This is a tutorial for setting up a simple corn snake habitat.
First, you'll need to purchase a cage to house your corn snake. The corn snake I'm buying is young, and relatively small. So in this video, I will be using a 10 gallon tank with a glass bottom. However, if you're adopting a juvenile or adult corn snake, you will need at least a 20 gallon tank or terrarium. As with any reptile, I strongly recommend buying a tank with a lid that is secure. Reptiles, especially snakes, are excellent escape artists.
Next, we want to pick a heating method. All reptiles need a heat source to regulate their body's temperature, facilitate appetite and digest food. Since corn snakes are nocturnal and typically do not appreciate bright lighting, I will be using a heating pad. Heading pads should always be applied to the bottom of the tank on the outside. Many people use overhead lights to provide heat, which is a decent alternative, but lights use more energy, bulbs need to be replaced a couple times a year, and they tend to negatively effect humidity levels inside the tank. The end of the cage with the heating pad will act as a warm spot for the snake and should maintain a temperature between 80 to 85 degrees. The opposite end of the cage should have no heating apparatus and therefore be about 10 degrees cooler.
Next, we must pick a substrate to use as bedding. I chose aspen bedding because it's available at most pet stores, it's inexpensive, and is visually appealing. Aspen bedding is also a great buffer and helps to regulate the temperature of the warm side of the cage by simply adding or subtracting the amount of bedding between the bottom of the tank where the heating pad is located. I typically place paper towels down first for easy removal later, then put down 2 to 3 inches of bedding on the bottom of the tank. You should completely replace the bedding every month to ensure sanitary conditions.
Snakes love to feel secure. So, providing a few places for your corn snake to hide will reduce any stress and they'll be much happier. Place one hide directly over the heating pad inside the cage and place another on the opposite end. This will provide your corn snake a safe place to relax whether it wants to be in a warm or cool environment. Also, place a water dish in the cage. A water dish is essential for hydration, acts as a bath, and helps to maintain proper humidity levels.
Humidity regulation is just as essential as temperature regulation when housing reptiles. Make sure you have a spray bottle handy and a humidity gauge inside the tank. Corn snakes are comfortable in 30 to 60% humidity and the inside of the cage will need to be sprayed a couple times a day. You will also need 2 thermometers. Place one near the hide on the warm side and the other near the hide on the cooler side. Since we are using a heating pad, leaving the gauges on the aspen bedding will give a more accurate temperature reading compared to sticking the gauges to the walls of the tank.
Lastly, I highly recommend setting up the cage before you bring your corn snake home. It gives you time to monitor the temperature and humidity levels in order to make the necessary adjustments.
I bought all supplies at PetSmart. They had good prices and a decent selection of products. However, I do not recommend purchasing a reptile from a large chain pet store like PetSmart or Petco. Always buy a quality animal from a specialty pet shop, breeder, or at a reptile expo. I bought my corn snake at Zoo Creatures in Plaistow, NH, which is also home to the New England Reptile Distributors, also commonly known as NERD.
If you have any questions or suggest, please comment and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. I will be picking up my new corn snake in a few days, and will be posting a video of the snake shortly.
