn snake actually, and I asked the Pet Store Owner what manner of bedding the Snake should have: He Told me SAND!!!
Thank Gods I had the brains to watch her: obviously sand was not for her! >.< That idiot needed to be shot! so–I cleaned her entire cage, top to bottom and had to gently wash her belly scales of sand which she HATED. Thank gods she is a forgiving snake…:/
Anywhoo–Cage security is not a problem. Locks work well
Thanks again!
Krafty

@ Mike O,

I know having live plants in there is desirable, but unfortunately it’s not practical since the potting soil is not very good for your snake. First, the humidity will be too high since the plants need water. While in the wild, corn snakes are around these conditions, they can always relocate to a dry location if needed. In captivity they have no where else to go. Also, the potting soil could contain bugs and mites which can cause harm to your snake. Then there is always the issue of cage cleaning which is difficult with live plants. The reptibark is fine, but I would suggest putting some fake plants in there so you don’t need potting soil. Other substrates I recommend are aspen bedding and cypress mulch.

@Krafty

Unfortunately, many pet stores don’t care if you know how to take care of your new pet. They just want to sell it to you. It’s good that you are doing the research and finding out the proper way to care for your pet. Your corn snake is lucky to have you!

Hi, I’m trying to get price ideas for corn snake supplies, so I was wondering what the approximate total is. I only want one, and I found a snake for $20. The rest of the supplies I’m not so sure about. Before I get the snake, I want to make sure I can afford it.

I might be attributing too many human emotions in this question but do you ever need to change up a snake’s environment to “keep it interesting” for them? I have the right sized tank with repti-bark substrate, a couple branches, and a hide on each side but I can’t help wondering if my corn snake is bored after being in there a few months with all the same stuff. Suggestions?

Hi George,

It’s very easy to want to give snakes more emotion and intelligence than they are capable of since we normally have pets like dogs and cats who would get very bored in the same type of environment. Snakes do not really get bored. They get hungry, thirsty, scared, tired, hot, and cold. As long as you are meeting their needs in those areas, they will be happy snakes.

Take care,
Mike

will any type of tree branch be okay inside the corn snake cage?

@Ronnie
I would stay away from cedar and pine which can be toxic to small animals. Any branches that you introduce to the cage should be baked in the oven at 250 degrees F, for at least 30 minutes. This will kill any mites that may be living in the wood. I would also recommend using wood that is already aged, instead of something just cut out of a tree. If you live near water, you can find some really nice looking pieces of drift wood that can be dried and cured that look fantastic in a reptile cage. Good luck!

I Just got a new corn snake it’s name is Snowflake it’s an albino snowflake (I know real original name) anyways I love it but I want to know if it’s a boy or a girl snake so that I can give it a better name. Which brings me to my question; how old does a snake need to be before it can be probed? mine is aprox. 9 months old (what pet smart told me) and aprox 14-16 in. in length

Hi James,

There is no age limit on probing. Hatchlings can be sexed using a technique called popping, but that becomes dangerous as they start to grow. I would recommend taking the snake to a vet or someone experienced with probing to have the snake properly sexed. Or you could just do what I did and decide it will be one of the other. My corn snake is a snow morph which is very pink so I decided it was a girl and called her Fluffy. I’m not breeding her so who cares? Good luck!
Mike

I like how you said its not a matter of how but when. I wish I knew more about how they can escape and believed it. I had a baby corn snake in a tupperware container with holes and it escaped on me several days ago. I just found it today, dead. I would absolutely NOT recommend a tupperware container for a snake. I thought it would work because I saw tons of people doing it and recommending it online, but my snake escaped and died! I’m definitely getting a glass terrarium next time.

Hi Janet,

I’m very sorry for your loss. Snakes can squeeze out of much smaller openings than you would think. Their bones are very flexible. More like cartilage. It’s possible your snake injured itself during the escape and that’s why it died. Don’t let this discourage you from owning another snake though. It’s something that happens to a lot of people. Good luck!
Mike

My 17 yr old daughter’s young corn snake which she got just three weeks ago died tonight. I been searching on the internet to figure out what we missed in caring for VP (Viper Plissken). In the three weeks we were only able to get VP to eat once and he never shed while in our care. I keep thinking the heat and/or humidity are the reasons for his lack of appetite. It’s been very dry and cold here in New Orleans, should we have been more careful with the heat and humidity. If the humidity was too low; what’s the best way to raise it. How low can the temp go?

Hi Dennis,

A corn snake’s cage should preferably be around 80-85 degrees during the day, with an under tank heater such as this one, to provide a basking spot at around 90 degrees. Night time temps can be allowed to drop as low as 70. You can measure the temps using a thermometer like this one that can measure indoor and outdoor temps. This allows you to measure the cage temps along with the basking spot temps at all times. If a corn snake eats and cannot raise it’s body temperature high enough to digest the meal, it will rot in it’s belly and kill the snake, which is why they usually won’t eat if it’s too cold. If your cage temps are too low, then you may need to put an incandescent light fixture on top to keep the air closer to 80 degrees, then use the under tank heater like this one to provide a basking spot. Good luck.

Hi,
I’m 19 and just finished my first year of university. I’m moving into a house in september with some friends but was told that cats and dogs were not options as pets. I’ve always wanted a snake but my dad is deathly afraid so this is a GREAT opportunity. I’m looking at corn snakes as i’m a beginner and have heard that they are the most docile and beginner friendly. I’m quite nervous about doing something wrong in terms of temperature. Should the water dish be on the cooler side of the terrarium, and should I use a under the cage heat pad, or one of the ceramic lights that is placed on the top? Also, in terms of handling the snake, how long should I wait to pick her/him up after they’ve eaten, and after they’ve shed? (how long do they show signs of shedding before the actual shedding occurs and should I be picking them up still once those signs have been noticed?[such as bluish eyes])
Last question. I’ve found the snakes i’m interested in and am looking at around 100dollars. How much do you think all of the supplies are going to cost? (I’d like to know before hand so that i’m not shocked at the cash register)
Thanks!
Maddy

Hi Maddy,

Corn snakes are a great choice for beginners. The water dish usually would go on the cool side, unless you need to increase humidity for some reason, but that’s not usually an issue with corn snakes. An Under Tank Heater is definitely the better option over the heat lamps. Wait about 24 hours after feeding to handle it. You can handle right after shed. You can handle during shed, but the snake may be a little nervous about it. I usually let them be when they are getting ready to shed. Your cage costs can be anywhere from around $75-$150 on average, depending on how elaborate you want to go with your cage decorating. Good luck!

hey,im thinking about getting a corn snake.I have a few questions tho.what about the correct size of the tank.Can i have a 30 gallon tank for a baby corn snake?Is it okay if i use an aquarium? Do i need a heat lamp and a heat pad or is a heat pad okay!!!

So far this site has givin me a lot of insight on how to care for a pet snake. I do have a few Q’s for you.

Ive been wanting a snake for a few weeks now and my parents are just way too stubborn! I plan on convincing them when Christmas comes around so I can get a corn snake. Do you have any suggestions on this?
Next Q: my house is kept relatively cold, at 70 degrees, and the heat Matt should be good for a basking area, but what about the humidity level? I can tell my house is a bit dry, what can I do to raise and maintain the proper humidity? By the way what should humidity Lvls be for a scorn snake?
Q: how often do u feed ur corn snake? As a baby and/ adult
Thanks!

@Jeff – Corn snakes are pretty easy when it comes to heating and humidity. As long as you provide a basking spot of around 85 degrees, you should be fine. I keep my house at about 74 and my corn snakes never use their basking spot, even in winter when the temps drop to 65-70 occasionally. As for humidity, they really don’t need it. Unless you are having issues with them shedding, don’t worry about it. If necessary, you can mist the cage once a day when they are getting ready to shed.

For feeding, hatchlings should be fed every 3-4 days. As the mouse size increases, so does the length of time between feedings. Adults should be every 7-10 days.

Good luck!

We just moved our 4 yr old corn snake from a 20 to a 45 gallon tank. The new tank is fitted with a wood top, fit well to prevent escape. We have a a lamp that worked well for the past 8 months when we had a screen lid. The aquarium is noticeably warmer, maybe due to less ventilation, but one side is cooler than tje other. TY rT. Maisy likes substrate & is currently burrowed in. (i made sure to look!) Should we get a screen top instead?

@Linda – It really depends on what the temperatures are. Are you measuring them?

No, I guess that would be too easy… I don’t have the tools right now. I think we will drill small holes in the wood. Maybe I can get some thermometers this weekend.

The humid side is 88 & the warm side is 99. The package says that is too hot, both sides… Your thoughts? Thanks

@Linda – No that’s definitely too hot. I recommend getting an Under Tank Heater. The warm side really only needs to be about 85 and the rest of the cage can be 75-80.

hi i bought a pink corn a week ago and it has had one pink so far, tonight i discovered it had ecaped (shop owner said couldnt get out of holes in tupperware pot) but obv it did and ive put the pot, heatmat and a pink with pierced brain down on the floor hopefully to boost sucess rate but i am so worried i wont find him. he’s my first snake and im so attached already

@Laura – I’m sorry your corn snake got away. They are really good at it! They are also very hard to find once they do escape. All I can suggest is to hunt for it. It could be anywhere. Good luck!