| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| n/a |
Posted - 24/11/2009 : 11:10:57
Hi.
I have just joined this forum and thought i would say Hello!
I have been trying to find as much info on Corn snakes as possible. My son is desperately wanting a snake, he has been saving up for months to buy one and we are just about ready to start looking for one. We have done lots of reading up on snakes and think that corn snakes sound like the ideal pet.
Any info or advice would be most welcome.
Thanks in advance.
Ali.
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| 19 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| LittleMick |
Posted - 14/12/2009 : 22:22:18
Hi Ali, a belated welcome. If you are having trouble finding a decent outlet, 888reptiles.co.uk are good. Obvously an online store so you can't view the snake before you purchase unfortunately, but I got my hatchling from them and would highly recommend them. Might be abit too far south for you to collect (Daventry, near Northampton) but there delivery service is spot on.
Again, welcome |
| n/a |
Posted - 14/12/2009 : 19:46:42
Hi again. Thanks for all the 'welcomes' and advice. Still nowhere nearer to finding our snake. I have a very impatient 9 year old boy counting out his pocket money ready to buy his dream pet! We have tried a couple of pet shops but to be honest i wasnt impressed! We are searching the classifieds daily in the hope that something suitable will be found. I think i'll put a wanted ad on this site too. I didnt realise there was a classified section...doh!! |
| hiper2009 |
Posted - 30/11/2009 : 14:37:37
hey and welcome |
| HannahB |
Posted - 28/11/2009 : 11:30:53
hey and welcome  |
| n/a |
Posted - 27/11/2009 : 15:12:25
Hi Ali,
Welcome to the pforums, pretty new to corn snakes too. Everyone on this forum is really great with help and advise.
Upload some pic's when you've purchaced your corn snake, hope you get a great one! |
| hiper2009 |
Posted - 27/11/2009 : 12:21:26
Hey and welcome to the forum |
| Mnementh |
Posted - 25/11/2009 : 12:12:04
Hey Ali , just been pointed to this thread , missed it completely .
I was born in the boro but have not been there in a long time so have no idea on breeders etc , my brother in law keeps corns , he lives in thornaby where I was brought up , not too far away , I could ask him if he knows anyone .
I'm up near Newcastle , there are a couple of shops this way on , breeders wise I know there is a guy in Durham who knows his stuff , bred corns for 30 years , if Durham is'nt too far I could pass on your details if you like . Saving some pennies atm to get something from him myself :)
Let me know what you think , can post here or send an email , tis in my profile , Cheers . |
| Kellog |
Posted - 24/11/2009 : 23:06:45
I am afraid I cant help you with breeders and with what age to go for I can only go by my own experience. We wanted a corn and managed to find one that needed a new home. Kellog was just under 4yrs old. It meant we knew a lot about his history...that he was a proven feeder and good shedder and that he had been regularly handled. As a first time snake owner who has kids wanting to help with the snake I felt it was definitely the best option. Hatchlings can be difficult feeders and the younger the snake the more 'wriggly' they are. Kellog was happy to be handled by the kids (12 and 16), although he was fast to begin with so had to be adult supervised. To compensate for his speed I always had a hand on him so I could hold him still if he headed in the wrong direction. This is only my personal experience and I know others who have had hatchlings as first snakes with no trouble.
I will remind you about a bit of the advice I gave earlier....get as much info as possible about the snake you are interested in...dont be afraid to question the breeder or whoever you get it from.
Keep meaning to ask...how old is your son?
xxx |
| gingerpony |
Posted - 24/11/2009 : 20:54:42
heya and welcome
middlesbrough is a bit far from me, the nearest shop i'd recommend is coast to coast exotics in darlington.... 124 North Road, Darlington, County Durham, DL1 2EJ. TEL; 01325 283756. E-MAIL; c2cexotics@yahoo.co.uk
or there's a bloke called snakebreeder on 'the dark side' who i know is highly thought of but i've not dealt with him personally
regarding what size/age snake to get i'd recommend getting a yearling (CB08) or older as it should be an established feeder, used to being handled, easier to handle due to it's size, and you'll have a better idea of it's adult colouring as they can change a lot
however yearlings or older snakes are usually a bit more expensive as somebody has had to keep it for a year or so costing food, electricity etc. but you can always compare prices form various shops online to check if you're getting a good deal |
| Kehhlyr |
Posted - 24/11/2009 : 16:36:40
Mnementh is in South shields, just north of you, and Gingerpony is in Leeds, not far south.
I'm sure that one of those will be able to give you an idea of decent breeders/shops near you that are recommended. |
| hillzi |
Posted - 24/11/2009 : 14:39:52
Heya |
| Tizzy |
Posted - 24/11/2009 : 14:36:53
Welcome to the forum Ali, choosing young or old is a tricky one but i'd advise not getting a hatchling if your son is gonna be the main carer, they can be very quick and wriggly, My kids only handle the adults.
I'm down south so can't recommend any local breaders although buying privatly is usually much cheaper that a rep shop, and if your local free ads or trade it is anything like ours, you can usually find an older snake with all the necessary kit for a really good price, especially if your not overly fussy on which morph you want. |
| n/a |
Posted - 24/11/2009 : 14:03:27
Hi all. Thanks for those bits of info, i have read the care sheets and it all seems pretty easy to follow. We have over the years had numerous dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and fish(most of which were unwanted impulse buys by other people and ended up being dumped on us or strays we found!) so we are prepared for the care and commitment any pet needs. I am worried that as a first time snake owner we may make silly mistakes, dogs and cats are easy!!
My main concerns were finding a reputable breeder, we are in the north east, near Middlesbrough but are willing to travel to find the right snake. I wasn't sure the best way to go- private breeder or pet shop?? Are we better buying a young snake or an older one that is used to being handled? |
| n/a |
Posted - 24/11/2009 : 12:19:14
Hello! |
| Kellog |
Posted - 24/11/2009 : 12:10:44
quote:
Originally posted by Kehhlyr
If you give us an idea of where you are we may also be able to recommend a decent shop/breeder near you as well.
We have members spread all over the country, so hopefully we'll be able to let you know a trustworthy shop near you as well.
Great idea Kehhlyr...
xxx |
| Kehhlyr |
Posted - 24/11/2009 : 12:08:12
Hiya and welcome to the forum.
If you give us an idea of where you are we may also be able to recommend a decent shop/breeder near you as well.
We have members spread all over the country, so hopefully we'll be able to let you know a trustworthy shop near you as well. |
| Kellog |
Posted - 24/11/2009 : 12:02:03
Welcome to the forum Ali. You will find that this is a great place with lots of experienced owners happy to give their advice and support. You also gets lots of fun and friendship as a bonus. I certainly agree that as a first snake corns are the way to go. My son was the same as yours and saving up money so we decided we better take control in case he came home with a python or a boa!! It is so good to hear you have been researching into owning a corn, too many people walk into a pet shop...walk out with a snake...get it home and think 'now what do I do with this?'. Not sure what you already know so I apologise for repeating information, but it is better heard twice than not heard at all.
1. Very early advise but important, when you get your snake you need to leave it for a week to get over the stress of moving to your house and let it settle into its new surroundings by leaving it without handling or feeding for a week. Only put your hand in daily to change water and straighten substrate, that way it gets used to your smell.
2. As Kizzig has suggested make sure you read the care sheet on here (http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/corn_snake_care_sheet.htm), lots of information for new snake owners. Also read this topic on 'Your 1st Snake' http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4133
3. No question is regarded as a silly question on here.....it is much better asked and answered, you will probably find others who want the info too!
4. When you do get your snake you need to get as much info about it as possible....shedding history, feeding history etc. Start your own 'Snake Diary', noting things like weight, length, feeding dates and what you feed, shedding dates, health problems. I know it seems a bit over the top but it is actually really helpful keeping track of your snake's health - I even note when Kellog poos!!
5. Unwritten forum rule (bit early for you at the moment) - pics as soon as possible!
A warning, corn snakes are addictive! Your son will get one, then you will want one yourself....! And yes, the majority of us have stood up, said "hello my name is **** and I am addicted to corns........! And I am proud of it!"
xxx |
| gmac |
Posted - 24/11/2009 : 11:45:19
hiya and welcome to the forum, |
| kizzig |
Posted - 24/11/2009 : 11:32:14
Hi and welcome!
There's an excellent caresheet on this site - the link is http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/corn_snake_care_sheet.htm
This should answer any questions you may have, but feel free to ask anything, no question is too silly when it comes to the care of any pet! |
