The Care of Corn snakes. Kingsnakes, Ratsnakes and other related species
By Kevin Stevens¡ Herpetologist. Former President and Journal Editor of the International Herpetological Society
Most of these species are ideal for a first snake, first choice is Corn snakes, then Kingsnakes then lastly Ratsnakes. Corns are very easy to care for are usually tame and do not bite readily. Kings are often a little more eager to bite but usually this is down to a large appetite rather than aggression. Ratsnakes are often more aggressive and you may be bitten more by this group of snakes. Other good beginner snakes include Hognose snakes. Many of these species occur in temperate areas only a little warmer than our own here. They tend to live in dry arid scrubland, but this can vary. A humidity level of 30-40% is ideal, with access to temperatures of around 25-28C. Both these measurements do not need to be exactly monitored in your vivarium as long as you follow the following advice (this is due to the way a heat mat works, ie it heats up solid objects rather than air). Expect an average life span to be in excess of 15-20 years, a full adult length varies but for example a Corn snake will achieve around 5 or 6 feet in length. Kings usually about the same, but some Ratsnakes grow larger.
Ensure that a hatchling is kept in a small Exo-terra Faunarium tank. This will house it for around three or four months. The next size is a Medium size Exo-terra Flat Faunarium, this again will last for another three or four months and then a large size Exo-terra Flat Faunarium for a further three to four months. The adult housing is best provided in the form of a wooden vivarium with glass sliding doors. A 30"x15"x15" is as large as an adult Com snake is likely to do well in. Remember that snakes do better and tend to feed well if housed in smaller than expected vivaria. Many less experienced keepers may feel that a larger vivarium is better, in some individuals this may cause poor feeding or none feeding. A size recommendation often quoted by some keepers is the snake should equal the length and the depth of the vivarium, i.e. a five long snake should be housed in around a 36¡¨x24¡¨ or a 48¡¨x12¡¨ vivarium. This is something we cannot whole heartedly agree with, due to the large percentage of poor feeders and none feeders we are presented with when housed in such large vivaria.
Snakes can be housed in very simplistic or elaborate environments. Their basic requirements are for a water bowl large enough for a soak (especially when about to shed) and something to hide under. We recommend that young snakes be kept very simply, as they grow quick and will need bigger bowls and hides as they grow. Once in an adult vivarium more thought can be given to the decor (if it is required) as there is more space in an adult vivarium and because they can use everything for the rest of their lives! However, one thing we do recommend is not using any form of substrates such as beech chip for snakes until they are big enough to be in their adult vivarium, this is due to the risk of blockages for young snakes. Also please always try to keep snakes singularly rather than together (unless breeding attempts are to be made). This is to ensure accidents don¡¦t happen and one eats the other!
Heat should be provided by a heat mat. Under floor heated is supremely suited to this species as they are not an habitual sun basking species in the wild. This means that they get their heat from sitting on something that has warmed up in the sun. The heat mat should be placed under the plastic tank, or inside a wooden vivarium always remembering to heat no more than half of the housing. This allows for "thermoregulation" - when the snake wants to be warm or cold he can move. A thermostat should be used. We recommend the use of a Mat Stat. In the smaller vivariums put the hide in the hot end and the water bowl in the cool end. In adult vivaria there is more room and you could provide hides in both the hot and cool ends. When using the plastic tanks try to darken the inside a little to make the snake feel more secure - this will make him eat better. This is best achieved by covering three sides with backing roll or cork tiles, ask a member of staff.
Lighting is not an important part of the husbandry for this species. They are not a natural basking species and generally more active on an evening than during the day in the wild. For this reason we advise not to use lighting, many individuals do not feed well if their vivarium is brightly lit.
Feeding is best provided for a hatchling every four days. An adult needs feeding about once a week. Amounts and sizes of food vary as they grow. A hatchling starts by eating day old mice, known as pinkies. Three is an ideal amount to offer at each feed. Remember that we only feed our hatchlings a "maintenance" diet, so start them off with only two pinkies to allow their tummies time to get used to the increase - within two or three weeks they should be able to take three. After around three to four months they will take five day old mice, these are called fuzzies. During the "swap over" period it may be necessary to offer two pinkies then one fuzzy just to get them used to the size increase. As before they should be offered three fuzzies after around two or three weeks on the "swap over" diet. After a further three or four months it is time for their final increase in size of food on to small adult mice. Again take two weeks to gently swap them over. From here really depends on each individual, but often small adult mice is sufficient for the rest of the snakes life. Generally after one year from purchase you will need to offer their adult diet of around one or two small adult mice once a week. Remember that adult snakes can get too fat and unhealthy if fed too much. Diet supplementation with multi-vitamins is not a requirement, although some keepers like to use BSP drops added to the water. The food can be kept frozen for around three months. The frozen rodents will need to be defrosted before use. Pinkies take around an hour at room temperature, small adult mice around three hours - always feel the mice to make sure they are not chilly. Never try to defrost the mice quicker by using hot water, microwave etc. It is always best to offer the food to your snake in the evening, perhaps before going to bed. Check the next morning to see if they have fed. If they have refused any take them out and throw them away - they cannot be re-used. Make sure a feeding record is kept. Quite simply this needs to be in a text book with the date and details of the food offered. If any are refused mark this down. This will help us, or a vet, in the event of your snake become poorly.
Whilst young, your snake will grow rapidly and will need to shed (slough) his skin frequently. If feeding well, expect your youngster to slough his skin every four weeks. As an adult this slows down and often they will only slough three or four times a year. The onset of sloughing is a period known as being "milky", the skin and eyes will take on the appearance of a milky sheen. Sometimes this can be quite difficult to see on lighter coloured snakes. This will continue for about a week, the eyes will clear up and then a day or two later the skin will be shed. It should come off in one piece, complete with the skin from over the eyes (the spectacles) right down to the tip of the tail. Please make sure the spectacles have come off; this is easiest done by looking at the sloughed skin. If there are two holes in the skin where the eyes were, the spectacles have not come off. Please return to us for further help. Also make sure that the last 2-4 mm of skin comes off the end of the tail. If it doesn't, the skin could act like a tourniquet and chop the end of the tail off. You can easily remove this skin by gently using your finger and thumb. If your snake continues having problems shedding it skin, i.e. it does not come off in one piece, eye caps or tail sticks on, you may find that keeping the vivarium damp during the milky stage will help. Make sure it is returned to dry after sloughing.
Hygiene is important for both the snake and the keeper. Always use reptile disinfectant. Some household cleaners are toxic to reptiles. We recommend daily spot cleaning, this means that if they have made a mess, clean up after them. As a baby this means replacing the soiled kitchen towel with a clean piece and spraying the vivarium with a reptile disinfectant, wiping then rinsing. For an adult scoop out the area of soiled beech chip, wipe the bottom of the vivarium with reptile disinfectant and, if necessary topping up with fresh beech chip. Always change the water daily. If this is kept up, a full "sterilisation" oft the vivarium can be done less frequently. For a baby we recommend once a week. Take out all the hides, water bowls etc, spray with reptile disinfectant then rinse, next do the same with the inside of the vivarium. Replace the kitchen towel. Adults can be left longer, up to a month can be left, as long as daily spot cleaning is adhered to. Follow the same procedure as babies but replace the beech chip with fresh. Personal hygiene for the keeper is important too. There is a small risk of catching salmonella from reptiles, so always keep them very clean and always wash your hands after handling with a hand wash designed for reptile use.
Probably the most important aspect of reptile keeping is not to over handle - especially for youngsters. They are easily frightened and can be stressed enough to become ill and refuse to feed. The best policy is not to handle them at all for the first few weeks, and then slowly introduce yourself to him and take things carefully. Adults can be handled a little more, perhaps 10 minutes at a time, say up to five or six times a week. Corn snakes are the best handling species - Ratsnakes are the worst as they are more prone to biting.
It is vitally important that you have considered the following points
1. Snakes often live for around 20 years.
2. You will need to keep frozen rodents in your freezer.
3. It is unfair not to appreciate other family members fears of snakes.
4. They are escape artists - there are no easy solutions to finding an escaped snake - don't lose them in the first place! 5. All snakes can bite. Although harmless with no venom, it can be a shock if it should happen.
6. Corn snakes on average grow to around 5 feet long on average. Ask to see an adult if unsure.
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Wed Nov 23, 2011 1:01 pm
