When I was a boy the neighborhood kid down the street had a corn snake. I had never seen one before and I thought it looked so cool! I didn’t know much about them and wanted to learn more.
If you are thinking about getting your first snake or if you are thinking about getting a pet snake for your son or daughter you may have heard about corn snakes. And you may be asking, “Are corn snakes good pets for beginners?”
As it turns out there is a good reason to consider a corn snake. There are actually many reasons. Corn snakes are considered by many people as, not only a good snake for beginners but the very best snake for beginners. They are easy to care for, usually very docile, and almost never bite. They also tend to be active, tame and easy to handle.
Let’s take a closer look at many of the reasons why they are often at the top of the list for the best beginner snake. We will also include some things to consider before buying your new corn snake.
Before we talk about why corn snakes make such great pets let’s learn a little more about them.
About Corn Snakes
Corn snakes are a north American snake usually found in the eastern United States. They range from New Jersey to Florida, Louisiana and Kentucky. They are actually a type of rat snake. Corn snakes are harmless nonvenomous colubrids that are sometimes mistaken for venomous copperhead snakes.
A natural colored corn snake has reddish colored scales with blotches of tan, brown, and orange, outlined in black. Their bellies have a corn like checkered pattern.
They are usually found in fields, pine and oak woodlands, rocky out crops, barns, abandoned buildings and wood piles. They are often found near human populations because the rodent populations also tend to be higher in those areas.
Some Interesting Facts About Corn Snakes
- How Did They Get Their Name? Many believe the corn snake gets its name because they are often found in or near corn fields. Many also believe it’s because of the corn-like patterns on their belly.
- How Long Do They Live? Corn snakes live about 6-8 years in the wild but can live as long as 15 to even 20 years or more in captivity.
- How Big Do They Get? Corn snakes are a slender snake and usually get about 3-4 feet but some can reach a little over 5 feet.
- What Do They Eat? Corn snakes eat rodents. Usually mice or small rats. They are great for farms and populated areas because they help keep the rodent population down.
Why Corn Snakes Make Great Pets For Beginners
Now that we’ve learned a little about corn snakes lets take a look at why they make such great pet snakes, especially for beginners.
Corn Snakes Are:
- Easy to care for
- Active and fun to watch
- Easy to handle
- A very manageable size
- Almost never bite
- Easy to find
- Available in many colors
- Very affordable
Considerations:
- Can be a little nippy when young
- Can be more active
- They eat rodents
I’ve listed for you many of the reasons corn snakes make such great pet snakes as well as some considerations. Now let’s take a closer look at each one.
Easy To Care For
Corn snakes are very hardy snakes and can tolerate some mistakes when it comes to care. This is one reason they are a great pet for beginners who are just learning how to take care of a snake.
Having said this, it is still strongly recommended that you learn all you can about caring for your new snake. We will not discuss everything you need to know about how to care for a corn snake but will give you enough so you will at least have a good idea.
You Will Need:
- An Enclosure
- A Heat Source
- Water Bowl
- Two hiding places
- Access to food
Corn snakes don’t get very big like other popular pet snakes such as boas and pythons. This is great because you don’t need a large enclosure. You can keep a baby in a small 5-gallon tank and adults will only need a 20-gallon long sized terrarium.
Bigger is better but not required. Make sure you get an enclosure that is specifically made for keeping snakes. Snakes are very good at getting out so you want to make sure your snake can’t escape or you may never see her again. Books piled up on a screen top will not work.
Corn snakes do not have extreme heating requirements but they do need to be kept warm. They are a cold-blooded animal and rely on their environment for heat. It’s best to provide a temperature gradient in their cage with a warm area on one end and a cooler area on the other.
This will allow your snake to “thermal regulate” (move around until they find a temperature that is most comfortable).
This said they will need temperatures of around 70 degrees at night and 85 degrees during the day.
These temps are best achieved using an under-tank heating mat and a thermostat. Be sure to buy one that is specially made for reptiles. Don’t forget the thermostat.
Heating mats have been known to malfunction at times causing them to overheat and harm or possibly kill the snake they are designed to keep warm and healthy.
Even though these products are generally very safe and malfunctioning has become very rare due to better quality products, it is still a good idea to take the extra step to ensure it doesn’t happen.
You can also achieve a warm enough habitat for your snake by using an over the tank heat lamp or some combination of both. If you are planning on setting up a display tank then some kind of overhead light helps, so you can observe your snake as she explores her environment.
It’s a good idea to get a temperature reading device of some kind so you can ensure you are achieving the right temps.
All animals need water even camels. So be sure to provide a water dish for your snake. This is easy to do. Just put a medium sized sturdy bowl in their gage and keep it filled with fresh water. Be sure to change it regularly.
Snakes need a place to retreat to, just like we all do. Haven’t you ever felt like you just wanted to be alone with a little privacy, peace and quiet? Snakes aren’t so different.
It’s important to provide places for your snake to hide because it helps them feel secure and contributes to their health. A stressed snake eventually becomes a sick snake and no one wants that.
Put a small “hide” in your corn snakes cage. It’s actually best to put one on the warm side and one on the cool side. This can be an upside-down shoe box with an opening cut into one side just big enough for your snake to crawl through.
If you don’t like the look of a shoe box, you can make one out of Tupperware or you can buy commercial hides online or at your local pet store.
You will also need convenient access to food. Corn snakes eat rodents. Fortunately, there are a lot of people who keep snakes as pets. Much more than when I first started. This means that rodents can be found more readily.
You will need to feed your corn snake about once a week or so. You can get “feeder” rodents (usually frozen mice) at your local pet store or online. If you are really ambitious you can raise them yourself though this really isn’t necessary. I’ve kept snakes my whole life and still haven’t done that.
You can buy several at a time and just keep them in the freezer until it’s time to feed your snake. This eliminates the need to make several trips to the pet store and makes things much more convenient and hassle free.
Once again, the above information is not meant to be a comprehensive guide on how to take care of your new corn snake but I hope it gives you some idea of what to expect.
It might sound a little complicated but once you get the hang of it it’s really rather simple. When it comes to care corn snakes are one of the easiest if not, the easiest, snakes to take care of. This makes them great for beginners.
People have been keeping snakes as pets for many, many years and you can too.
Active and Fun to Watch
At least one complaint about arguably the most popular pet snake, the ball python, is that they really don’t move around much.
They are active at night (nocturnal) when we are all sleeping. During the day they usually just hang out in their hiding place or lay still hour after hour. This can be frustrating or boring for some people especially children.
This is not he case with corn snakes. They are active during the day (diurnal) and will move around and explore their cage actively. They will do their fair share of laying around, all snakes do, but they will be much more active at times when you want to watch and observe them.
They are fun and interesting to watch which is another reason they make great pet snakes for beginners and especially kids.
Easy to Handle
Corn snakes are easy to handle and generally speaking very docile. They don’t get very big like a boa or python and other large snakes. They are slender, active snakes that accept handling extremely well.
They move around a lot which makes them fun and interesting to handle. Children can usually be taught to handle a corn snake without any concerns for safety for them or for the snake.
A Very Manageable Size
Corn snakes don’t grow to very large sizes. Hatchlings are usually about 8 to 12 inches in length and adults usually reach about 4 or 5 feet.
They are slender, and even a 5-foot corn snake will be much smaller overall compared to a 5-foot ball python. This makes them great for handling as well as easy to house.
Almost Never Bite
One of the most often questions asked when considering a pet snake is, “Will they bite?”
All snakes can bite and some of them do very readily, but not corn snakes.
Once your corn snake is several months to a year old, she will almost never try to bite. Even if they do bite the effect is insignificant. This is not something to worry about in the least. This is also a great reason they make such great pet snakes.
Easy to Find
When I was a boy about 12 or 13 years old, I knew of another kid who was just a little older than I was, who already had a corn snake breeding business!
He was not alone. Corn snakes have been a big part of the reptile hobby for a long, long time. They are a joy to keep and easy to breed.
Because of this they are very available. You can usually find them in pet stores, reptile expos, online or from a local breeder. If there is a pet snake available for sale it will often be a corn snake.
We always recommend buying reptiles from a breeder. They usually start out like you and me just wanting to get a pet snake. The difference with a breeder is that their interest grows and grows to not just keeping their favorite snake but reproducing them as well.
This means they usually care much more about the animals they raise and offer to people, like you and me. In addition, they are usually far more knowledgeable about them than a local pet store, especially the very large chain variety.
If you want to buy a pet snake you will have not trouble at all finding a corn snake.
Available in Many Colors
Since corn snakes are so easy to breed and have been around for a long time, they are also available in a wide variety of colors.
Breeders select specific animals and breed them together so the offspring will visually express uniquely desired genetic traits.
As a result, there are many different colors and patterns available and they are all the same kind of snake. This can be fun and exciting to own something very unique!
Very Affordable
Corn snakes are not only available and easy to find, they are one of the most affordable snakes you can buy. The average prize for a normal looking “wild-type” corn snake is about $40-$50 U.S. dollars. This is extremely affordable for a pet snake.
If you are interested in one of the many colors and pattern variations you could spend $100-$300 dollars.
This is still very affordable compared to color morphs of other popular snakes.
Considerations:
Are you thinking a corn snake is right for you? Before you rush out and buy one there are at least a few things to consider. Let’s take a look at those next.
Can be a Little Nippy When Young
As with most snakes when corn snakes have first hatched, they can be a little bit “nippy”. This means they may try to bite anything that moves. When you are as small as an oversized worm everything wants to eat you.
So, it’s only natural to be a little defensive. This is normal but really not something to worry about. They are so little they could bite you over and over again and you probably won’t even feel it.
With a little time and a little handling, they will calm right down, then you will have a pet snake friend for life.
Having said that this can still be a concern for some people and is something to be aware of.
Can be More Active
Corn snakes are active snakes and will always be exploring when you handle them. This means they will be constantly moving. This can be exciting and enjoyable for some snake owners but can be unnerving for others.
Some people don’t want an active snake. If you are one of those people then a ball python is probably a better choice.
They Eat Rodents
Snakes eat other animals. Your corn snake will eat rodents. This is a natural part of the circle of life and corn snakes play a vital role in keeping rodent populations in check.
Still, some people just don’t want to see it. If you have a difficult time with this then a snake is really not the best choice for a pet.
If you still want a reptile of some kind you may consider a lizard that eats mostly plants like a uromastyx or one that eats very similar foods to us humans like a blue tonged skink. You could also consider a turtle or tortoise.
Conclusion
Are corn snakes good pet snakes for beginners? Many people believe very strongly that they are not only a good pet snake for beginners but the BEST pet snake for beginners or anyone.
If you are thinking of getting a snake as a pet corn snakes are a very good choice.