snakes

elf-boy

does anyone have any experience with snakes. i'll be getting a corn snake around monday. I could use some tips.

meepmeep

What kinda things do you want to know?

I assume the pet shop told you that what size tank you need, and that you need a heat mat? Also get them one of those logs that they can go in under to sleep. Needs to be pretty small because they don't feel safe if its too big. Make sure you take it out of the tank regularly and give it loads of human contact, or else it could get vicious....Feed it once or twice a week with pinkies (little mice) while its small, before moving on to bigger mice and rats......and put sawdust or something like that at the bottom of the tank

Corn snakes are lovely

Hellrazer

Ive a 6month old at home and heres my way of doing things--Im doing something right cos its shedding once a month now.

Dont use sawdust on the cage bottom.Usually bark chippings are better.Bear in mind that snakes can sometimes ingest the chippings so I try and feed in a separate cage.

Also try to handle every day except for the 2 days following feeding(can take this long to totally digest).

Feed once every 7 days.Small water bowl in the cage for drinking.Just before a shed their eyes usually go cloudy.Mist with a hand sprayer to help with the shed--Never try to peel the un-shed skin off.
Bathe in lukewarm water once a week(careful though cos they usually poo in the bath).

Heat mat under one third of the cage gives a nice temp gradint accross the whole length of the cage.

Cage size for a baby should be around 12-18inches(L) x 8-10 inches(W) and 18inches(h).

This helps them to find the food easier.After 6 months or so they can be moved to their permanent cage(24x18x18-should be big enough for an adult.)
This site is also a great help http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/
Hope this helps.
Richie.

Our man in Havana

If you buy bark chippings soak in a bleach solution first then bake dry! Loads of bugglies can be in it! A mate of mine got an infestation of wood ants! & mites! YUCK! I only use kitchen paper.

Heat mats I put on the side - after my royals packed up & he got bad thermal burns cost me a fortune to put him right!

Faye-Bond

elf-boy

do think it's o.k to play drums all the time or would that disturb the snake.

FranknFurter

lol, congrats, thats the first time I have ever in my life heard that question!

Ok, after a bit of research, I *think* drums wont be a problem as long as you aint playing them beside the snake, if you are, then *yes* they will.

Bear in mind, snakes do most of their "hearing" by vibration felt by their undersides.
IMHO, I would *not* be playing drums in the same *room*...... if you were a small snake, would you like to be driven mad by loud noise in a new home surrounded by people you dont know?

Do *not* use bark chippings or sawdust!
Snakes have a very delicate respiratory system and both of these substrates have enormous amounts of irritating dust.

A much better substrate is kitchen paper, personally I used to use dried compacted soil, you basically fill a pillowcase full of garden soil, get a big pot, place pillowcase of soil in pot of boiling water for 20 mins, then empty it and let it dry *completely*,.... perfect and natural looking.

Just when u put it in the tank, take a brick or somthing heavy and pack it down, when the snake craps (for want of a better word) once or twice a month as they do, all you have to do is take a dessert spoon and scoop

It will last you ages!

B

elf-boy

thanks a million for the info.

flynnc

try mcelheron reptiles at 15 wellington quay / 01-6779060
they will give you a care sheet and advise you on what to go for
they breed all their own snakes so you wont be mislead