The Corn Snake

The Difference Between Corn and Rat Snakes

Corn and Rat Snakes are very similar and, therefore, very easily confused. They both belong to the same genus: that is, a group of species portraying similar characteristics. While both corn and rat snakes belong to the Elaphe genus, only corn snakes belong to the Elaphe guttata species, and many of the rat snakes are subspecies of Elaphe obsoleta. There are currently two subspecies of corn snakes, which are Elaphe guttata guttata (E. g. gutatta) and Elaphe guttata meahllmorum (e. g. meahllmorum).

One theory of how corn snakes got their names is that the pattern on their under bellies resemble maize, a colorful relative of corn. It's also possible that the name originated from the European settlers, who found these snakes in their corn fields and assumed they were eating the corn. While this notion was not correct, the snakes were, and still are beneficial to farmers as they keep the rodent population to a minimum.

Corn snakes can be found over a broad area of the United States, Mexico and the Cayman Islands where there are deciduous forests, pine barrens, rocky hillsides and farm areas.

Corn snakes are crepuscular, which means they are active at night and/or in the dawn and dusk hours. While they are primarily ground-dwellers, many have been noted to climb a lot. These reptiles are egg-bearers and become sexually mature at about two years of age.

When selecting your pet, make sure to look for a filled out body with no visible cuts or abrasions. Ensure the eyes are clear and alert, the tongue is flicking and there are no signs of mites or ticks. The vent should also be clean.

It is always recommended to obtain captive bred specimens rather than wild-caught. Captive bred ones have become very popular because of the variety of colors and patterns available. Unfortunately, those morphs are caused by intense inbreeding and as a result corn snakes are showing more signs of shortened life spans, as well as resulting in undesireable genes being passed on with the colors and patterns sought. Failure and inability to feed and sudden, inexplicable death are the two most common problems that have been increasing over that past several years.

“At noon in the desert a panting lizard
waited for history, its elbows tense,
watching the curve of a particular road
as if something might happen.”
~William Stafford

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Size

Hatchlings range in size from nine to fourteen inches long and grow up to five feet long as an adult, though the average length is three to four feet long.

Life Span

The average life span of these snakes is ten years, although they have been known to live for over twenty years.

Growth

The rumour that a reptile (or any other animal, for that matter) will only grow to the size of its enclosure is false. To keep an animal in such tight quarters is inhumane and can cause poor health.

Before purchasing any animal, make sure to be aware of the adult size of the species and be prepared to offer the space it will need to stay healthy.

Caging

Corns must be housed in at least a 20 gallon long terrarium with measurements of 24" long x 13" deep x 21" high. A secure top must be provided, as a corn snake can fit through a hole that seems only big enough for its head. Books and heavy objects are often no match for a determined snake -- even if they cause abrasions on their nose while looking for a way out, it may be possible for it to lift the objects up enough in order to sneak out. Their strength is very surprising: consider yourself warned.

A hide box is required for daytime resting, which should be able to hold moisture while the snake is shedding. Hides have been made out of half-logs, carboard boxes with holes cut in the side, rock caves bought from the pet store and deli cups from the local grocery store. Whatever is used, make sure that it is small enough that the animal touches all sides when it is inside so that it feels secure, and that it is either easy to clean or easily disposable.

Some sort of rough surface should also be provided in the enclosure, such as a rock-like water dish or hide, or a branch, so that the snake can use the edges to dislodge pieces of shed skin.

Lighting and Temperature

As corn snakes are not typically out during the day, no special lighting is required but may be used for aesthetic appearances. To maintain optimal health, corn snakes must be kept at temperatures ranging from 75F on one side of the tank to 85F on the other, the higher temperature being necessary to properly digest its food. If the temperatures rise too high, the animal can overheat and, slowly, it will die. On the other hand, if the temperatures are not high enough, the food the snake will ingest will not properly digest, causing it to rot. This can also result in death. If the snake has not eaten for long enough that its digestive system is empty, the snake will go into brumation, or hibernation, until they are able to find proper temperatures again. Therefore, maintaining proper temperatures is crucial to the health and survival of the animal.

The best way to heat the enclosure is to place an undertank heat pad under one-half of the tank; this leaves one side cooler so that your snake can regulate its body temperature as needed (also known as: thermoregulation). These heat pads or, alternatively, heat tape can be purchased from pet stores, online pet supply websites or at reptile shows and expos. Temperatures can fall to the lower range at night. To easily monitor temperature, inexpensive aquarium self-stick thermometers can be purchased and applied about an inch above the bottom of the tank on the warm side, or temperature guns can provide a much more accurate and quick temperature range. The laser temperature guns can be purchased through reptile suppliers, or even at hardware stores.

There is still much distrust and controversy over the use of hot rocks, as many animals have suffered severe ventral burns because of the fluctutions in temperature. SnapDragonz does not suggest using these items.

An incandescent light bulb in a reflector shield may be set just outside the tank to heat up a basking area; appliance timers can be set to turn the light on and off at set times during the day. Reset the hours of operation to adjust for seasonal fluctuations in ambient air temperature.

Substrate

The topic of substrates always seems to be one of constant debate. The easiest and simplest substrates include newspaper and paper towel, as they are non-toxic, easy to replace, inexpensive and in constant supply. The aesthetic properties, however, do not tend to please many owners.

With that said, popular options include wood shavings (excluding cedar, as they are toxic), indoor/outdoor carpeting, "Astroturf" and wood chips. The important thing to remember with any substrate is to keep it dry and clean. The snakes will often take to burrowing, so the use of wood chips or shredded paper is often useful for this purpose. If using loose substate, make sure to feed the snake outside of the enclosure to ensure none of the substrate is ingested, possibly causing ingestion.

Materials to avoid include pine shavings, corncob, and sand, as they can cause impaction if ingested. Cedar shavings, as mentioned above, are toxic. Outdoor soil is questionable because of the possible bacteria and parasites, although baking can often sterilize it.

Food

Hatchling corn snakes should be offered one pinky mouse every seven to ten days, increasing in size and numbers as the animal grows. Adult corn snakes may take up to one or two jumbo mice every ten to fourteen days when full grown. The general rule to feeding snakes is to offer a feeder item that is as thick as the widest part of the snakes body. If a snake is over fed, they can regurge (or vomit) the feeders, which is not only unpleasant for the owner to find, but unhealthy for the animal.

Frozen feeders are always recommended for the future safety of the snake, and the earlier a snake will take frozen thawed mice, the better. Keeping packages of mice in the freezer may take some time to adjust to, however, it avoids dealing with bites and scratches inflicted by a terrified mouse, as well as the smell and mess associated with live mice.

Do not feed to the snake while frozen; it must be thawed. It is not recommended to thaw the mice in the microwave, as this can cause them to overheat, often burning the snake inside, causing burns and damage that cannot be reversed. Two popular thawing methods amongst hobbyists is to simply thaw them to room temperature, which the snakes will often take. If not, they may be thawed in hot water. If the snake does not show interest in the lifeless form, use a pair of hemostats or tongs to dangle the mouse or move it slightly, mimicking life-like movements. Often the snake simply needs to be left alone for a couple of hours, and you may find the mouse gone shortly after. Make sure to check feeding methods with the breeder the snake is bought from. If you follow the directions that the breeder used, you will likely have the best success getting your animal to eat.

Water

A bowl of fresh water must always be available at all times. It will be used for drinking and sometimes for bathing, especially if the snake is starting to shed. If the snake defecates in it, the bowl must be cleaned and disinfected immediately.

It is often suggested to dechlorinate the water by letting it sit open overnight or use a commercial product designed for this purpose.

Handling and Temperament

Always offer up to a week or two to let a new animal settle into its new home before handling it.

Corn snakes are very active, unlike pythons or boas, and will pick a direction to constantly go towards. They're smaller body mass leads to a deceivingly strong animal. Keep the body supported, but let the snake wander, with gentle guidance away from place you do not want it to go.

Younger corn snakes will tame very quickly with frequent handling, but can be very quick and easy to drop if they decide they'd prefer to be elsewhere. Adults that have been infrequently handled can learn to calm down with daily attention, but take longer than babies to adjust.

When snakes are picked up, both ends must be supported. Small snakes and babies are easy to handle one handed, but adults may thrash and injure themselves if they feel they do not have the support reuquired.

Shedding

As a reptile grows, its old skin become tight and worn, so they will grow a new skin underneath the old one and then slough off the old skin. This is referred to as "shedding". The colors of a snake will dull and the skin may appear loose, as if the snake is dehydrated, and the eyes will grow milky (often referred to as "blue"). These are all signs of a shed to come. Once the eyes have cleared again, the old shed is ready to come off. During this time, make sure to keep a moist hide in the enclosure, as this will encourage a clean, healthy shed. If the shed rips and does not finish in one piece, chances are the enclosure was too dry.

Health

Any animal can get sick for unknown reasons or poor husbandry, and snakes are no exception. Listlessness, failure to eat over several weeks or regurgitating meals can be signs of bacterial or endoparasite infection. Fecal samples can be taken to a veterinarian in a ziplock bag for testing. Signs of wheezing, mucous, loose skin folds and runny stools should be noted and brought to the attention to a veterinarian to begin appropriate treatments. Ensure the veterinarian has experience with reptiles, as the education in their program is limited, as well as daily clinical practice. For a list of reptile veterinarians, please visit local reptile forums to assist you.

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