Post by Lee on Mar 29, 2007 14:58:57 GMT 1
Introduction
The corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus) is a medium sized snake which are part of a group of snakes called colubrids which are a group of non venomous snakes…corn snakes are increasingly popular as pets due to their small size and general calm nature with exceptions to some individuals and nervous animals and feed well in captivity usually being quite greedy feeders too which is a plus sign for the beginner keeper in which can be a worrying time for any keeper when a snakes showing reluctance to eat particularly when it’s a young individual but in some cases there are some stubborn feeders but with time,patience and sourcing the problem it should sort itself out, being non venomous aggression is its only defence in which it rattles its tail against any loose terrain which mimics the deadly rattlesnakes (Crotalus species) and most animals are familiar in that area to the rattle that means ‘danger’ so the animal is left alone or striking at predators is another deterrent.
corn snakes get their names from they are usually found in cornfields where they hunt the rodents and other small animals that inhabit their environments ,they are overpowered by constriction in which all non venomous do to dispatch of prey and the animal soon slips away due to asphyxiation(lack of oxygen) before it is eaten by the snake but being opportunist feeders they will eat rodents,frogs,birds,small lizards and even other snakes(even each other!!!!!)
Corn snakes are closely related to the north American rat snakes that also share their home area which are the obsoleta species and the similar looking great plains rat snake(elaphe emoryi) and are also very popular captives.
Distribution
the corn snake originates from north America where they inhabit grasslands,moutain areas and woodland areas where they seek refuge in burrows and crevices during times of inactivity to keep away from predators and to keep out the sun with them being crespular animals(active only when light levels are low) and seek heat from rocks, being cold blooded which means they are unable to regulate their own body they have to find other means of warming up they do this by basking on warm rocks that have been warmed by the sun during the day or warm roads .
Different colourations occur in corn snakes from different areas which is of great interest to snake keepers…they vary from thick lines bordering the saddles to a silvery colouration near the saddles of the corn snake but is does take a good eye to notice the types particularly when younger where the colour should be more noticeable as they get more mature but with the variety out there…there is a colour that every keeper will like the look of.
Appearance and size
The corn snake is a thick bodied snake with a large arrow shaped head usually with a few head markings which vary with individual snakes and body markings and patterning are variable and dependant on type/morph.
corn snakes attain lengths of 4ft -5ft but 6ft and larger specimens are heard of quite occasionally so are a very easily managed species for anyone wanting to keep pet snakes and their care is quite straightforward so is a perfect snake for the starting out keeper.
corn snakes come in many different patterning and colorations which is another plus to deciding on corn snakes as a pet as due to many breeders all around the world concentrating their efforts on these snakes many morphs are available direct from breeders or through pet shops and shows so doing a little searching through photos or the variety available near you so you are able to find the type you really like and bring you many years of happiness
The more common varieties are listed below which are available at many pet shops as are many unusual types and patterning….
Amelanistic
Amelanism is a recessive trait and causes an absence in the dark pigment melanin, removing the black colour, leaving reds, oranges and yellows.
As they are a type of albinism they have red eyes.
selective bred examples of this gene include reverse okeetee,sunglow,candycane and opal(amelanistic lavender)
Anerythristic
Sometimes shortened to anery, or anna, this recessive gene causes an absence in red pigmentation, making them darker in appearance. Hatchlings can appear to be black and white, but as the snake grows older these can fade to grey and brown colours, with a yellow pigment often present on the snakes head and neck.
Normal/Classic
This type of corn snake is the 'wild-type' patterning, where they exhibit high amounts of red, black and orange and they are a great corn snake (some prefer natural colourations as opposed to morphs made through selective breeding), but even in this category there are variations - with differences like the 'Okeetee', which has broad black outlines to the saddles, and the 'Miami', which has a lovely silver/grey background colour but the more commoner variety of normal corn snakes are referred to as the 'Carolina' corn snake
Snow
snow is a combination of anery and amelanistic which results in a snake that lacks both dark and red pigments leaving a snake of an overall white colour with red eyes.
theres many varieties of snows in which their saddles range in colouration such as yellow, pink(referred to as the strawberry/bubblegum type) and green(referred to as green blotched)
selective bred examples of this type include coral snows(hypomelanistic pink phase) and blizzards
Striped
the animal has broad longitudinal dorsal stripes going all the way down its body.
Motley
motley types have dot like markings going all the way down their body...variations of this type include 'cubed' motley in which the markings are squared in shape and 'hurricane' where the motley pattern has blushing surrounding them.
another trait to the motleys is a clear white belly area
Hypomelanism
The darker melanin is reduced making the appearance of the animal much lighter overall, this is again a recessive trait
These are terms often used in explaining the genetics of corn snakes through breeding :
Heterozygous
Also shortened to 'het', this means any animal is carrying a recessive gene/trait without showing the characteristics of the morph as its inherited from one of the parents and the percentage sometimes attached with this phrase is that of the chance the animal contains that hidden gene
(applies to many other snakes, not just corn snakes)
Homozygous
This means the snake has two copies of the desired trait, and it is therefore displayed in the phenotype, or appearance, of the snake as it has inherited a copy from both parents and is displaying the morph
cross breeds
in captivity cornsnakes are crossed with other snake speices such as ratsnakes(copper,harvest,creamsicle) and kingsnakes and milksnakes(jungle) even with Pituophis(desert and rodeo corns)
housing in captivity
Corn snake housing is relatively easy to get and set up and a large range of housing is available for snakes in many pet shops today….security is one of the most important things when considering your snakes housing as corn snakes are very good escape artists and very clever/inquisitive to the slightest hole/gap left and is amazing how little they are able to squeeze through.
Wooden vivariums are a good cage for adult corn snakes being very securely built and with only the front viewable it has a calming effect on nervous/new snakes as it gives them a sense of security and with vents fitted allows good air circulation as well as coming in many different sizes
Plastic housing such as geoflats,conticos,large boxes are also used with high success with keeping corn snakes as they also have the advantage of variety of sizes and secure fitting lids many of which are clipped from the outside which means the snake cannot open it from inside the cage or try and squeeze out
Glass tanks used in fish keeping are very ill fitting with regards to lids and don’t really allow much air circulation but there are ranges that are suitable for reptiles like the perfecto range
A good sized vivarium for a large sized corn snake of up to 6ft in length would be a 3ft long cage but large conticos and other housing has been used successfully of which a good substrate needs to be used and is really up to personal preference to what to use but substrates such as newspaper, aspen and shop bought bark are very popular but is worth looking out for with particle substrate such as small wood chips as they are very easily swallowed while feeding and can cause real problems to the snake even fatally injuring it so putting kitchen towel on top of the substrate during feeding days are good to prevent such happenings.
Although many breeders/keepers keep their corn snakes in pairs or more with spacious surroundings and living well together it is best to keep corn snakes separately housed to check its health and feeding well in your care and as snakes are very solitary animals in the wild it is most probably your better choice of housing arrangements
Heating the cage is either by heat mat or headlamp(heat bulbs or CHE(ceramic heater) of which must be controlled by a thermostat that is designed to control such equipment(pulse is best as high load and perfect for controlling non light emitting equipment and can be used to heat multiple cages dependant on wattage output) and if using bulbs a guard must be fitted….both of which will stop your snake sustaining injuries or overheating both of which are extremely fatal and with heat mats make sure there is an air gap to allow efficient heating and use of the heat mat and to prevent malfunctioning of equipment…corn snakes do well at a temperature of 80-85f with a drop to 78f at night and room humidity is fine as well as the water bowl being put nearer the hot end of your cage
The interior of the cage is up to personal preference with regards to decoration but good additions include secure branches as although corn snakes mainly are ground dwelling as wild animals they do enjoy the occasional climb if provided and cork bark and bits of wood make good hiding places for snakes but make sure all are free from sharp edges which could injure the snake and stable enough to hold the snakes weight comfortably and treated with miltons or any reptile disinfectants proir to be put back in the cage after thourough washing afterwards to kill germs and to keep your snake healthy and a good sized waterbowl that is big enough for a snake to submerge is another good addition to the terrarium(dog bowls are good for adult snakes as difficult to tip and very easy to clean)
Food and feeding
Corn snakes are easily got into feeding on defrosted mice at hatchling stage and are greedy feeders so are generally not a problem and feeding from frozen is cheaper to buy as are available in many sizes and theres no danger of injury or suffering to the rodent if it was alive.
Defrosting before feeding can be done in many ways like defrosting them in a warm place naturally or submerging them in warm water until defrosted then dried which also has an advantage of raising the body heat of the prey
most snakes will take the food item if you wiggle it with a pair of forceps(you can risk being bitten if using your fingers) until the snake grabs it which is called ‘’strike feeding’’ whereas others prefer to feed off the ground of in the privacy of their hide box.
In some cases you get the odd reluctant feeder which will not take the mice/rats easily so hers a few pointers:
*braining the rodent which involves splitting the rodents skull and exposing the brain and the snake upon smelling this should take it with no problems
*splitting the stomach which involves splitting it and it does the same purpose as skull splitting
*washing the rodent and handling it as little as possible could be another way to get it feeding as it might smell you on there
*scenting it with chick or mouse in the case of rats could trigger a feeding response or rubbing lizard skin on there as snakes are opportunist feeders in the wild so worth a try to the captives
Once these methods have been exhausted pre killed is another option with the above methods used then and after this has been exhausted assist feeding and should only be attempted as a last resort as can cause added stress to the snake may be an option but all the above methods have proved successful so you should have no problems.
Handling your snake
When first acquiring a young cornsnake try and resist the temptation of handling the snake until it is feeding regular and it has fully settled into its new environment, some cornsnakes can be a little nervous when you handle them for the first time and shake their tail and strike but take things slowly and they calm down to accept handling very well but like everything you do the odd exception which is down to the individual really(like people)which can be aggressive and not take to handling as well as you’d hoped
Its best not to handle snakes 48 hours after a feed too as to not risk regurgitation or not being confident in handling the snake as you can risk injuring the snake even a fall from a small height can still hurt a snake
The best way to handle a snake of their size is to support the snakes body at two places and gently let it glide between your hands freely, don’t hold them too tightly as you can cause it injuries like bruising and hold it as you would feel comfortable
Sexing your snake
Some breeders and experienced keepers can tell the snakes sex by tail length or popping the tails when they are a few days old or more but this should only be carried out by experienced keepers or reptile vets because in the wrong hands or done after that period you risk harming your snake and damaging the hermiphene in male snakes but the almost 100% way to definitely sex your snake is probing, this also should only be carried out by experienced keepers or reptile vets as again can cause serious injury or damage which ultimately could kill your snake in which involves a blunt steel rod being inserted into the cloaca/vent of your snake and depending how many sub caudal scales it goes up will determine the sex of your snake.
The corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus) is a medium sized snake which are part of a group of snakes called colubrids which are a group of non venomous snakes…corn snakes are increasingly popular as pets due to their small size and general calm nature with exceptions to some individuals and nervous animals and feed well in captivity usually being quite greedy feeders too which is a plus sign for the beginner keeper in which can be a worrying time for any keeper when a snakes showing reluctance to eat particularly when it’s a young individual but in some cases there are some stubborn feeders but with time,patience and sourcing the problem it should sort itself out, being non venomous aggression is its only defence in which it rattles its tail against any loose terrain which mimics the deadly rattlesnakes (Crotalus species) and most animals are familiar in that area to the rattle that means ‘danger’ so the animal is left alone or striking at predators is another deterrent.
corn snakes get their names from they are usually found in cornfields where they hunt the rodents and other small animals that inhabit their environments ,they are overpowered by constriction in which all non venomous do to dispatch of prey and the animal soon slips away due to asphyxiation(lack of oxygen) before it is eaten by the snake but being opportunist feeders they will eat rodents,frogs,birds,small lizards and even other snakes(even each other!!!!!)
Corn snakes are closely related to the north American rat snakes that also share their home area which are the obsoleta species and the similar looking great plains rat snake(elaphe emoryi) and are also very popular captives.
Distribution
the corn snake originates from north America where they inhabit grasslands,moutain areas and woodland areas where they seek refuge in burrows and crevices during times of inactivity to keep away from predators and to keep out the sun with them being crespular animals(active only when light levels are low) and seek heat from rocks, being cold blooded which means they are unable to regulate their own body they have to find other means of warming up they do this by basking on warm rocks that have been warmed by the sun during the day or warm roads .
Different colourations occur in corn snakes from different areas which is of great interest to snake keepers…they vary from thick lines bordering the saddles to a silvery colouration near the saddles of the corn snake but is does take a good eye to notice the types particularly when younger where the colour should be more noticeable as they get more mature but with the variety out there…there is a colour that every keeper will like the look of.
Appearance and size
The corn snake is a thick bodied snake with a large arrow shaped head usually with a few head markings which vary with individual snakes and body markings and patterning are variable and dependant on type/morph.
corn snakes attain lengths of 4ft -5ft but 6ft and larger specimens are heard of quite occasionally so are a very easily managed species for anyone wanting to keep pet snakes and their care is quite straightforward so is a perfect snake for the starting out keeper.
corn snakes come in many different patterning and colorations which is another plus to deciding on corn snakes as a pet as due to many breeders all around the world concentrating their efforts on these snakes many morphs are available direct from breeders or through pet shops and shows so doing a little searching through photos or the variety available near you so you are able to find the type you really like and bring you many years of happiness
The more common varieties are listed below which are available at many pet shops as are many unusual types and patterning….
Amelanistic
Amelanism is a recessive trait and causes an absence in the dark pigment melanin, removing the black colour, leaving reds, oranges and yellows.
As they are a type of albinism they have red eyes.
selective bred examples of this gene include reverse okeetee,sunglow,candycane and opal(amelanistic lavender)
Anerythristic
Sometimes shortened to anery, or anna, this recessive gene causes an absence in red pigmentation, making them darker in appearance. Hatchlings can appear to be black and white, but as the snake grows older these can fade to grey and brown colours, with a yellow pigment often present on the snakes head and neck.
Normal/Classic
This type of corn snake is the 'wild-type' patterning, where they exhibit high amounts of red, black and orange and they are a great corn snake (some prefer natural colourations as opposed to morphs made through selective breeding), but even in this category there are variations - with differences like the 'Okeetee', which has broad black outlines to the saddles, and the 'Miami', which has a lovely silver/grey background colour but the more commoner variety of normal corn snakes are referred to as the 'Carolina' corn snake
Snow
snow is a combination of anery and amelanistic which results in a snake that lacks both dark and red pigments leaving a snake of an overall white colour with red eyes.
theres many varieties of snows in which their saddles range in colouration such as yellow, pink(referred to as the strawberry/bubblegum type) and green(referred to as green blotched)
selective bred examples of this type include coral snows(hypomelanistic pink phase) and blizzards
Striped
the animal has broad longitudinal dorsal stripes going all the way down its body.
Motley
motley types have dot like markings going all the way down their body...variations of this type include 'cubed' motley in which the markings are squared in shape and 'hurricane' where the motley pattern has blushing surrounding them.
another trait to the motleys is a clear white belly area
Hypomelanism
The darker melanin is reduced making the appearance of the animal much lighter overall, this is again a recessive trait
These are terms often used in explaining the genetics of corn snakes through breeding :
Heterozygous
Also shortened to 'het', this means any animal is carrying a recessive gene/trait without showing the characteristics of the morph as its inherited from one of the parents and the percentage sometimes attached with this phrase is that of the chance the animal contains that hidden gene
(applies to many other snakes, not just corn snakes)
Homozygous
This means the snake has two copies of the desired trait, and it is therefore displayed in the phenotype, or appearance, of the snake as it has inherited a copy from both parents and is displaying the morph
cross breeds
in captivity cornsnakes are crossed with other snake speices such as ratsnakes(copper,harvest,creamsicle) and kingsnakes and milksnakes(jungle) even with Pituophis(desert and rodeo corns)
housing in captivity
Corn snake housing is relatively easy to get and set up and a large range of housing is available for snakes in many pet shops today….security is one of the most important things when considering your snakes housing as corn snakes are very good escape artists and very clever/inquisitive to the slightest hole/gap left and is amazing how little they are able to squeeze through.
Wooden vivariums are a good cage for adult corn snakes being very securely built and with only the front viewable it has a calming effect on nervous/new snakes as it gives them a sense of security and with vents fitted allows good air circulation as well as coming in many different sizes
Plastic housing such as geoflats,conticos,large boxes are also used with high success with keeping corn snakes as they also have the advantage of variety of sizes and secure fitting lids many of which are clipped from the outside which means the snake cannot open it from inside the cage or try and squeeze out
Glass tanks used in fish keeping are very ill fitting with regards to lids and don’t really allow much air circulation but there are ranges that are suitable for reptiles like the perfecto range
A good sized vivarium for a large sized corn snake of up to 6ft in length would be a 3ft long cage but large conticos and other housing has been used successfully of which a good substrate needs to be used and is really up to personal preference to what to use but substrates such as newspaper, aspen and shop bought bark are very popular but is worth looking out for with particle substrate such as small wood chips as they are very easily swallowed while feeding and can cause real problems to the snake even fatally injuring it so putting kitchen towel on top of the substrate during feeding days are good to prevent such happenings.
Although many breeders/keepers keep their corn snakes in pairs or more with spacious surroundings and living well together it is best to keep corn snakes separately housed to check its health and feeding well in your care and as snakes are very solitary animals in the wild it is most probably your better choice of housing arrangements
Heating the cage is either by heat mat or headlamp(heat bulbs or CHE(ceramic heater) of which must be controlled by a thermostat that is designed to control such equipment(pulse is best as high load and perfect for controlling non light emitting equipment and can be used to heat multiple cages dependant on wattage output) and if using bulbs a guard must be fitted….both of which will stop your snake sustaining injuries or overheating both of which are extremely fatal and with heat mats make sure there is an air gap to allow efficient heating and use of the heat mat and to prevent malfunctioning of equipment…corn snakes do well at a temperature of 80-85f with a drop to 78f at night and room humidity is fine as well as the water bowl being put nearer the hot end of your cage
The interior of the cage is up to personal preference with regards to decoration but good additions include secure branches as although corn snakes mainly are ground dwelling as wild animals they do enjoy the occasional climb if provided and cork bark and bits of wood make good hiding places for snakes but make sure all are free from sharp edges which could injure the snake and stable enough to hold the snakes weight comfortably and treated with miltons or any reptile disinfectants proir to be put back in the cage after thourough washing afterwards to kill germs and to keep your snake healthy and a good sized waterbowl that is big enough for a snake to submerge is another good addition to the terrarium(dog bowls are good for adult snakes as difficult to tip and very easy to clean)
Food and feeding
Corn snakes are easily got into feeding on defrosted mice at hatchling stage and are greedy feeders so are generally not a problem and feeding from frozen is cheaper to buy as are available in many sizes and theres no danger of injury or suffering to the rodent if it was alive.
Defrosting before feeding can be done in many ways like defrosting them in a warm place naturally or submerging them in warm water until defrosted then dried which also has an advantage of raising the body heat of the prey
most snakes will take the food item if you wiggle it with a pair of forceps(you can risk being bitten if using your fingers) until the snake grabs it which is called ‘’strike feeding’’ whereas others prefer to feed off the ground of in the privacy of their hide box.
In some cases you get the odd reluctant feeder which will not take the mice/rats easily so hers a few pointers:
*braining the rodent which involves splitting the rodents skull and exposing the brain and the snake upon smelling this should take it with no problems
*splitting the stomach which involves splitting it and it does the same purpose as skull splitting
*washing the rodent and handling it as little as possible could be another way to get it feeding as it might smell you on there
*scenting it with chick or mouse in the case of rats could trigger a feeding response or rubbing lizard skin on there as snakes are opportunist feeders in the wild so worth a try to the captives
Once these methods have been exhausted pre killed is another option with the above methods used then and after this has been exhausted assist feeding and should only be attempted as a last resort as can cause added stress to the snake may be an option but all the above methods have proved successful so you should have no problems.
Handling your snake
When first acquiring a young cornsnake try and resist the temptation of handling the snake until it is feeding regular and it has fully settled into its new environment, some cornsnakes can be a little nervous when you handle them for the first time and shake their tail and strike but take things slowly and they calm down to accept handling very well but like everything you do the odd exception which is down to the individual really(like people)which can be aggressive and not take to handling as well as you’d hoped
Its best not to handle snakes 48 hours after a feed too as to not risk regurgitation or not being confident in handling the snake as you can risk injuring the snake even a fall from a small height can still hurt a snake
The best way to handle a snake of their size is to support the snakes body at two places and gently let it glide between your hands freely, don’t hold them too tightly as you can cause it injuries like bruising and hold it as you would feel comfortable
Sexing your snake
Some breeders and experienced keepers can tell the snakes sex by tail length or popping the tails when they are a few days old or more but this should only be carried out by experienced keepers or reptile vets because in the wrong hands or done after that period you risk harming your snake and damaging the hermiphene in male snakes but the almost 100% way to definitely sex your snake is probing, this also should only be carried out by experienced keepers or reptile vets as again can cause serious injury or damage which ultimately could kill your snake in which involves a blunt steel rod being inserted into the cloaca/vent of your snake and depending how many sub caudal scales it goes up will determine the sex of your snake.
...means a lot