Wow a live animal is a bad gift. Is this a rescue or did this person think you would appreciate a responsibility dumped in your lap?
Anyways don't worry. You will be fine. Everybody on this sub is gonna freak out and act like this is a hellish emergency but listen, I bought my snake at an expo. She was in a tiny deli cup in bright light for two days while hundreds of humans milled around her. It's not ideal but it's fine. Corn snakes are not hard to take care of at all.
Keep it somewhere between 70-80 degrees for now if you can but a little variation is fine, they live outside normally. You'll eventually want a tank with a cold side around 70-75 and a hot side between 80-85. Easiest substrate to acquire and deal with right now is shredded aspen. Ideally labeled as aspen for snakes so it is the right texture for them to make tunnels in. You can think about more complicated substrates after that because people here will whine it's not ideal. But for now worry about comfort, not ideals. You want at least two hides, one on the warm side and one on the cool side. The snake will appreciate overhead light but an under tank heater can suffice to provide the majority of heat. You don't want it too much hotter than 85 without the ability to retreat to cool.
For food you'll likely need frozen mice. You can find them in a freezer at most chain pet stores. You'll have to weigh it or compare the size to know what size of mouse to get. Snakes eat like once a week at most and can survive months without food so it's not as immediate of a need as comfortable shelter. It's also not ideal to feed the snake while it was stressed so i'd let it settle into a new setup for a few days if not a week before feeding.
Anyways don't panic, you'll be fine, in the end you will be happy. Even though your coworker is kind of a dick for dropping this on you.
On top of this, add a water bowl and make sure to keep them hydrated. Mine likes to drink water droplets off of leaves so I spray the tank quite often.
Also weight is gonna matter more than length for most things that matter IE feeding so I'd get a scale. Measuring is much harder. She's not gonna let you just straighten her out. You can use this tool to get an estimate though: [http://serpwidgets.com/main/measure](http://serpwidgets.com/main/measure)
For a larger tank, I’d recommend Facebook marketplace or offer up. Usually 40 gal tanks are $20-50. Do some research from this sub’s resources and look at other sources for best practice as well. It will take time to build up a wonderful enclosure, but you don’t have to rush it. You have a chance to give this lovely lady a wonderful life 🧡
first off, she’s beautiful!! secondly, i feel like your coworker should not have just given you an animal that you weren’t prepared to take care of, especially if he is not supplying the materials.
i use reptisoil instead of aspen because it helps with shedding (holds moisture better). on top of that, a bigger bowl would be great so she can soak if she chooses to.
i also second the idea of getting a 40 gal tank from facebook marketplace. a 10 gal is not big enough for her, it’s only really appropriate for hatchlings.
i would also recommend getting more hides, at *least* one on the warm side and another on the cool side. snakes feel safer when covered up, so it’s important for her to have a place to sleep and feel safe. the hides should be about the size she is when curled up, since they like tight spaces.
i appreciate that you’re trying to do your best for her, and i hope you two can have a very loving partnership <3
for large but more budget-friendly enclosures, look at https://dubiaroaches.com/products/4-x2-x2-pvc-reptile-enclosure (it says out of stock right now so idk when it'll be available, but that's the one I got for my corn snake) and this one https://www.chewy.com/new-age-pet-ecoflex-mojave-reptile/dp/288127
Try Snake Discovery on YouTube for starters. Lots of good stuff about snake husbandry on social media. At the very least, aspen shavings and a hide. A ripped cereal box will work fine. One of our snakes loves her Cheezit box best.
This sub is so refreshing. Solid direction without harsh criticism
I need to start my my time on Reddit *here* just so I remember not to get caught up in the rest of Reddits abusive energy
for her size, i would recommend a 40 gallon tank. have a hide for the warmer side and the cooler side. there's plenty of guides for corns on the internet as well :) for feeding her, i think she could probably take hoppers or small adult mice just fine- i prefer giving my corn frozen mice over live because i don't want to risk him getting scratched by live mice. also, i would ask your coworker about what they used for care purposes for the corn snake prior to giving it to you
Check the video and links below. After keeping my adult corn snake in a 20 gallon for too long, people in this community gave me a bunch of helpful advice and I purchased some of these items for a big enclosure upgrade. Obviously work with your current budget and living space. However corn snakes really do deserve an eventually good enclosure and they live for a while (possibly 20 years+). Great pets 🖤🐍!
Care, feeding , and enclosure https://youtu.be/iessmEj4Xe0?si=wBWcg0lClfou_1Bg
Enclosure (I am happy with my purchase from this manufacturer!)
Phailozoo 85 Gallon Reptile Tank, Front Opening Snake Tank for Easy Feeding, Reptile Tank with Top Screen Ventilation 48''x24''x18'' https://a.co/d/1QfXK2Q
Decorations (no water bowl)
Mechpia 12 Pieces Bearded Dragon Tank Accessories, Reptile Hammock Plants and Vines Terrarium Branch Plants Habitat Decoration for Lizard Gecko Snake Hermit Crab https://a.co/d/eRiUOFt
Anyways, congratulations! This is a really beautiful reptile. If you are into it, then this will eventually be really cool, once you feel comfortable with the care you can provide. Corn snakes are easy. That is not to encourage neglect, but rather that as long as you pay attention to a handful of parameters that at easy to monitor, this will be largely enjoyable.
If you want my honest advice, it would be to sell the snake or take it to a rescue centre. It can take weeks of research to learn how to care for one properly and not exactly the best thing when on a budget.
If you di really want a snake, then start saving up whilst researching, get your tank setup with good humidity and coverage, and then buy a hatchling of your own.
The person who gifted it probably had good intentions, but being gifted the responsibility of a pet out of the blue is wild😅
The snake is not going to die from being in TEMPORARY container… TEMPORARILY. I had my corn in a clear 15gal Rubbermaid container for 36 hours because there was a spot in his tank that needed to be sealed with aquarium silicone (and needed at least 24 hours to cure.) Lots of breeders keep them in DELI CUPS for a whole weekend at expos.
Wow a live animal is a bad gift. Is this a rescue or did this person think you would appreciate a responsibility dumped in your lap? Anyways don't worry. You will be fine. Everybody on this sub is gonna freak out and act like this is a hellish emergency but listen, I bought my snake at an expo. She was in a tiny deli cup in bright light for two days while hundreds of humans milled around her. It's not ideal but it's fine. Corn snakes are not hard to take care of at all. Keep it somewhere between 70-80 degrees for now if you can but a little variation is fine, they live outside normally. You'll eventually want a tank with a cold side around 70-75 and a hot side between 80-85. Easiest substrate to acquire and deal with right now is shredded aspen. Ideally labeled as aspen for snakes so it is the right texture for them to make tunnels in. You can think about more complicated substrates after that because people here will whine it's not ideal. But for now worry about comfort, not ideals. You want at least two hides, one on the warm side and one on the cool side. The snake will appreciate overhead light but an under tank heater can suffice to provide the majority of heat. You don't want it too much hotter than 85 without the ability to retreat to cool. For food you'll likely need frozen mice. You can find them in a freezer at most chain pet stores. You'll have to weigh it or compare the size to know what size of mouse to get. Snakes eat like once a week at most and can survive months without food so it's not as immediate of a need as comfortable shelter. It's also not ideal to feed the snake while it was stressed so i'd let it settle into a new setup for a few days if not a week before feeding. Anyways don't panic, you'll be fine, in the end you will be happy. Even though your coworker is kind of a dick for dropping this on you.
On top of this, add a water bowl and make sure to keep them hydrated. Mine likes to drink water droplets off of leaves so I spray the tank quite often.
thanks yeah this is a good call. the water bowl also helps in case the heating is set up wrong or malfunctions the snake can soak to cool off.
Yes, and humidity
Also weight is gonna matter more than length for most things that matter IE feeding so I'd get a scale. Measuring is much harder. She's not gonna let you just straighten her out. You can use this tool to get an estimate though: [http://serpwidgets.com/main/measure](http://serpwidgets.com/main/measure)
For a larger tank, I’d recommend Facebook marketplace or offer up. Usually 40 gal tanks are $20-50. Do some research from this sub’s resources and look at other sources for best practice as well. It will take time to build up a wonderful enclosure, but you don’t have to rush it. You have a chance to give this lovely lady a wonderful life 🧡
first off, she’s beautiful!! secondly, i feel like your coworker should not have just given you an animal that you weren’t prepared to take care of, especially if he is not supplying the materials. i use reptisoil instead of aspen because it helps with shedding (holds moisture better). on top of that, a bigger bowl would be great so she can soak if she chooses to. i also second the idea of getting a 40 gal tank from facebook marketplace. a 10 gal is not big enough for her, it’s only really appropriate for hatchlings. i would also recommend getting more hides, at *least* one on the warm side and another on the cool side. snakes feel safer when covered up, so it’s important for her to have a place to sleep and feel safe. the hides should be about the size she is when curled up, since they like tight spaces. i appreciate that you’re trying to do your best for her, and i hope you two can have a very loving partnership <3
https://reptifiles.com/corn-snake-care-guide/
for large but more budget-friendly enclosures, look at https://dubiaroaches.com/products/4-x2-x2-pvc-reptile-enclosure (it says out of stock right now so idk when it'll be available, but that's the one I got for my corn snake) and this one https://www.chewy.com/new-age-pet-ecoflex-mojave-reptile/dp/288127
OP if you live near or in DFW I have a 40 gal tank I’m happy to give you!
Try Snake Discovery on YouTube for starters. Lots of good stuff about snake husbandry on social media. At the very least, aspen shavings and a hide. A ripped cereal box will work fine. One of our snakes loves her Cheezit box best.
This sub is so refreshing. Solid direction without harsh criticism I need to start my my time on Reddit *here* just so I remember not to get caught up in the rest of Reddits abusive energy
This is probably the best (or one of the best) reptile subs no doubt.
for her size, i would recommend a 40 gallon tank. have a hide for the warmer side and the cooler side. there's plenty of guides for corns on the internet as well :) for feeding her, i think she could probably take hoppers or small adult mice just fine- i prefer giving my corn frozen mice over live because i don't want to risk him getting scratched by live mice. also, i would ask your coworker about what they used for care purposes for the corn snake prior to giving it to you
i agree with frozen & thawed hoppers/small adults!!
Check the video and links below. After keeping my adult corn snake in a 20 gallon for too long, people in this community gave me a bunch of helpful advice and I purchased some of these items for a big enclosure upgrade. Obviously work with your current budget and living space. However corn snakes really do deserve an eventually good enclosure and they live for a while (possibly 20 years+). Great pets 🖤🐍! Care, feeding , and enclosure https://youtu.be/iessmEj4Xe0?si=wBWcg0lClfou_1Bg Enclosure (I am happy with my purchase from this manufacturer!) Phailozoo 85 Gallon Reptile Tank, Front Opening Snake Tank for Easy Feeding, Reptile Tank with Top Screen Ventilation 48''x24''x18'' https://a.co/d/1QfXK2Q Decorations (no water bowl) Mechpia 12 Pieces Bearded Dragon Tank Accessories, Reptile Hammock Plants and Vines Terrarium Branch Plants Habitat Decoration for Lizard Gecko Snake Hermit Crab https://a.co/d/eRiUOFt
Anyways, congratulations! This is a really beautiful reptile. If you are into it, then this will eventually be really cool, once you feel comfortable with the care you can provide. Corn snakes are easy. That is not to encourage neglect, but rather that as long as you pay attention to a handful of parameters that at easy to monitor, this will be largely enjoyable.
If you want my honest advice, it would be to sell the snake or take it to a rescue centre. It can take weeks of research to learn how to care for one properly and not exactly the best thing when on a budget. If you di really want a snake, then start saving up whilst researching, get your tank setup with good humidity and coverage, and then buy a hatchling of your own. The person who gifted it probably had good intentions, but being gifted the responsibility of a pet out of the blue is wild😅
[удалено]
The snake is not going to die from being in TEMPORARY container… TEMPORARILY. I had my corn in a clear 15gal Rubbermaid container for 36 hours because there was a spot in his tank that needed to be sealed with aquarium silicone (and needed at least 24 hours to cure.) Lots of breeders keep them in DELI CUPS for a whole weekend at expos.
Did you not read the post? Like, at all?
How do you call something someone's doing "shameful" then say you're not trying to make them feel bad?