Corn Snake GUIDE TO - Monkfield Nutrition

GUIDE TO
                                                            K E E P I N G

                                                            Corn Snake

Introduction
Buying any pet is a big decision but there are several things you may want to consider first to make sure that a
Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus) is the pet for you:
•   Are all of the people in your household happy with a snake coming to live there?
•   Can you guarantee that you will have a regular supply of frozen food items to feed to your snake?
•   Are you happy to keep frozen mice in your freezer at home?
•   Are you prepared to look after an animal that could live up to 20 years?
•   Is there someone that you can ask to look after your pet if you are away?
•   Corn Snakes are nocturnal animals so will sleep in the day and be awake at night.

Types of Corn Snake
Corn Snakes are the perfect first snake and with hundreds of different colour variations ranging from pure white
through to red, orange and black there are plenty to choose from.

Buying a Corn Snake
We recommend buying a Corn Snake from a reputable pet shop. The shop will also be able to help you with a
supply of good quality frozen food items to feed to your snake.

Check before buying

a) The Snake is feeding well.
Any reputable pet shop will be able to show you a feeding record for the snake that you intend to purchase; this
record may be in the form of a feeding card which should be available to view on request.

b) The Snake is healthy.
5 point animal health check:
1. Make sure that the animal is alert and responsive
2. The mouth should be clear of any thick mucus and should not smell bad
3. The underside of the snake should be clean, free from sores or raw skin and have a clean vent
4. The snake should be able to support itself when handled
5. The snake should be a regular feeder

Caring For Your Corn Snake
Overview
•   Ease of Care: Beginner
•   Size: 120-185cm+
•   Life Span: Up to 20 years
•   Diet: Rodents
•   Temperament: Friendly
•   Background Temp: 23.3-31°C (74-88°F)
•   HOT Spot: 30-31°C (86-88°F)

Equipment Needed
•   Housing: Terrainium or Vivarium
•   Heating: Heat Mat or Ceramic Heat Bulb
•   Lighting: UV Tube or LED (Light Cycle: 12 hours of light)
•   Substrate: HabiStat Snake Bedding, HabiStat Lignocel or Arcadia EarthMix Arid
•   Water: HabiStat Round Plastic Water Bowl

Top Tips
✓ After feeding let your snake digest its meal for 2 days before handling him.
✓ If your snake refuses to feed try offering a smaller or larger food item.
✓ A Corn Snake will normally refuse its food when it is about to shed so wait until the snake has fully shed
  before offering food.
✓ A bad shed is normally a sign of something wrong in the snake’s environment.
✓ If your snake has a bad shed try soaking it in lukewarm water and removing any left-over skin.

Housing
A relevant sized Terrainium or Vivarium is the perfect housing solution for a Corn Snake throughout its whole life.
Baby Corn Snake:
Monkfield Terrainium, L46 x D29 x H15cm (18 x 11.5 x 6")
(DVTE18)*
Monkfield Terrainium, L90 x D38 x H20cm (36 x 15 x 8")
(DVTE36)*
Monkfield Standard Vivarium, L46 x D38 x H38cm (18 x 15 x 15")
(DVF18 / DVF18B / DVF18BL)*
*We recommend using a smaller enclosure for feeding baby snakes in, such as a Hatchling Tub.
Juvenile/Sub-Adult Corn Snake:
Monkfield Terrainium, L90 x D38 x H20cm (36 x 15 x 8")
(DVTE36)
Monkfield Standard Vivarium, L91 x D38 x H38cm (36 x 15 x 15")
(DVF36 / DVF36B / DVF36BL)
Adult Corn Snake:
Monkfield Terrainium, L90 x D38 x H20cm (36 x 15 x 8")
(DVTE36)
Monkfield Standard Vivarium, L91 x D38 x H38cm (36 x 15 x 15")
(DVF36 / DVF36B / DVF36BL)
Monkfield Standard Vivarium, L122 x D61 x H61cm (48 x 24 x 24")
(DVF4824 / DVF4824B / DVF4824BL)

Environment

Heating
Corn Snakes are an ectothermic (cold-blooded) animal and take all of their heat requirements from external
sources. Different heat sources are required depending on the type of housing selected.
Heating a Terrainium
To replicate these conditions in a terrainium, we recommend using a heat mat that is thermostatically controlled
as a heat source. The heat mat should be inserted into the glass holder located in the base of the Terrainium to
ensure that the Corn Snake does not come directly into contact with it.
The heat mat should be used in conjunction with a heat mat thermostat.
Heat mat thermostats are designed to regulate temperatures using a thermostat probe (also known as a sensor).
Correct placement of the probe is critical to avoid overheating and injury to the snake. Insert the probe through
the back of the terrainium via the rubber grommet and tape directly onto the glass panel above the heat mat.
The probe cable should be taped 2-5cm (1-2”) back from the actual probe sensor to allow for a correct
temperature reading and avoid it becoming dislodged. Carefully place the substrate on top.
Heating a Vivarium
To provide an appropriate heat source in a Vivarium we recommend using a ceramic heat bulb that is
thermostatically controlled.
The ceramic heat bulb should be set up using a ceramic bulb holder, which can be hung from the roof of the
vivarium, approximately 15-20cms from one side.
The ceramic heat bulb should be used in conjunction with a pulse thermostat.
Pulse thermostats are designed to regulate temperatures using a thermostat probe (also known as a sensor).
Correct placement of the probe is critical to avoid overheating and injury to the snake.
The probe should be positioned on the floor in the basking area and the probe cable should be taped to the floor
2-8cm (1-3”) back from the actual probe sensor. This will ensure an accurate temperature reading and prevent
the probe becoming dislodged. Carefully place the substrate on top of the probe cable leaving just the probe
above the surface.
A Spotlight Guard should be used to surround the ceramic heat bulb to prevent the animal coming into direct
contact with the heat source.

Temperature and Monitoring
As a rough guide, daytime temperatures should be between 23.3-31°C (74-88?F) with the hot end up to
30-31°C (86-88°F) going down to 23.3°C (74°F) at the cooler end of the enclosure. Night-time temperatures
should be 23.3-30°C (74-86°F).

Make sure temperatures are checked regularly to ensure that there are no extreme fluctuations.

Lighting
A UV light can be provided but it is not essential to the Corn Snakes wellbeing. If a UV light is used, ensure that it
is fitted correctly and securely to avoid any injuries to the snake. LED lighting can also be used to provide a day/
night light cycle for the Corn Snake.

Substrates and Decoration
Personal choice will dictate how you decorate your terrainium or vivarium but we recommend the following as a
guide:

1) Substrates: A dry and non-dusty substrate such as HabiStat Snake Bedding, HabiStat Lignocel or Arcadia
   EarthMix Arid that is easy to spot clean.
2) Wood for hiding under, crawling on and to help with shedding.
3) Artificial or live plants for decoration and to provide darker areas for the Corn Snake to hide away.
4) Hide to allow the snake to hide away if it chooses to and give it an area to feel safe and secure.
Diet and Water
Hatchlings through to Adults should be offered appropriately sized defrosted mice. As a general rule, the feed
size offered to your snake should be no larger in diameter than 1-1.5 times the width of the snake at its widest
point. Fresh clean water must be accessible at all times. The water source should be positioned at the cool end
of the environment to prevent the water from evaporating quickly and causing an unwanted humidity increase.

Supplementation
Corn Snakes do not require any form of supplementation as long as your frozen food is purchased from a
reputable supplier.

Health & Hygiene
We recommend the following cleaning routine to keep your snake healthy and happy:

            Water                 Substrate                              Enclosure

Daily       Change old water      Spot clean                             Check vents on enclosure are not blocked
            for fresh water                                              and allow air to pass through freely

Weekly      Disinfect water       Agitate substrate to prevent any       Wipe down glass and walls with a reptile
            bowl or dish          bacterial build up and to allow        safe disinfectant
                                  any dirty bedding to be removed

Monthly                           Take out old substrate and             Wipe down inside the enclosure and
                                  replace with new substrate             disinfect décor with a reptile safe
                                                                         disinfectant

Always wash your hands, surfaces and equipment with warm water and disinfectant immediately before and
after handling or feeding your snake, their food, enclosure and any other equipment.

Additional Information
 A Corn Snake will shed its skin every so often, depending on how big the snake is and how quickly it is growing.
 As a general rule, a young snake will shed every 3 to 6 weeks and an older snake every 2 to 6 months.

 The best way to tell that your Corn Snake is going to shed its skin is to look at its general colour and eyes. The
 Corn Snake will appear duller than normal and may have a washed out look. This will become more obvious as
 the Corn Snake nears shedding its skin. The snake’s eyes will appear clouded at first and will eventually turn a
 bluey/grey colour. Normal colouration will return once the Corn Snake has shed its skin.

 FAQ’s
 How big will my Corn Snake grow?
 Approximately 120-185cm (48-72") long.

 What is the best way to feed my Corn Snake?
 We recommend using feeding tweezers to offer food to your snake.

 How do I know what size of frozen rodent to offer my Corn Snake?
 As a general rule, the feed size offered to your snake should be no larger in diameter that 1-1.5 times the
 width of the snake at its widest point.

 What is the best way to feed my Corn Snake?
 We recommend using feeding tweezers to offer food to your Corn Snake.

 What is the best way to handle a Corn Snake?
 We recommend watching our demonstration video on the best way to handle a snake. You can find this
 under the News and Info section on our website.

 How long will my Corn Snake live for?
 A Corn Snake may live for up to 20 years in captivity, if cared for correctly.

 My Corn Snake seems to have mites, what do you recommend?
 We stock several mite removers. Choose from either a chemical based treatment or a natural alternative.
 Mites are pinhead sized black and sometimes red creatures which can usually be seen on the soft parts of
 your snake:
 - Around the eyes and nostrils
 - In-between and under the scales
 If your snake appears to be spending a lot of time in the water bowl this is often a sign that it may have
 mites as it is trying to drown the mites.

 What other types of beginner snake are there?
 Milk Snake and Royal Python

Monkfield Nutrition Limited, Arthur Rickwood Farm,
       Chatteris Road, Mepal, Ely, CB6 2AZ
          www.monkfieldnutrition.co.uk
            Telephone: 01223 208261