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Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I get a corn snake?

There are many good stores selling corn snakes out there. Check out www.yell.com to find your local pet stores.

Where can I buy mice?

You can buy frozen mice from most local pet stores and there are also online suppliers which often work out most cost effective.

My snake is not eating! What do I do?

If your snake is very young, it may still be living off of its yolk and will not eat for a week or so so don’t panic.

If your snake has just moved in, do not try to feed it until a day or so after – it needs to settle in.

Your snake may be due to shed. When snakes prepare to shed it is common for them to hide away for a couple of weeks. During this time, their vision becomes very impaired and so as a form of protection, they hide away from possible predators.

My corn snake has escaped! What do I do?

Snakes are escape artists so beware! If you have the misfortune of your corn escaping then follow these points:

  1. Seal off the room so that it can not get out if it is still in.

  2. Check warm areas of the room such as behind radiators, under electrical appliances etc. Snakes are cold blooded which means they rely on other sources of heat to keep warm.

  3. Leave a mouse in the centre of the room on a plate surrounded by a ring of talcum powder. Place the plate on a plastic carrier bag. This way, at night, if the corn snake comes to get the food, you will hear the bag crackle. If you do not hear it, the talcum powder may help you identify where the snake went after its meal.

How big should the vivarium be?

As a general rule, the size of the enclosure should be at least roughly the same length of the snake in length and half the snakes length in width. A full grown corn snake would be happy in a 3 foot (36 inch) vivarium.

What do I need to put in the vivarium?

Corn snakes need a large water bowl (big enough to bathe in), substrate (eg wood chips, astro turf, newspaper etc), two hides (one on the warm side and one on the cool side of the vivarium), a heat source (eg heat mat), a thermometer, a mat stat.

For more information on a lot of these topics, see the care sheet or visit the forum.