Hopeful future snake parent

[Hikari]

Hello everyone!
Figured I'd register here, since this seems like a great place for info. Currently researching what I'll need to get a snake tank set up. Never kept a reptile before, so there's a lot to learn. I've heard corn snakes make good first-time reptile pets, and they're pretty, so decided to aim for one of those. Plus, I think they're cute! Especially their little snakey noses.

I currently have a 40g breeder aquarium with a metal mesh top that'll need disinfected and fixed up a bit, the elderly mice that currently inhabit it will be moved, but they chewed the silicon up and it needs replaced. I think it should make a nice-sized home though. It was originally intended for a bearded dragon, but some stuff happened, and that never came to fruition. I am at a point where I think a snake would be a much better choice anyways (easier to care for properly too).

I know the shopping list so far is gonna include a heat mat, thermostat, some sort of substrate, things for the snake to hide in on each side, and a water dish big enough for soaking, and food (frozen mice) of course. Also something to keep the mesh top on the aquarium down (I haven't found decent clips, so I'm thinking of using strips of industrial-strength velco. That stuff's strong). I'll probably also look into getting a few things for the snake to climb on if it wants, and also maybe some sort of tank light for when the winter days get painfully short. I also need a table for the tank, it's currently on the floor, but I'm probably going to be commissioning my brother for that (he does woodworking as a hobby, and can make me a custom one at a reasonable price).

Once I get set up, there's a few reptile expos here in Ohio I'd like to try hitting up to actually buy a snake (there's one in Cleveland and one in Columbus...the one in Cincinnati is a little too far, sadly). I figure getting one from a breeder is probably a better option than the big box pet stores around here.

Anyways, I look forward to hanging out with everyone on here, researching, learning, and hopefully joining the ranks of having my own snake to care for sometime soon!

 

[Dragonling]

Hello from a fellow Buckeye! :wavey: I have family up your way. Perhaps I'll see you at the Columbus show sometime, though I don't plan to go again til perhaps later in the year (weather permitting).

 

[Nanci]

I'm not sure how many cornsnakes you're going to see at Columbus- but there will be a lot of ball pythons! (My boyfriend, Rich333, lives by Dayton, so I get up there pretty often.) I can't think of any breeders close to you. EXCEPT...Duxor??? He's in Cbus, I think. Not like that's close, but he has nice snakes!

Dragonling, we're pretty close to you, though- Park Layne...

 

[Dragonling]

Aye, there are very few corns at the Columbus show. Perhaps some years from now I can help change that. I'm hoping to have some very special goodies to at least show off by then, even if they likely won't sell there. Cornsnakes.com Columbus get-together? Eh eh? We can grab some Raising Cane's after the show.

 

[Hikari]

Nice to meet you all! Glad to see others from Ohio here! :wavey:

Ah, that's disappointing that there aren't many corn snakes at the Columbus show. I guess I'll have to hope for some at the Cleveland expo, which is closer anyways (I'm in the NE part of the state).

Actually, considering how close I am to PA (only about a 15 min drive from the border), I could also check out some there too, like the Pittsburgh one. It's comparable in drive time as going to Columbus would be too. I just hope I wouldn't run into the problem of not seeing any corn snakes there either (although seeing all the other reptiles would be fun).

I'd just really like to avoid buying a pet store snake. You never quite know the quality of the animals from those places. I'm willing to put in at least a little drive time to avoid doing so if I can.

 

[Dragonling]

If you can set aside a day to be home for delivery, ordering online from a good breeder is a decent option. Shipping is expensive though, so if you aren't planning to get a fancy morph, you'll probably find some of the basics at most shows. I saw a handful of normal, hypo, and anery babies at Columbus in August.

Do you know what kind of corn you're looking to get? I work at Reptiles by Mack in Xenia, and sometimes we get some really unusual babies. Maybe we've got something up your alley.

 

[Hikari]

I don't really have any particular color in mind, but from pictures I've looked up, I seem to gravitate towards the albino coloration (that bright red-orange is gorgeous). Usually when picking pets, I tend to look for one I "click" with though, so I've ended up with pets a different color than what I was originally looking for, lol. At least with my betta fish. That's why I prefer to see them in person before I buy. I might end up picking a snake of a completely different color just because it has a cool scale pattern or something.

Actually though, since I've never been to an expo yet, do people tend to sell babies or adults? Or both maybe? I just realized an adult snake would probably be a lot more expensive than what I'd be budgeting out for one ($50).

 

[Nanci]

Aye, there are very few corns at the Columbus show. Perhaps some years from now I can help change that. I'm hoping to have some very special goodies to at least show off by then, even if they likely won't sell there. Cornsnakes.com Columbus get-together? Eh eh? We can grab some Raising Cane's after the show.

That would be fun!

 

[DollysMom]

I don't really have any particular color in mind, but from pictures I've looked up, I seem to gravitate towards the albino coloration (that bright red-orange is gorgeous). Usually when picking pets, I tend to look for one I "click" with though, so I've ended up with pets a different color than what I was originally looking for, lol. At least with my betta fish. That's why I prefer to see them in person before I buy. I might end up picking a snake of a completely different color just because it has a cool scale pattern or something.

Actually though, since I've never been to an expo yet, do people tend to sell babies or adults? Or both maybe? I just realized an adult snake would probably be a lot more expensive than what I'd be budgeting out for one ($50).

I knew I wanted a normal and that's what I got, but not before falling in love with him when I saw him. I'm right with you on that one.

I did get mine at Petsmart. I had originally planned to buy mail order. And then I went to the store for some aquarium plants. And then I saw "the one". And I couldn't leave the store without my snake. Yes, when you see the snake that is yours, you will know it. I love my scale baby to pieces.

I have no doubt that if you go to shows and look, you too will find "the one", adult or juvenile, amel or other. Best wishes in your search.

 

[IrishInIsengard]

Welcome, Hikari!

I lucked into getting a good snake. My co-worker was looking to re-home his 6-month-old snake once his son got sick. I was told he was bitey and hides all the time, and he wanted the snake to go to a good home where he can get the attention and handling to calm him down. I bonded with him almost immediately just off of a few cruddy cell phone pictures. I signed up here (best decision I could have made) and brought him home.

Well, he's never struck at me and explores plenty. He's super calm. I'm glad that he doesn't feel threatened or scared with me around. I guess that's his way of bonding with me.

Long story short, if you bond with the snake, you're probably more likely to get a good snake. You are already prepared to get a corn snake, which is 95% of the battle. If you see a little baby and you have a good feeling about him/her, trust your gut.

 

[Dragonling]

I don't really have any particular color in mind, but from pictures I've looked up, I seem to gravitate towards the albino coloration (that bright red-orange is gorgeous). Usually when picking pets, I tend to look for one I "click" with though, so I've ended up with pets a different color than what I was originally looking for, lol. At least with my betta fish. That's why I prefer to see them in person before I buy. I might end up picking a snake of a completely different color just because it has a cool scale pattern or something.

Actually though, since I've never been to an expo yet, do people tend to sell babies or adults? Or both maybe? I just realized an adult snake would probably be a lot more expensive than what I'd be budgeting out for one ($50).

You'll probably find something you'll fall in love with at a show for your price point, even if it ends up being "just" a normal. And come on, classics are beautiful too! If you pick a fancier morph, keep in mind that babies change a lot as they grow up. Most corns I've seen at shows were hatchlings, along with the occasional yearling and a scant few adults. I saw a lot more corns at the Cin City show than in Columbus, but maybe you'll luck out elsewhere.

 

[Hikari]

Thanks for the tips everyone! Yeah, seeing a prospective pet and just knowing it's "the one" has worked out pretty well so far. Good to see it's worked out for others too.

Been looking though more pictures of colors and morphs, and at this point there are just SO MANY I could potentially fall in love with! I love the almost tiger-like colorings on some of the Okeetees, and the amels are gorgeous too, and even some of the normal ones are pretty. I also had no idea corn snakes could even come in colors like pink (I'm guessing that one's pretty rare though)! I do seem to still be leaning towards the bright oranges though. We'll see. Gotta hope I can even find one first, lol.

Also, good to hear from someone who got their snake at Petsmart. I was actually in my local one a few days ago (looking to fill my last empty betta spot), and two of the employees had the ball python out for handling (found out they'd been working with her to get her used to handling, which was awesome cause I got to pet her). Between talking with them, and seeing how they handle the animals, that this might actually be a decent Petsmart to get one from if no other option arises. To be fair, I've gotten fish from there too with no problems. I'll quiz them on the feeding and such next time I go in, to at least make sure they've been feeding it pinkies and not crickets like I've heard of some stores do. o_o If their care standards are up to par, it's an option, although they are pretty expensive from there too.

I'm gonna TRY and be patient and wait for the expos though...there's one coming up on Sept. 20th. Fingers crossed I can get my set-up finished before then. If not, the next ones aren't til mid-October x_x

 

[Dragonling]

Pink isn't as uncommon as you might think! There is a big thread where people have posted photos of their pink morphs: http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122249 Check 'em out!

All the Ohio PetSmart colubrids are supplied by Reptiles by Mack. For corns they typically carry classic, hypo, and anery primarily, occasionally ghost, rarely motley. Maybe you'll get lucky and find the hypo/lavender hypo paradox we sent out as a "hypo" because we didn't have enough frozen eaters at the time. I'm still upset about that...

 

[Nanci]

i remembered last night why I go to Fairborn all the time. My favorite Mexican restaurant is there! El Riacho.

 

[Hikari]

Pink isn't as uncommon as you might think! There is a big thread where people have posted photos of their pink morphs: http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122249 Check 'em out!

All the Ohio PetSmart colubrids are supplied by Reptiles by Mack. For corns they typically carry classic, hypo, and anery primarily, occasionally ghost, rarely motley. Maybe you'll get lucky and find the hypo/lavender hypo paradox we sent out as a "hypo" because we didn't have enough frozen eaters at the time. I'm still upset about that...

Oh nice! Makes me feel a lot better knowing where the snakes come from! So yeah, I guess as long as they take care of their snakes once they get to the store, Petsmart is definitely an option. Thanks for the info!

Also, OMG, so many pink corn snakes in that thread! Thanks for the link ^-^