The humble corn snake is a moderately sized reptile native to the southeastern United States. They are incredibly important to their local environments and have the essential job of keeping the population of various rodents at bay. Within recent years, they have crawled into the hearts and homes of many pet lovers, and become common companion animals. To help you understand their appeal, here are some of the ways corn snakes make great pets for a variety of people.
They Have Great Temperaments
Corn snakes are one of the most commonly kept snakes in the pet world. This is largely due to their highly stable, docile temperaments. Contrary to popular belief, many snakes are not typically aggressive animals that seek out conflict. If they feel threatened and uncomfortable, they would much rather hide than attack something. This makes them very amicable towards their human companions and tolerant of handling.
To ensure that your snake grows up with an optimal, confident, docile temperament, it is important to socialize it when it is young. Be sure to handle it frequently if it is not already visibly stressed.
Are Relatively Easy to Care For
The ease of caring for snakes compared to many traditional pets (such as dogs, cats, and even small mammals) is a huge draw for many new reptile keepers. They don’t need to be taken for walks, require constant attention, or constant enrichment. You won’t have to worry about this animal tearing up your furniture or eliminating wastes around your house, and they can generally travel with little to no issue.
With that being said, snakes still do certainly require some care and interaction. While they do feed infrequently, they still do require around three appropriately sized prey items a month. These animals also certainly need regular cleanings around their enclosure. Specifically, they will need a spot cleaning when you notice something that shouldn’t be there and a deeper cleaning about every two months. The basic steps to deep cleaning your snake’s enclosure include:
- Removing your reptile and putting it in a clean, temporary enclosure.
- Take out any decor/accessories and sanitize them in a 10% bleach solution. Rinse and dry.
- Discard all bedding.
- Clean tank with a specially formulated reptile enclosure cleaner or soap and water and scrub all surfaces.
- Allow to dry. Replace substrate, accessories, and introduce your animal back to its clean enclosure.
And Can fit in Almost any Home
Captive bred corn snakes for sale are known for their manageable size, weighing in at around a pound and growing to around 3-5 feet as adults. Because of this, it is recommended to house juvenile snakes in a 10 gallon tank, and move it to a 20-30 gallon tank as an adult.
Their size makes them ideal for apartment living, transportation, and generally any situation where it would be beneficial to have a smaller animal.
Final Thoughts on Corn Snakes as Pets
Overall corn snakes can make excellent pets with proper preparation and care. If you are looking for corn snakes for sale, we would always recommend seeking out an ethical breeder that properly cares for their animals.
