How to Care for a Corn Snake

by Hannah

                If you are a beginner corn snake owner and you don’t know how to care for one, then these steps will teach you how to care for a corn snake or for any non- venomous snake.

                First, you need supplies for a corn snake. I suggest a tank about 10-12 gallons, a warmer stone, food (frozen pinkies-pinkies are baby mice-will do), a lid for the tank, clasps to keep the tank closed tight because a corn snake will escape, a hide for the corn snake to hide in, water source, and mulch.

                Second, you need to clean the tank. First, you will need cleaning supplies. I will suggest that you use a wash cloth, wet and dry, and soap. Then, you pick a day of the week because you only need one day of the week to clean the tank. You use the soap and wet wash cloth to clean inside and outside the tank. After that, you use the dry wash cloth to dry the tank.

                Next, you will have to set up the tank for your corn snake. You pick a good spot for the tank (in an area where you can see it mostly all the time). Then, you put the mulch in the tank creating ground for the corn snake. After you put in the mulch in the tank, you can put in the hide, the water source, and a warmer stone. Finally, after you put all this stuff in the tank for your corn snake, you need a lid, but before you put the lid on top, you got to put your corn snake in the tank, and then you put the lid on the tank, locking the tank using clasps.

                                Finally, you will have to pick a day to feed for your corn snake. First, you let the frozen pinkies thaw warm water, so that they are room temperature. Then, you put the corn snake into another container (it could be a paper bag), for feeding. You never want to feed your snake in the same place it lives, as it could attack you when you put your hand in to hold it or clean its cage.  After that, you put the thawed pinkies in the paper bag and close the paper bag. Finally, after your corn snake is done eating, you put your corn snake back into the tank.

                I hope this helps you in your decision to own a corn snake and know how very easy they are to care for.

NOTE: (from mother) while Hannah would love to own a snake, we own a dog who would willingly kill said snake. So while she has handled as many snakes as she can as often as she can and has learned as much as she can to care for snake when she gets one, at present she does not own said snake. When said event occurs, she will probably make changes to this How To article.