I have been doing my research for a couple months now and once i get some money to spend, I think I'm gonna go ahead and get a Corn. It's my first snake so I am wondering what would be an easier learner, a baby Corn or a mature Corn. When I got my Beardie last year I didn't do my research and got a baby and he turned out to be a lot more work than what i thought. Also, what kinds of things should I look for when buying my snake?
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Things I should know before buying a Corn
- Thread starter brock2001
- Start date
Well, whenever I go to buy corns I like to handle them for a little bit and see how active they are. You wouldn't want a lethargic new friend. I also check the neck area to see if the skin's loose as I think this is a sign of dehydration. Oh and I check the body for anything out of the ordinary. I'm sure there's more things you're going to want to look for, but that's basically what I do. Oh and I ask the retailer a bunch of questions regarding feeding, shedding, behavior - things like that.
bitsy
Owned by Corns since 1991
I'd vote for an adult or sub-adult Corn (18 months or older), as these will be a lot calmer to handle and should be guaranteed eaters.
Off the top of my head, I'd say when buying:
- Ensure that it has good muscle tone when you pick it up and doesn't feel limp or seem disinterested. It should be a little bit alarmed at being picked up by someone it doesn't "recognise" (they get used to an owner's familiar smell) but it shouldn't thrash about, musk or try to bite.
- Check for little black/brown specks on the body and especially around the head - these could be mites.
- Ask for a feeding record - a decent breeder should be able to provide one, and it will reassure you that the Corn is eating without problems.
- Look for bits of unshed skin, especially at the tip of the tail and on the eyes. These can be a nuisance to sort out and shouldn't happen with a decent keeper.
- Check general husbandry where the snake is being kept. If the conditions look grubby or the smell is bad, then keep your wallet in your pocket.
I'm sure there are many more pointers, but those are the ones that come to mind immediately.
Also, be aware that one Corn is never enough! However, it's very inadvisable to keep two together, so have it in your mind that another Corn Snake will mean another identical setup - make sure you buy the "right" one to start with. If that means waiting for a few months for your ideal morph to be available, then patience will pay dividends.
Off the top of my head, I'd say when buying:
- Ensure that it has good muscle tone when you pick it up and doesn't feel limp or seem disinterested. It should be a little bit alarmed at being picked up by someone it doesn't "recognise" (they get used to an owner's familiar smell) but it shouldn't thrash about, musk or try to bite.
- Check for little black/brown specks on the body and especially around the head - these could be mites.
- Ask for a feeding record - a decent breeder should be able to provide one, and it will reassure you that the Corn is eating without problems.
- Look for bits of unshed skin, especially at the tip of the tail and on the eyes. These can be a nuisance to sort out and shouldn't happen with a decent keeper.
- Check general husbandry where the snake is being kept. If the conditions look grubby or the smell is bad, then keep your wallet in your pocket.
I'm sure there are many more pointers, but those are the ones that come to mind immediately.
Also, be aware that one Corn is never enough! However, it's very inadvisable to keep two together, so have it in your mind that another Corn Snake will mean another identical setup - make sure you buy the "right" one to start with. If that means waiting for a few months for your ideal morph to be available, then patience will pay dividends.
ok cool, there is this place in my town called Gillard's lizards. Kind of a local reptile shop, can i assume that they are breeders? Because they seem to know their , but it smells bad in the place and they say its because of the millions of crickets and mice they have in the back. Would it be a bad idea to get it there?
bitsy
Owned by Corns since 1991
You can't assume that a local reptile shop is breeding all their own stock - in fact, it's unlikely if they have a wide range of animals. However, they shouldn't mind being asked where animals came from and they might be breeding the easier things like Corns.
Crickets don't smell as far as I remember from my gecko-keeping days, but mice can honk to high heaven in a short space of time. If the conditions for the reptiles look clean and tidy with no rotten food, dead animals and very little poop (you can never spot-clean fast enough to keep all tanks spotless in a shop), then you should be OK. Pay attention as they open any tanks - if you get an additional pong, then that's probably a bad sign.
Crickets don't smell as far as I remember from my gecko-keeping days, but mice can honk to high heaven in a short space of time. If the conditions for the reptiles look clean and tidy with no rotten food, dead animals and very little poop (you can never spot-clean fast enough to keep all tanks spotless in a shop), then you should be OK. Pay attention as they open any tanks - if you get an additional pong, then that's probably a bad sign.
Drdan
New member
I've visited a few breeders of milksnakes and kingsnakes in the past, and the room or building would never be mistaken for a perfume shop, unless a high tech ventillation system was used. Talk with the owners, and tell them exactly what you want, after looking around the photo forum here, and getting familiar with the basic care of cornsnakes.
I'm sure they'd be happy to show you lots of babies, sub adults, and even adults. With well started babies and yearlings, there's the advantage that you'll be witnessing the snake's ongoing ontogenetic changes, which will make a beginner snake experience all the more interesting...
Dan
medusacoils
Mr. Enigma!
Whatever you choose to buy, I am sure you will enjoy. Baby snakes are nice, because you have the opportunity to watch them grow and you can measure the progress that you and your snake make. They tend to eat a little more often, but that's ok.
Sub-Adults are nice, because they are just about guaranteed feeders. Some times they can be a bit wormy, especially if they haven't been handled.
Adults, if you are not used to them, can be a bit intimidating. I wouldn't really suggest starting here, because you miss the growing pains. Younger ones, give you the opportunity to learn about your snake and possibly mold it, to your liking. Older snakes are very set in their ways and if they haven't been handled, a lot, you will probably, at this point, not be able to get them used to it.
When you go to buy, just make sure the snake is healthy, has been eating consistently, hasn't had any major shedding issues, isn't aggressive and is already feeding on Frozen/Thawed rather then Live.
When you hold it, check for good muscle tone and a firm body. Make sure the snake is moving good, doesn't have any spinal kinks, doesn't have any wounds and is scenting the air. Check the snake for signs of parasites by looking near the eyes or along the belly. You can also look in the water dish, for something that looks like sand (sign of mites).
Look at the viv that the snake is kept in and see the condition. Hopefully it's clean, there isn't a build up of feces or urates, there is fresh water and is free of foul odors. Look at the thermometers and see what temps the snake is kept at.
The last bit of advice I could give, is make sure it comes with some sort of health guarantee. Moving a snake is very stressful to them and you want to make sure you are covered. Get any numbers or emails that you can, so if you have a problem you can give a call. Make sure all of this is in writing, too!
This is all assuming that you can handle your potential purchase and your not ordering it, on line. If you are going to order a snake online, make sure the breeder is reputable by checking the BOI
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=13
Good Luck,
Wayne
Sub-Adults are nice, because they are just about guaranteed feeders. Some times they can be a bit wormy, especially if they haven't been handled.
Adults, if you are not used to them, can be a bit intimidating. I wouldn't really suggest starting here, because you miss the growing pains. Younger ones, give you the opportunity to learn about your snake and possibly mold it, to your liking. Older snakes are very set in their ways and if they haven't been handled, a lot, you will probably, at this point, not be able to get them used to it.
When you go to buy, just make sure the snake is healthy, has been eating consistently, hasn't had any major shedding issues, isn't aggressive and is already feeding on Frozen/Thawed rather then Live.
When you hold it, check for good muscle tone and a firm body. Make sure the snake is moving good, doesn't have any spinal kinks, doesn't have any wounds and is scenting the air. Check the snake for signs of parasites by looking near the eyes or along the belly. You can also look in the water dish, for something that looks like sand (sign of mites).
Look at the viv that the snake is kept in and see the condition. Hopefully it's clean, there isn't a build up of feces or urates, there is fresh water and is free of foul odors. Look at the thermometers and see what temps the snake is kept at.
The last bit of advice I could give, is make sure it comes with some sort of health guarantee. Moving a snake is very stressful to them and you want to make sure you are covered. Get any numbers or emails that you can, so if you have a problem you can give a call. Make sure all of this is in writing, too!
This is all assuming that you can handle your potential purchase and your not ordering it, on line. If you are going to order a snake online, make sure the breeder is reputable by checking the BOI
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=13
Good Luck,
Wayne
jen murphy
New member
Coming from my experience, I think you'd like a 9 mo - yearling range corn. I just got my first guy, he is 10 mo old now. He's past the wormy stage, fun to hold & not very threatening if he does bite. They're established feeders by that point as well.
Caryl
BrightHope
Good for you for asking questions before purchase! You've gotten some sound advice, and I won't restate the already-mentioned. Here are additional points to ponder.
1. Don't assume that the shop or vendor is giving you sound advice. Some commercial shops are excellent; others are ignorant. The trouble is, both types are usually happy to answer your questions. The advice of the latter type can range from helpful to pointless to fatal for your snake. Do your research here, and by talking to actual breeders.
2. Consider purchasing Kathy Love's book "Corn Snakes: The Comprehensive Owner's Guide." It should be required reading for anyone involved with these fascinating creatures. You can find at at Kathy's website, www.cornutopia.com.
3. Don't be afraid to buy your snake online from a reputable breeder. You can generally expect to pay less and get a snake with a health guarantee.
4. Remember that corn snake colors change as they grow. Some varieties (morphs, in corn lingo) change A LOT. Browse the photo gallery here to get an idea of what you may want to look for. You snake will have its adult coloration for a much longer time than its baby coloration. If color is important to you, get an idea of what s/he may grow into.
Good luck finding just the right one for you - although, as you've been warned, they are rather addictive. Have fun!
1. Don't assume that the shop or vendor is giving you sound advice. Some commercial shops are excellent; others are ignorant. The trouble is, both types are usually happy to answer your questions. The advice of the latter type can range from helpful to pointless to fatal for your snake. Do your research here, and by talking to actual breeders.
2. Consider purchasing Kathy Love's book "Corn Snakes: The Comprehensive Owner's Guide." It should be required reading for anyone involved with these fascinating creatures. You can find at at Kathy's website, www.cornutopia.com.
3. Don't be afraid to buy your snake online from a reputable breeder. You can generally expect to pay less and get a snake with a health guarantee.
4. Remember that corn snake colors change as they grow. Some varieties (morphs, in corn lingo) change A LOT. Browse the photo gallery here to get an idea of what you may want to look for. You snake will have its adult coloration for a much longer time than its baby coloration. If color is important to you, get an idea of what s/he may grow into.
Good luck finding just the right one for you - although, as you've been warned, they are rather addictive. Have fun!