| Author |
 Topic  |
|
n/a
deleted
161 Posts |
 Posted - 06/01/2009 : 16:23:16
|
Hi all, I'm thinking about getting a corn snake and have been doing some research about them before I decide to go for it. My wife is not to bothered about me owning a snake (apart from feeding) and my kids are well up for it. I have a few questions if somone could answer them for me.
The snake comes from the shop in a plastic tub. How long before it needs to be rehoused and placed in a bigger viv or tank? Whats the growth rate of a corn snake?
And this may sound a bit silly and you might laugh but I have a caviler king charles spaniel. If an adult corn escaped from the tank would it take a likeing to my dog or is it to big?
Cheers in advance. I'm reading up as much as I can before I decide to take the plunge.
Brads
|
[URL=http://www.mybannermaker.com/link.php?nurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mybannermaker.com] [/URL] |
|
|
matty18714
The Count of Corniness
United Kingdom
4428 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2009 : 16:37:35
|
The snake will be fully grown 4.5-5.5ft in 4 years-ish. Indevidual snakes grow at differant rates and seeing as I have an adult, someone with a younger snake might be able to help you out with the first question. However the main rule is the length + depth of the viv = the lenght of the corn.
As for the dog, it will be in no danger what so ever. The snake would come away much worse off if they met. |
  |
Edited by - matty18714 on 06/01/2009 19:43:06 |
 |
|
|
heatseeker872591
Hatchling
United Kingdom
355 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2009 : 19:52:15
|
| hi there, when i first got my corn snake he was 6month old and only about 1 to 2 feet long. i already had him housed in a 3foot vivarium so that i didnt have to keep spending money on bigger vivs and having the hassle of trying to sell the ones the snake outgrows, but i put down alot of hiding spots. makesure your viv is 100 percent escape proof, a baby corn snake can get through the thinnest of gaps. and if you use a heat bulb makesure you get a protective guard around it to stop the snake making any physical contact with it. a thermostat is also very helpful as it helps keep the correct temperature ,stops any over heating and also saves electricity. the growth rate of a corn snake varies. they can grow quicker if fed more often but its a thin line between "being fed more often" for accelerated growth and the term "power feeding" which is thought of very negatively by many snake owners as there's theories that power feeding can decrease the snakes lifespan, and even i have heard it makes their bodies grow but not their heads so a massive corn snake with a small head? i dont know if its true its just theories i have heard from person to person. i feed my snake one appropriate sized meal every 7 days. my corn snake is just over 2 years old and 3.5 feet long. they reach adult size of 4.5 -5 feet at 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 years old if fed on an average feeding schedule. a 3 foot vivarium is also the biggest size vivarium you will need for a corn snake, so no need to upgrade any bigger than that unless you want to. |
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
161 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2009 : 13:27:29
|
I went to a few local pet shops today. I asked them all questions and I a held a couple of 3 month old california corns. They were £45 each. Now that I've held one I really want one even more.
One shop told me a corn would be fully grown within 3 years but a reptile shop told me 2 years???? But I have read 4-5 year? i'm trying to learn a bit about growth rates. If I fed a corn one pinky every five days then one fuzzy every 7-10 days when older how long would it take to become fully grown?
The reptile place could give me a corn snake and starter home for £90
The houseing is only 9 inches by 12 inches aprox and he said the corn would be ok for 12 months in the home. Does that sound right to you guys?
Cheers Brads |
[URL=http://www.mybannermaker.com/link.php?nurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mybannermaker.com][/URL] |
|
|
|
heatseeker872591
Hatchling
United Kingdom
355 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2009 : 14:31:05
|
| 2 years does seem a bit quick for a corn snake to be fully grown at that time. it must have been on a very frequent feeding schedule like more than every 7 days. but wether that is seen as the negative term "power feeding" i dont know so thats why i never fed more often than 7 days per feed with mine. be aware tho that corn snakes hit maturity and are able to be bred even before they are fully grown, some have been known to be fertile before they even hit 3 feet. wether some people judge if the snake is adult when fully grown or judge that the snake becomes adult simply when its able to be bred. me personally i would judge that a corn snake is adult when it is more or less fully grown. my corn snake is 2 years old and 3.5 feet long and probably is fertile and able to be bred. however in my books i wouldnt classify him as an adult yet and stll see him as a juvenile. the housing you got for your snake seems ok as long as you get a small heat mat for it. its better in the long run to have them in a small housing coz, when you put a small corn snake in a huge viv u dont know if he has escaped or is hiding in the viv when you cant see him. |
|
|
|
Tizzy
The Corn Snake Moderator
United Kingdom
1202 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2009 : 15:53:57
|
Corn snakes tend to get to full length in 2-3 years but then fill out a bit so it's all right really. The tank your pet shop have showed you sounds like a faunarium and that will be fine for the first year (Alot of people will advise against getting a 3 foot untill then as baby's can be spooked in something that size)
The only advice i would give if your buying a starter package make sure it has a thermostat with it. Some places sell the starter kit without one and then you have the extra expence but you can still use the same one when you eventually go for a bigger viv so it's a good investment. And When baby snake does move out of the starter they make great feeding trays unless like me you just buy another baby to put in it.
|
3.2.0 corns 0.3.1 Leopard Geckos, 0.1.0 Mad Staffys 1.0.0 Moggie. 1.2.0. Devils in training.
|
|
|
|
matty18714
The Count of Corniness
United Kingdom
4428 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2009 : 16:10:26
|
| If fed rat pups they will grow faster due to more nutrition. SN feeds his little un's rat pups I think. Maybe he will answer later. |
|
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
161 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2009 : 18:40:33
|
Cheers for all the info guys and gals. Is there any books out there that I would be of any use to me? I couldn't belive it when I was told the snake would live in such a small space for a year. It would give me more time to choose a nice home for it if I decide to go ahead. I have picked up so much info over the last couple of weeks.
As for feeding I wouldn't want to over or under feed. I would prefer the snake to grow at a slow normal rate (what ever that is??)
A chap at one of the three shops I visited today gave me a Corn Snake care sheet. On the sheet it says 'Hatchlings should be fed a pinkie every four to six days and adults a mouse or young rat no more than once every seven to ten days' Does that all sound right? So if I said I would plan to feed every five days while young then every eight days as an adult would I be following along the right sort of lines or do you stagger the days?
Sorry for sounding such a noobie but I would like to no as much as I can.
Cheers Brads |
[URL=http://www.mybannermaker.com/link.php?nurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mybannermaker.com][/URL] |
|
|
|
shaunb
Yearling
United Kingdom
782 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2009 : 19:12:02
|
| i got a 3 year old normal corn and he is about 3and a half to 4 ft long and he is still growing and i think it depends on how often you feed them and what u feed them to how quick they grow but it's usually about 4 to 5 years when they are fully grown so i have read. Yes u are right there i have 2 baby corns well i say babys my Apophis is 6 mnths now i have had him since he was 6 weeks and i feed him a fuzzy every 5 days to 6 days, and my normal stripe Chyna she is 4 mnths and she has just gone up to fuzzys and she gets a fuzzy every 5 days but when they were on pinkys they both fed every 5 days, and my adult boo feeds every 7 to 8 days. |
[Quote]
A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.
Albert Einstein. |
|
|
|
Tizzy
The Corn Snake Moderator
United Kingdom
1202 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2009 : 19:56:11
|
| Sounds like the care sheet you got was giving good info - nice to see a shop give one out before you buy the snake too, proves they're not just after your pennies. Name them i'll give them a woop woop. As for newbie questions this lot dont mind, they like questions it keeps then busy and thats good because their snakes dont chat to them much. |
3.2.0 corns 0.3.1 Leopard Geckos, 0.1.0 Mad Staffys 1.0.0 Moggie. 1.2.0. Devils in training.
|
|
|
|
lozy89
Hatchling
United Kingdom
226 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2009 : 23:28:41
|
i had my corn 7th nov 08, n she was about 14-15 inches then. i fed her pinkies when i first had her every 5 days, and she got upgraded to fuzzies a lil while back, im still feeding her every 5 days, and she is now 19 inches :)
the pet shop i got her from did a starter pack baby corn, 2nd hand small exo terra viv (in 100% perfect condition, looks brand new) heat mat and this fake plant thing, and substrate for £50. which is a bargain i thought! :)
hope this helps :D
xxx |
 |
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
161 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2009 : 00:49:12
|
The pet section in my local garden centre in plymouth gave me the care sheet.
Twiglet has to be my fave corn I have seen on any of the sites I have been on. What moorph is he/she. My kids and I love the pics you have taken and love the name.... very cute.... any latest pics?
Cheers Brads |
[URL=http://www.mybannermaker.com/link.php?nurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mybannermaker.com][/URL] |
|
|
|
lozy89
Hatchling
United Kingdom
226 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2009 : 21:36:05
|
quote:
Originally posted by Brads
The pet section in my local garden centre in plymouth gave me the care sheet.
Twiglet has to be my fave corn I have seen on any of the sites I have been on. What moorph is he/she. My kids and I love the pics you have taken and love the name.... very cute.... any latest pics?
Cheers Brads
awwwww  thanks :D
hehe. umm yeh ive got a few piks, its just gettin round 2 uploadin them! shes a norm/carolina :) shes such a soppy snake haha. ill update 'Twiglet's Photo's' section now :)
x |
|
|
|
|
lozy89
Hatchling
United Kingdom
226 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2009 : 22:53:40
|
| all updated, chek them out :) x |
|
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
161 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2009 : 11:56:08
|
Great pics I can't wait to get mine now.
Regarding set ups. I have asked about thermoststs. They could give me one for around £32, How do I attach it to the plastic tank the snake will be housed in. I might have to drill a small hole in the side, but that might crack it? Do I need a thermostat for such a small tank?
Brads |
[URL=http://www.mybannermaker.com/link.php?nurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mybannermaker.com][/URL] |
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
125 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2009 : 12:09:13
|
You can drill a hole as long as you don't force it too hard! Have to admit when I made the hole for my temp probe I just used a small screwdriver and worked it slowly through - only took a minute and a lot less noisier and messier :)
The probe should go right on the substrate so it's measuring the temp your snake is receiving. You'll need a good digi thermometer too to measure the same temp as often the stats thermometer readings are a bit inaccurate.
We had our probe set too high at first and it meant it was only measuring the air temp and not the temp the snake was receiving and the poor thing was nearly cooking :\ |
 |
|
|
|
Tizzy
The Corn Snake Moderator
United Kingdom
1202 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2009 : 14:26:57
|
Yeah it's just as important to have a thermostat in a small viv if not more important coz if your mat overheats the corn has less space to get away from it. You could have a squiz on eBay for a mat stat to bring the cost down - depends how much of a hurry you in really.
Some Faunariums have a groove in the lid or one corner for the cables so its worth checking before you get the power tools out. |
3.2.0 corns 0.3.1 Leopard Geckos, 0.1.0 Mad Staffys 1.0.0 Moggie. 1.2.0. Devils in training.
|
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
161 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2009 : 15:45:30
|
Yeah there is a hole but it's not bigg enough for the cable. I may have a look around there must be one designed for smaller homes. Any ideas?
Brads |
[URL=http://www.mybannermaker.com/link.php?nurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mybannermaker.com][/URL] |
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
125 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2009 : 17:14:59
|
| You might be able to make the hole bigger, or just drill one in the bottom :) |
|
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
161 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2009 : 21:16:03
|
Do any of you guys have any pics of your set ups for your babies I could see showing the set up and thermostst if you use one?
If you don't use one how do you get on?
I took my lad to the local shop today to see if he was ok handling a snake. He was fine with the baby but a bit scared of the adult, but he'll get there!
Brads |
[URL=http://www.mybannermaker.com/link.php?nurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mybannermaker.com][/URL] |
Edited by - n/a on 09/01/2009 21:16:26 |
|
|
|
Tizzy
The Corn Snake Moderator
United Kingdom
1202 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2009 : 23:34:20
|
| Your kids will get used to the snake as it grows, Bit like having kids and getting used to cleaning up puke really, (starts as just milk and gradually gets more minging but you dont really notice). As for the stat pics er mine are in a wooden viv so it's hard to show really but didn't someone post some pics recently? |
3.2.0 corns 0.3.1 Leopard Geckos, 0.1.0 Mad Staffys 1.0.0 Moggie. 1.2.0. Devils in training.
|
|
|
|
Topic |
|
Topic Locked
