Corn snake: lifespan, size, diet and care

How big it is

An adult is up to 182 cm (72 in) long.

Snakes are measured in length: the orange bar is their true length, next to the man. The photos (coiled) aren’t to scale.

Corn snakelong 182 cm (72 in)Ball pythonlong 183 cm (72 in)

All the pets next to a person

Before it arrives

• A vivarium at least as long as the snake and a third as wide and high (for 150 cm: 150 × 50 × 50 cm, about 60 × 20 × 20 in), with a locking lid: it's an escape artist
• A guarded heat lamp with a thermostat (basking 28–30 °C / 82–86 °F, cool end 20–24 °C / 68–75 °F) and two thermometers
• At least two hides, one at each end, plus a humid one, and a branch to climb
• A water bowl it can fully soak in (shallow for babies, about 1 inch)
• Floor: soil with some sand and leaves, or paper or reptile carpet; never cedar, wood shavings, corncob or gravel
• A low-output UVB tube (2–7%) and a timer for 12 hours of light
• Frozen mice of the right size and tongs; never leave a live rodent alone with the snake
• Run the vivarium for a week first; after it arrives, leave it alone for 1 to 2 weeks

Its home: temperature and light

Basking spot

28–32 °C (82–90 °F)

Cool side

20–24 °C (68–75 °F)

At night

16–20 °C (61–68 °F)

Humidity

40–50%

Light

12 hours a day

UVB lamp

helpful, not required

What it eats and how often

thawed frozen prey, every 7–14 days as an adult

• Babies: every 5–6 days
• Juveniles: every 5–7 days
• Adults: every 7–14 days

One frozen-thawed mouse of the right size, slightly wider than the widest part of its body: a newborn pinkie when small, then bigger as it grows. Now and then a quail or a rat for variety. Offer food with tongs and don't handle it for 48 hours after a meal.

Vaccines and checkups

The care calendar

What to do, from the most frequent to the least.

• every dayCheck the temperaturesWith two digital thermometers, one at the warm spot and one at the cool end: thermostats can be off.
• every 10 daysFrozen-thawed preyPrey slightly wider than the widest part of its body. Hatchlings eat every 5–6 days, adults every 7–14.
• every monthFull clean of the terrariumRemove droppings as you see them; fresh water every day.
• every yearYearly check-upWith a reptile vet.

Call the vet right away if…

If you see one of these signs, call your vet now: don’t wait for it to pass.

• Breathes with its mouth open, wheezes, or has bubbles or mucus at the nose or mouth
• Old skin left over the eyes or in rings after a shed, especially on the tail tip
• Brings up its meals, or refuses food and loses weight
• Thick, cheesy material in the mouth, or red or bleeding gums
• Tiny black specks on its body or around the water bowl, or it soaks for hours

Ate something dangerous? What to do now