• Hello!

    Either you have not registered on this site yet, or you are registered but have not logged in. In either case, you will not be able to use the full functionality of this site until you have registered, and then logged in after your registration has been approved.

    Registration is FREE, so please register so you can participate instead of remaining a lurker....

    Please be certain that the location field is correctly filled out when you register. All registrations that appear to be bogus will be rejected. Which means that if your location field does NOT match the actual location of your registration IP address, then your registration will be rejected.

    Sorry about the strictness of this requirement, but it is necessary to block spammers and scammers at the door as much as possible.

Hi! couple of q's on size ratio and standard pricing

blueturtle

blueturtle

Aida's the name!
Hi! I'm Aida, pronounced Eye-Duh. :D I'm new here and first arrived because I've become very much interested in owning a pretty corn. I first began to like them back in '99 when my freshman biology teacher had a few along with 2 ball pythons in the classroom. She also had an array of fish, turtles, geckos, and a giant bearded dragon. Needless to say, I fell in love with one of the albino corns she had. She always let us handle them whether it was before, during or after class. Of course with the exception of just after they ate.

Anyway, long story short, I was curious about size. More in the sense of, at what size will they need to be, to be in a min 20gal Long tank? I haven't been able to find any "rule of thumb" type ratio. For example, 10gals for every inch of RES turtle.

Another thing was, around how much is a reasonable price for a "standard pet" corn. I'm not looking to breed or particular on any specific morph. I'm just looking to raise a healthy baby corn that's appealing to my eyes. I know that with dogs and other animals, their breeding potential usually plays a big part in their price. Not sure if the same can be said for snakes.

Thanks for any input you can share. I'm also looking forward to meeting you all! :wavey:
 
I can't really help with your first question. I'm a bit unsure myself, though I have heard that smaller tanks are good for about a year, before you must upgrade to a minimum of 20 gals.

As for price, it varies a lot based on the color and pattern of the snake.
You'll probably want to look at various breeder sites to get more familiar with the types of snakes available, because if you just want an albino like your teacher had, that still doesn't say a whole lot.
Albinos simply lack the ability to produce black coloration, so there are a large number of different looking corns that fall under that category.

Just as an example, Kathy Love is selling Snow Corns and Reverse Okeetees for a little under $50, but she is selling Snow Motleys for a bit over $60.
I bought my Blizzard corn from her for about $75 if I remember correctly. All the snakes I've listed so far are albino, but they all look distinctly different.
On another note, my local pet store sells Snow Corns for $100+ so the price increase, plus the fact that pet stores don't usually care for their animals really well is good reason to buy right from a breeder.

If you just want a classic corn snake though, I've seen them going for about $25.


I haven't really told you much, but I hope it's a decent starting point.
 
Hi :wavey: welcome to the forum

The general rule is to keep a young corn (any under a year ols) in a 10 gallon. They feel more secure in the smaller space. Some people use platic shoe boxes for this also.

Then as your snake grows you will need to move into a bigger enclosure. A 20 gallon long would be the minimum at this point.

As far as price goes, I suggest finding a morph that you want and shop around. You may want to avoid some of the chain pet stores because they sometimes do not take the best care of their snakes. You will find many reputable dealers on this site, also.
 
recommended size is length+width of tank should be greater then length of snake.

so a 20gal long is good for a 42" snake.
 
Thanks a lot for the input. I already own a 20gal Long tank from when I owned turtles and fish so I was planning on just installing a screen top. I know you all said a 10gal will make them feel more secure, but would it be so bad if i kept him/her in 20gLong as long as i have a few hides and add those decorative fake vines/leaves for added closure? In a sense, not letting them feel so open and exposed.
 
That's the trick! I've seen many people use a 20gal long straight away and providing you use several hides and plenty of cover I don't see it being a problem :)
 
You're definitely on the right track! You're asking good questions BEFORE you get your snake! If only everyone did that...

Back to your question; yes, I'd say that a 20-gal with lots of hides is fine from personal experience and field observation. In nature, hatchlings and young snakes are prey for many animals and birds. Thus, they instinctively avoid wide open places.

Obviously, in nature they're in spaces with a much larger footprint than a 20-gal aquarium. The secret is being able to keep their presence secret. As long as they have lots of hiding places across the temperature gradient, they'll be happy. And you can use that tank you already have.

(Kudos to your teacher! I like classroom critters.)
 
Hiya Aida, I'm in the same boat you are, doing research for my first corn snake. I highly suggest you take a look at http://www.cornsnakes.net/pricelist.php?catid=2, South Mountain Reptiles. They have good selection of snakes with photo's and prices for each. Even if you don't plan on buying a corn from them, it will give you a good idea of the names of the colors of snake you might enjoy. If you are interested in them they are supposed to start shipping hatchlings in July.
 
Great idea, Aremus. Yes, Aida, by all means check out some web sites to get some ideas about colors. There are a lot of good ones out there - sites and morphs! www.cornutopia.com and iansvivarium.com are two more that have good photos. You'll probably also have fun looking through the Photo Gallery forum here. Just remember while you're "window shopping" that there's a HUGE amount of individual variation, and that young snakes change color quite a bit as they grow up. Be sure to look at juvenile and adult coloration. Have fun, but be warned: this hobby can be quite addictive! :crazy02:
 
Thank you all for all your input. I have already been "window shopping" and checking out tons of different sites. Seems I've been more and more drawn to what seems to be a Normal corn. It's so like me to find beauty in the plain janes of the bunch! :D

Although I have been checking a bunch of different sites I haven't been able to find a breeder near me. I would really like to avoid shipping at all costs. I feel so much more comfortable being able to go up and view anything before I buy it. I was hoping for a reptile show but there's only the one in San Diego in June. I actually wanted to get it this weekend seeing as how this friday will be payday. I've already started buying some of the stuff. aka screen top, aspen bedding, UT heater, and a binder to chart feedings and progress. The only things i'm having problems with is what kind of scale, thermometer and thermostat to buy.

Scale
What is the recommended capacity for a scale to be able to weigh a corn throughout its life? I wouldn't want to have to buy another "heavy duty" type scale down the road because my corn has surpassed its weight limit.

Also, does it have to be a kitchen/food scale or will a pocket(mini) "jewelry" scale do the job? They both weigh in grams to .1 of a gram.

Thermometer
When everyone says to use a thermometer with a probe are they speaking the meat done-ness type or is there another style of thermometer w/ probe that I dont know about? What brand does everyone here use?

Thermostat
What kind is everyone using? Is a thermostat and Rheostat the same? Will I need both?


Sorry for all the questions and lenghty post but I like to know as much as I can in advance to make sure than I will be able to care for whatever it is that i am getting. Its not as if once i have it i can just say nevermind. Animals are not disposable. Also I'm a bargain hunter so if there's a great alternative so any of these items that do the job just the same, if not better, and are cheaper in price, I'm all for it. Gas these days is insane. Paying $46.20 for 12gallons is a killer!:blowhead:
 
I was nervous about purchasing unseen animals, too. I just received my shipment of four '07s from Kathy Love. They arrived safely, healthy and even more beautiful than in their photos. From what I've read here, you can be assured of a similar experience if you choose to buy online.

Yes, shipping is still an issue. That's how I ended up with four. It's less per snake that way..lol
 
I got my scale at Wal-Mart... its a Postal Scale, digital, and goes between g and oz. I think It measures up to like 3 pounds. I can't remember how much it was, but it is very handy. As Luna gets bigger, all I do to adjust is find something to put on the scale to hold her... although, luckily, she will sometimes stay still!

Thanks for making your OP, I was brought here because I'm wondering about tank size too! I am ready to buy a new one (Luna's 31" in a 10 gal) and wasn't sure what to get.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top