Corn Snake Forum

The forum is a place for members to share good practice and ask questions about Corn snakes and their general care. It is free to register and easy to use. There are plenty of regular members, so any queries about Corn snake care, Corn Snake breeding, Corn Snake health and keeping should be answered within a short space of time.

Frequently Asked Questions.

The CornSnake.co.uk Forum is a good place to gain advice and feedback which is personalised for your specific problem or enquiry. We always welcome any questions you may have regarding your Corn snake and our members will eagerly offer friendly and informed answers. Here are a few frequently asked questions that may help you in your search for Corn Snake advice.

Can multiple Corn Snakes be kept together in the same vivarium?

It is unadvisable to house multiple Corn Snakes together, but many owners do without any problems. It is a big ongoing debate into the pros and cons of housing together, but really it is all down to personal choice whether you choose to house your Corn snakes together or not.

The dangers for housing together include the chance of cannibalism (especially in younger Corn snakes), early or unexpected breeding, stress in one or all of the Corn snakes and even disease passing from one Corn snake to the other and doubling your vet bills.

If you do decide to house your corn snakes together in one vivarium it is important that both snakes are of a similar size, preferably adults. You will also need to add twice as many hides to the vivarium to ensure that one snake does not dominate the best hiding spots, which would cause stress to the other. You should feed separately and be ready for if breeding occurs. I would also advise having a spare RUB  (Really Useful Box- plastic tub with air holes added to it), heat mat and thermostat handy, just in case problems arise and you need to separate your Corn snakes quickly.

Do I need a thermostat?

Yes, uncontrolled heat sources can cause many problems. Minor problems include stress, respiratory infections and loss of appetite if the temperatures are not correct. Corn snakes need heat to help them digest their food, so a low temperature can cause digestive problems. A really high temperature can cause burns to your snake and even death. It does not take many degrees to push the temperature up into dangerous levels, so always ensure any heat source is regulated by a thermostat.

Thermometers and heat guards for bulbs are also vital equipment within the vivarium.

What size vivarium do I need to house my Corn snake?

Corn snakes do not require large enclosures and can become stressed if they are housed in a vivarium that is too large for them. Generally the size of the vivarium depends on the length of the snake. A good rule to remember is that the perfect size vivarium is when the length of the snake equals the length of the front and one side of the vivarium, ie. if you have a 3ft Corn snake then the right size vivarium for that snake would be about 2ft by 1ft. A baby Corn snake can be housed in a small faunarium or RUB (plastic box with air holes added) until it becomes large enough to be comfortable in a vivarium.

My Corn Snake keeps trying to bite me! Help!

Regular handling is the key to calming your Corn snake down, as once your snake gets used to been handled, then they will learn not to mind it too much. If you are scared of being bitten, wear gloves to protect yourself or place you snake in a pillowcase, so that you can handle your snake through the cotton without it being able to strike.

Once your snake recognises your scent and understands that you are not a threat, then it will usually be more calm around you. You can speed up this recognition of scent by placing an item of your clothing in the vivarium for a while or by always using the same scented soap before every handling session.

If I am bitten by my Corn Snake, will it hurt?

Corn snake bites do not hurt, in fact there have been cases where owners have been bitten and didn’t even notice at the time. Corn snake teeth do not do much damage to your skin, but as it may bleed it is advised that you treat the area with antiseptic to ensure the wound does not become infected.

Sometimes a Corn snake may bite and refuse to let go. It is important that you do not pull you Corn snake out of the bite as you may damage it’s teeth in doing so. If you are bitten by a persistent snake who does not want to release you, hold the head of the snake under running water. This usually encourages the snake to let go.

My Corn Snake has developed dull skin and the eyes have turned blue. Should I worry?

No, your Corn snake is just starting the shedding process, so this is nothing to worry about. Shedding normally takes between 2 to 3 weeks depending on the snake. There is little you need to do to help, as Corn snakes will shed their skin without assistance, but ensure that a large water bowl is available so your snake can soak itself if it wants to. A rock, stone or log in the vivarium also helps. After your snake has shed, remove the shed skin immediately, along with any faeces that usually accompanies it. Check that all the shed has come away from your snake, especially around the eyes as retained eye caps can be a problem.

My Corn Snake is not eating, what shall I do?

All snakes are designed not to eat regularly, as they are opportunist hunters in the wild. Corn snakes are no exception and you should not worry too much if your Corn snake misses the odd feed.

You should only begin to worry about your Corn snake if it begins to lose a lot of weight after a prolonged fast. This is why regular weight checks are important as part of your Corn snake care routine.

To encourage your Corn snake to eat there are various techniques you can use. Braining involves making an incision into the head of the prey item to expose the brain matter and is a very good technique to entice your Corn snake to eat. You can also try a variation in diet to see if a different type of prey is more appetising. Mice, Rats and Gerbils are all safe to feed to your Corn snake, so try something different and see if that works. Another technique is to place your Corn snake in a confined, dark box with the prey item and leave them together for a while. Sometimes the closeness to the prey item and the lack of any other distractions will encourage your snake to eat.

Can I feed my Corn Snake live food?

Feeding live food is very unadvisable, not just because of the cruelty inflicted on the prey item, but also because an uneaten rodent can do a lot of damage to your snake. Rodents have sharp claws and strong jaws and teeth, so if they decided to attack your snake then serious injury can be caused. They are quite capable of gnawing your Corn snake's flesh to the bone and many snakes have been put down after or died from these injuries. If you do decide to feed your Corn snake with a live food item then do not for any reason leave them unattended together.

There are also many legal and moral arguments regarding the feeding of live prey items, so you should check out the animal cruelty and protection laws beforehand to ensure that live feeding is not illegal in your area.

How old do my Corn Snakes need to be if I choose to breed them?

It is advisable to apply the rule of 3 if you are thinking about breeding your female Corn snake. She should be at least 3 years old, 3 feet long and 300 grams before you consider putting her with a male. Breeding a young, underweight or unhealthy female can lead to many problems, including the production of infertile eggs and the possibility of the female becoming egg bound.

Males can be a little younger than 3 years, as they do not run the same risks as females do, but you still need to ensure that he is healthy and a good weight.

Still got questions?

Then please enter the forum. Our regular members will answer any Corn Snake related question and it would be great to welcome you into TheCornSnake.co.uk community.