I know just about everything about my fish. Needs, food, enrichment, cheap alternatives to expensive items, you name it! But snakes? I'm clueless!
To put this in context, my friend is living alone and is lonely. He is thinking of getting a corn snake (most likely regular), so we need info!
1. Since we live so far from a pet store, can we use the frozen mice?
2. What's a good setup and minimum size needs?
3. Tricks to cut down on costs?
4. Substrates?
5. Treats?
6. What all does he need (like conditioner for its water)?
7. Handeling?
8. Other tips? Posted via Mobile Device
Well I am not an expert but my nephew who lived with me for 3 yrs had a corn snake which I thought was really cool. His was a baby so he had a 10g tank with about 2" of stuff that looks like what you put in hamster cage, I can't remember what it's called. If you pick the poo out the bedding only has to be changed out once a month or so. Corny, as I called the snake LOVED TO burrow into the bedding. You need a SECURE top because they can & will escape. I would get one of those half log tunnel things, a low dish to hold water (we used regular tap with no conditioner). He also had a branch that he could climb up on. My brother would buy frozen pinkies (the littlest of baby mice) because Corny wasn't very big in the beginning, he'd get several 6 or more, not sure of the exact number, we'd keep them in the deep freezer, take one each week, let it defrost & feed him. It was cool watching him devour it. I suggest getting a heat lamp to keep him warm & a thermometer. Handle him or her a lot & don't feed with your hand that he doesn't associate your hand with food & try to eat it, use tongs or something like that. They're pretty easy to care for, I've actually though about getting one for myself. Hope this helps.
1. Since we live so far from a pet store, can we use the frozen mice? Yes, Herpetologist aqualy suggest using frozen mice because they carry less disease and live mice have been known to bite or feed on snakes if the snakes don't eat them right away, All you have to do is set the mice in a cut of hot water to thaw out, but make sure its not hot when you feed him, it should be warm for feeding him
2. What's a good setup and minimum size needs? It depends on the size of the snake but at a minimum of 20g
3. Tricks to cut down on costs?
4. Substrates? They usually like crushed wood or some other kind of other wood chipped substrate, you can also use reptile carpet
5. Treats?
6. What all does he need (like conditioner for its water)? Give them room temp. bottled water, they will need a house to hide, A heat rock, water dish big and deep enough for him to get in, a heat light( put it on the opposite side of his house, so he can escape from the heat),and you might want to wedge some branches in( they like to climb)
7. Handeling? Handle him often, reptile do not have emotions but they do be come friendlier if they are handled a lot. Handling gets them used to people holding him and makes your chances of getting bit a lot lower.
Last edited by eatmice2010; 01-13-2013 at 07:49 PM.
One thing I'd like to say is DO NOT GET A HEAT ROCK. These things cause much more harm than good. Reptiles a kinda stoopid, and won't move off of the heat rock if it gets too hot. The result is a cooked colubrid. Instead, I highly recommend an undertank heater.
"One thing I'd like to say is DO NOT GET A HEAT ROCK. These things cause much more harm than good. Reptiles a kinda stoopid, and won't move off of the heat rock if it gets too hot. The result is a cooked colubrid."
Can you name one time that that's ever happened to you?
Ya i read that whole thing, most of it said don't use heat rocks and pads. I also stated that snakes are a better judge of temperature than lizard. It also said you can berry the heat rock under the substrate. And not a single one of those quotes ad an example of there own experiences. In all the time Ive owned snakes from boas, pythons, king snakes, and corn snakes i have never had a problem with heat rocks.
And I cross the street multiple times per day but that doesn't mean I won't ever get hit by a car because I didn't today. Better safe than sorry, I'd rather listen to what vets and experts are saying. Posted via Mobile Device
And your trusting a guy that gathered quotes? How do you now if those quotes are trust worthy, they are from the 1990's! We are at a point in the world if we can make automatic food dispensers and temperature controlled heaters for fish tanks. The reptile would is vastly growing and always changing, I sure HERPETOLOGIST have engineered Heat rocks and pads to be much more secure.
Last edited by eatmice2010; 01-15-2013 at 06:16 PM.
I really don't think the OP started this tread for folks to argue and dismiss other's advice. Heat pads are safer because they go on the outside if the tank, so the animal doesn't come into direct contact with it. Herpetologists don't design heat rocks, companies do. Whatever they can sell the most of at lowest cost to them is what they will manufacture.
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Better safe than sorry, I'd rather listen to what vets and experts are saying.
