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pro and cons of buying and older snake

rickyrivers

rickyrivers

New member
Hello everyone, I will buy my new corn snake in the next 2 weeks. It will be my first snake ever. I found a female okettee in a local petshop thats 14 months old. They bred her themselves, I even saw her parents. I have been to the store twice and held her those two times and she is very nice. They say she's use to been handle by the employees and customers. She has a small patch in the middle of her head from old skin that didn't shed. Should I worry about this?
They also have another okettee that look just like this one except that this one is 7 months old (they don't know the sex) that's really nice too, for $30 more than the older one.
Which one should I get? Is the 14 months old too OLD?

Thank you.
 
Get the one you like. Handle them both. I can't think of a con of buying an older snake. I just bought a 2004 snake.
 
I would have to echo what Nanci said. Handle them both and get the one you like. If you can afford it, get both! Of course there are exceptions to the rule, but in general, older animals are established feeders and have gotten over the nippy stage. I just bought an '04 ratsnake, and couldn't be more pleased with him.

Also, since this is your first snake, I would suggest reading as much as you can about them. Kathy Love and Don Soderberg have written their own books on cornsnakes, and both are full of valuable information and some fantastic photos.

Kathy
 
Oh yes, about the old skin. It can probably be taken off by just letting the snake nudge itself through some wet towels (it may be reluctant o do so if it's on the head, you may have to use some other measure here). I'm going to take a guess and say that the petstore people didn't take it off because they were too afraid of getting nipped.
 
to pat:
their is no reason to jump to conclusions about the snake being nippy just because of some unshed skin, its easy to miss at times when running a store they have a bunch more animals they are taking care of and a few scales are easily overlooked no need to think its "nippy"

to other poster:
no cons to buying an older snake unless you plan on breeding it and it is really old like a retired breeder. but 14 mos is not old and i wouldny hesitate for a moment on it. i always prefer to buy older more established animals.
no worries on the unshed skin it will come off or start healing the next shed.
 
Thanks everyone

Thank you for answering my question, you all been very helpful.
I think I'm getting the older snake, my wife likes it better because she's more relaxed, the younger one is non-stop just trying to get away.

I read that you should give your snake dechlorinated water. I have a Purr filter on my faucet, those it take care of chlorine?
 
The only con I could think about with an older one, is that you would miss out on seeing it grow from a hatchling to an adult and seeing the color changes that accompany that growth. Maybe not necessarily a con; but something that is cool to experience.
 
Agree with the above. Go for the one you like best. And 14 months really isn't that old - they aren't adult until about 3 years old, so it'll have plenty of growing up to do with you.

I use chlorinated water straight from the tap for mine and they're fine. If you want to, you can leave the tap water in an open container overnight before use, and most of the chlorine will evaporate. Some reptiles need specially conditioned water, but Corns aren't in that group.
 
I know I'm late on this, but older snakes are lovely, and 14 months isn't old at all! Not when a snake can live 15 years!
Right now my "wish list" consists of a pair of butter stripe babies....AND a couple of 3 year olds that I can't stop obsessing about.
 
Every older snake I've bought has been a joy compared to a hatchling. Maizey, Zee, Jake, Lila, Cherry and Bacon were all adults. You know they eat and they aren't tiny fragile things. They know what humans are all about and aren't all terrified that you're going to eat them.
 
starsevol I know I'm late on this, but older snakes are lovely, and 14 months isn't old at all! Not when a snake can live 15 years!
Right now my "wish list" consists of a pair of butter stripe babies....AND a couple of 3 year olds that I can't stop obsessing about.
Click to expand...

I thought they CAN live up to the 25+ year mark :shrugs:
 
farfrumugen said:
to pat:
their is no reason to jump to conclusions about the snake being nippy just because of some unshed skin, its easy to miss at times when running a store they have a bunch more animals they are taking care of and a few scales are easily overlooked no need to think its "nippy"
Click to expand...

I wasn't meening to imply that... All I ment was that someone didnt have the time or guts to take it off because they thought the snake would bite them. He's probably not nippy, it's just that someone may have not wanted to take it off.

You're probably right, that maybe they just didn't have time.
 
Nanci said:
Every older snake I've bought has been a joy compared to a hatchling. Maizey, Zee, Jake, Lila, Cherry and Bacon were all adults. You know they eat and they aren't tiny fragile things. They know what humans are all about and aren't all terrified that you're going to eat them.
Click to expand...

But dont you love the fragileness? It gives you the pride to think that "I raised this snake" when they get older.
 
I've had them old and I've had them young.....I like the young ones because they're cute and nippy.
But I prefer the older ones, for all the reasons everyone else made....
 
I would also go with the one you liked the best. I got both my corns as adults and I LOVED how easy going they are. They had been handled a lot, great feeders, and in general great snakes.

My big girl, Serious (she was named that when I got her) was a petting zoo snake at a local pet store. Nothing fazes her. Today I laughed she was trying to get out of her cage and I tapped her on the head and it didnt faze her. She really is a doll. Her color has darkened the longer I have had her. Corny too, so you will get to see color changes even if you get an older snake.
 
akaangela said:
I would also go with the one you liked the best. I got both my corns as adults and I LOVED how easy going they are. They had been handled a lot, great feeders, and in general great snakes.

My big girl, Serious (she was named that when I got her) was a petting zoo snake at a local pet store. Nothing fazes her. Today I laughed she was trying to get out of her cage and I tapped her on the head and it didnt faze her. She really is a doll. Her color has darkened the longer I have had her. Corny too, so you will get to see color changes even if you get an older snake.
Click to expand...
:laugh01: 7 posts in 7 years?
Was that this years?:crazy02:
Sorry I was looking at your join date.....LOL
 
In regards to the corn snake living 25 years...that is not an average.
I believe the record is actually 32 years old...something to strive for:)

Is anyone else concerned about the spot on the head?
Did the folks at the store say how long the retained shed had been there?

My only concern comes from reading another thread about a skin fungus gone horribly wrong that looked like a shed that just wouldn't slough.:shrugs:

I am just asking.

and for what it is worth I agree, if you are going to get one from the store and you have picked a favorite go with the favorite:)
 
patm1313 said:
But dont you love the fragileness? It gives you the pride to think that "I raised this snake" when they get older.
Click to expand...

No- I kind of am terrified of it. I also don't like the see-throughness and the mystery black spots. I try to avoid holding my babies up to the light!
 
My only concern comes from reading another thread about a skin fungus gone horribly wrong that looked like a shed that just wouldn't slough
Click to expand...

That was over the whole snake though.

A small patch of missed shed wouldn't stop me buying a Corn that I really wanted.

I bet that given the correct conditions for the next shed, that small patch will sort itself right out.
 
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