Ok so I am upgrading my 55g tank to 75 so i will have a 55 open for a corn snake (or 2 if possible) and was just wondering if anyone has any pics of their setups to give me some ideas (any tank size)
Corns snake habitats
- Thread starter FISH4LIFE
- Start date
Well, a 55 is unnessesary (sp?) anyway. Unless you are doing a fancy display and the whole shabang, down size. A 20-30 gallon is plenty big. These snakes like their security. A tight (cork flat) hide and a deep aspen bedding is absolutely wonderful for them. Save that 55 and 75 for an animal that will fully utilize it. Or maybe put dividers if you like, but it will make the heat gradient pretty difficult to get just right.
loconorc, can you read and think first before jumping to conclusion? You are coming off as an "know-it-all" that read up on too many Internet sources. He didn't ask which is the best enclosure size, and a corn snake will utilize the entire 4' of space anyway seeing that they are an average of 3 to 4 feet with a recorded length of between 5 and 6 feet. However it is better to start them off in tubs until they are big enough to handle the openness of a large glass box.
Even then, depending on where you live, some local laws have issue with reptile husbandry as a result of too many bad owners keeping snakes in enclosures 1/5 or 1/4 of their total length. I have seen laws that range from a minimum of 3/4 of the length to a minimum of 1.5 times the length of the snake itself as a requirement of their enclosures.
To FISH4LIFE:
If you want to keep them in a 55 gallon, go ahead. There are lot of successful Corn owners out there with those kind of setups. I am more partial to the rubbermaid method myself. Housing more than one is not recommended since it can be difficult to keep track of them, and sometimes they would cannibalize through an overpowered feeding response.
I kept my Corns with papertowel substrate, a couple of plastic saucers as hides and a glazed saucer as a waterbowl in tubs. I haven't set them up for aquariums before... so I can't really give you any idea as far as display and decors.
Even then, depending on where you live, some local laws have issue with reptile husbandry as a result of too many bad owners keeping snakes in enclosures 1/5 or 1/4 of their total length. I have seen laws that range from a minimum of 3/4 of the length to a minimum of 1.5 times the length of the snake itself as a requirement of their enclosures.
To FISH4LIFE:
If you want to keep them in a 55 gallon, go ahead. There are lot of successful Corn owners out there with those kind of setups. I am more partial to the rubbermaid method myself. Housing more than one is not recommended since it can be difficult to keep track of them, and sometimes they would cannibalize through an overpowered feeding response.
I kept my Corns with papertowel substrate, a couple of plastic saucers as hides and a glazed saucer as a waterbowl in tubs. I haven't set them up for aquariums before... so I can't really give you any idea as far as display and decors.
How about ask before you jump to conclusions. I've kept corns, florida kings, and black rats (almost exact same care with small variations). I tell people what WORKS FOR ME OR WHAT WORKS FOR WHO I GOT THE INFORMATION FROM. I DO not read online caresheets. I learn from day-to-day activity over forums regarding species I havent kept. Species I HAVE kept (quite a lot) I speak from experience and what worked well (or not so well, we all make mistakes) for me.
Anyway, all corn snakes and all animals for that matter, are individuals. All have their preferences and different levels of confidence which will affect what size enclosure is best. FISH4LIFE, I hope you got to know your snake on a personal level. It'll tell you what it wants, you just have to listen.
Anyway, all corn snakes and all animals for that matter, are individuals. All have their preferences and different levels of confidence which will affect what size enclosure is best. FISH4LIFE, I hope you got to know your snake on a personal level. It'll tell you what it wants, you just have to listen.
The reason people go for the smaller enclosure things fish4life is purely based on the animal feeling secure. However if it has its hides, and it is eating. I'm using tubs at the moment, with aspen toilet role like tubes for hides, and a silk plant piece that although is for aesthetics creates another hide. I'm not a big fan of glass tanks for a lot of herptiles, but I'll snap a pic of the set up anyway, I guess the idea could still be utilized.
How large is the corn by the way. A 55 is a 48 x 12½ x 21 tall?
As for keeping two together, I'd discourage it, it is more impractical when it comes to feeding, along with the health issues of keeping them together.
How large is the corn by the way. A 55 is a 48 x 12½ x 21 tall?
As for keeping two together, I'd discourage it, it is more impractical when it comes to feeding, along with the health issues of keeping them together.
I'd recommend a small tub with a tight, latching lid. A baby corn snake can and probably will fit through any tiny spaces it might find between the aquarium and the lid, and you'll find one day that you no longer have a baby corn snake. So, tub until it's maybe a year old, then you can go the tank route with a secure lid. Sliding would be best but if it's not a tank made for reptiles, it probably won't have a sliding lid. In that case, a good screen top with some well-placed bricks works nicely.
You two were spot-on. BUT I think keeping 2 corns together is not an issue. Yeah, they should be quarantined first to make sure both are healthy and feeding. At the nature center I volunteer at, we keep a 3 foor corn and a 6 foot black rat together and it works beautifully. We also have a 5 gallon tank with a dekay's snake, baby ringneck, a worm snake, and a small american toad. We have 3 copperheads, 2 southern and one northern (we think) together, and one just came in that a lady took in from her yeard. We keep 2 northern wter snakes and a checkered garter together as well. In our office building, the boss keeps 2 oketee corns together and a ghost corn with a northern pine. Keeping snakes together is not an issue, just don't let them eat the same mouse! lol They just need enough space for two, and that still isnt much. So if you want a big ol' honkin' tank, go ahead, make sure it still fits the needs of the snake (no wide open spaces). Well have fun!
loconorc, the reason why I said that is that you went off something completely unrelated. He asked about how to set up other people set up their aquariums; he never asked which is the best one. I am assuming he probably want to fill it with decors. If you look at FISH4LIFE, he is primarily a fish-keeper and probably want his corn snake on display. I did note that the corn snake in question would have be started off in smaller enclosures until it is 3' or 4' feet long and that I am not found of the aquarium setup. I never did question your husbandry practice, I am just saying in some states like California and counties, the 20 and 30 gallon thing won't fly.
Beside, every serious snake keeper I know frown keeping more than one snake in a single enclosure except for breeding, even if they have different diet. The reason being is that for record purpose and health purpose. If one snake gets sick, the other one gets it. If one regurgitate, then you would have to separate every single one of them and wait two or three weeks before trying again, which is a pain in the neck in itself. Also I have seen snakes that would eat each other for no reason in middle of the week, only because they caught the smell of rodents in the air somewhere.
Beside, every serious snake keeper I know frown keeping more than one snake in a single enclosure except for breeding, even if they have different diet. The reason being is that for record purpose and health purpose. If one snake gets sick, the other one gets it. If one regurgitate, then you would have to separate every single one of them and wait two or three weeks before trying again, which is a pain in the neck in itself. Also I have seen snakes that would eat each other for no reason in middle of the week, only because they caught the smell of rodents in the air somewhere.
Theres nothing wrong with keeping snakes together, only extra work invovled. More poop to clean, complicated feeding and healthy care, etc. But if youre up to it, its really not that much harder than a single snake.
Dividers anyone?
Just because I don't have 1,075 posts doesn't mean I don't know what I'm talking about.
Dividers anyone?
Just because I don't have 1,075 posts doesn't mean I don't know what I'm talking about.
I'm a pretty serious snake keeper, and I'm not going to claim exception to BloodyIrish's statement about frowning on keeping snakes together. I have it on the authority of several respected snake breeders as well as my own personal experience that it is better to avoid it. Yes, it *can* work, but I strongly feel it's not worth the risk to the snakes to attempt to keep them together, even just to see how it goes, and I hope those who truly care about their snakese and wish the best for them will agree. You say there's nothing wrong with it except the extra work. Keep two snakes in separate cages rather than a single cage and you still have the same amount of snake poop to clean up, plus you have the added benefit of relatively easy feeding procedures and record-keeping, if you're into that kind of thing. Plus you don't have to worry about one snake eating the other, or one snake getting over-stressed by the other, more-dominant snake, and thus going off feed and being more prone to infection. Also, I think dividers count as separate cages.
So in the end, it comes down to whether the keeper is willing to risk the health of the snakes because he or she doesn't feeling like getting another cage.
Just because I don't volunteer at a nature center doesn't mean I don't know what I'm talking about, either.
Okay, now back to the topic of the thread: corn snake enclosures. If you keep an adult in a 55 or 75, the snake will definitely utilize the entire cage. Corns are pretty active and like to flex their muscles a lot. I just keep my corn on flat sheets of newspaper with some more newspaper torn into long strips and he loves burrowing under them. But if you want to do a full vivarium kind of thing with live plants and active biocultures in the soil, that could be pretty amazing. Harder to set up initially, but the payoff would be great
What kind of setup are you looking to do anyway? Utilitarian or natural?
And, I don't know what the climate where you live is like, except that it's colder than where I live. My corn stays in a room that gets no AC in the summer, so the temps can get up to around 90 in the day, and it's heated during the day in the winter so it'll get up to 68 in the day and 50-55 at night. I've never used supplemental heat on him and I've never had any problems, but you might be better off with a lamp or heat panel where you live.
Anymore questions and I'll be glad to help you anyway I can.
So in the end, it comes down to whether the keeper is willing to risk the health of the snakes because he or she doesn't feeling like getting another cage.
Just because I don't volunteer at a nature center doesn't mean I don't know what I'm talking about, either.
Okay, now back to the topic of the thread: corn snake enclosures. If you keep an adult in a 55 or 75, the snake will definitely utilize the entire cage. Corns are pretty active and like to flex their muscles a lot. I just keep my corn on flat sheets of newspaper with some more newspaper torn into long strips and he loves burrowing under them. But if you want to do a full vivarium kind of thing with live plants and active biocultures in the soil, that could be pretty amazing. Harder to set up initially, but the payoff would be great
What kind of setup are you looking to do anyway? Utilitarian or natural?
And, I don't know what the climate where you live is like, except that it's colder than where I live. My corn stays in a room that gets no AC in the summer, so the temps can get up to around 90 in the day, and it's heated during the day in the winter so it'll get up to 68 in the day and 50-55 at night. I've never used supplemental heat on him and I've never had any problems, but you might be better off with a lamp or heat panel where you live.
Anymore questions and I'll be glad to help you anyway I can.