Quick facts
- Scientific name: Pantherophis guttatus
- Adult size: about 3–5 feet
- Lifespan: 15–20 years, sometimes longer
- Difficulty: beginner
Enclosure
Babies feel safest in a small tub or terrarium. Move up as they grow.
An adult needs at least a 40-gallon-size enclosure. Bigger is better — 4 × 2 × 2 feet is a great goal. Corn snakes are escape artists, so use a locking lid.
- Two hides: one on the warm side, one on the cool side
- Branches or décor to climb
- A water bowl
Temperature
Give your snake a warm side and a cool side so it can pick.
Run every heat source through a thermostat. Check temps with a digital thermometer, not a stick-on dial.
- Warm side: about 85–90°F
- Cool side: about 72–78°F
- Night: a drop into the low 70s or upper 60s is fine
Lighting & UVB
Corn snakes can live without UVB, but low-level UVB is a nice extra. Keep a steady day/night cycle of about 12 hours.
Humidity
Aim for about 40–60%. A little higher helps when your snake is about to shed.
Substrate
Aspen shavings, cypress mulch, coconut husk or paper all work. Spot-clean waste as you see it.
- Never use cedar
- Avoid pine and scented beddings
Diet & feeding
Feed frozen/thawed mice. Pick a mouse about as wide as the widest part of your snake.
Babies usually eat every 5–7 days. Adults eat every 10–14 days. Never feed live rodents that are left alone with the snake.
Water
Keep a bowl of clean water in the enclosure at all times. Change it every few days, or right away if it's dirty.
Handling
Give a new snake about a week to settle in before handling.
Wait 48 hours after a meal before you pick it up. Support its body and let it move through your hands.
Common problems & the vet
Skipping a meal around a shed, or in winter, is often normal. Weight loss is not.
If something seems off, see a reptile-savvy vet. Don't wait it out.
- Stuck shed — usually low humidity
- Mites — tiny black dots on the snake or in the water bowl
- Wheezing, bubbles at the nose or open-mouth breathing — respiratory infection
- Throwing up a meal — usually too-large food, handling too soon, or temps too low
Questions about your setup? Contact us or call (603) 382-3338.
