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Corn Snake Care Sheet |
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nocturnal, semi-terrestrial/arboreal, carnivorous ~
Size:
Corn snakes
usually get, depending on the type, from 3' to 5', with the males being
slightly larger.
Life Span:
The
record for the longevity of a corn snake was 32 years and 3 months.
However, it usually takes a low-stressed, happy corn snake to live over
20 years.
Housing:
Corn snakes as babies
(10'' to roughly 16'') can happily be housed in a 10 gallon
aquarium. Of course, the same with most animals, the bigger the
better. For an adult a 30 gallon long should be good. For every
extra snake, add 5 gallons. There should be a hiding spot
your snake can fit in but shouldn't be too big, the snake should
comfortably fit in it. I use a small water bowl with a large base and
cut a small hole in the bottom so it doubles in efficiency or a toilet
paper roll works good until they get about 25''. The water
bowl should also be large enough for the snake to roll up in it.
It can also have a basking spot, however the need for one is debatable.
The temperature should stay around 80 during day and 70 at night.
Substrate:
Corns don't require as
high of humidity as other snakes, so you may use cypress mulch,
aspen, or astroturf. Cypress will help them shed and they can
hide under it. Aspen is cheaper, but doesn't hold the smell as
well. Also, lots of bacteria grows in wet aspen, so be sure to
not spray it. Astroturf looks nice, but must be cleaned often;
whenever it's defecated on or water is spilled. I would keep a
couple sheets handy, and don't put snakes over 4' on it. This is
because their weight will push their bellies into it, causing
too much friction. I had a ball python get a nasty scale rot on
its belly because this stuff. The snakes that I keep it on, I
put down paper towels in their hide. That seems to work fine.
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