|
Post by chishnfips on Oct 10, 2006 14:01:12 GMT 1
Hi guys, I have just joined today, cool site Btw. I got the address for it from TFF, which I have been on for 3 years. anyways, I am thinking off getting a corn snake soon, I am going to the petshop on saturday as they said they would take some out for me to learn how to handle them and care for them. I have read up loads about them but I am lacking some proper experienced knowledge from other keepers. just about the whole thing. cheers guys Chish
|
|
|
Post by Shrimply on Oct 10, 2006 14:11:35 GMT 1
Hey sorry completely forgot to reply to that PM anyway welcome to the forum. I think you are are first member which I haven't already met on other snake forums so you are very welcome.
What exactly do you want to know. In terms of care they are very easy. And tend to be quite "tame". Just fire away with questions.
|
|
|
Post by chishnfips on Oct 10, 2006 14:35:44 GMT 1
HI shrimply, no bother you are forgiven lol.
I would like to know, anything really, erm.... what should I be aware of when I am buying one, to tell the good health of the snake.
how often should they be handled and when, so as they dont get stressed out or anything.
I am getting a small 10 gallon fish aqaurium to put it in, which should be fine for a good while, I was informed that they dont like to big a living space. Is that right?
|
|
|
Post by Shrimply on Oct 10, 2006 14:46:11 GMT 1
Well you don't want to see any bones on them and you can easily tell if they are over weight. look closely or mites and that is more or else it. I handling them they should be speedy as hatchlings if they are too lethargic then there is something wrong. It is best if they come with feeding record and ask to watch them eating in the shop. No shop owner should refuse you this unless it is for a good reason.
As hatchlings start handling about 5 day after you get them home and this time should incorporate a feed. I would always try and feed them before you start handling and you shouldn't handle at least 48 hours after feeding. After you start handling it should really be early evening after the snake is active and for the first few weeks only ten minutes at a time after that half an hour is quite a good handling time period. Obviously as your corn gets older they cab come out at different times and for longer.
Yeah they prefer small places but they will live happily in bigger housing if plenty of hides are provided. I would keep the snake in the tank until it is roughly double the length of the enclosure and then increase the housing size. The only problem with an aquarium is finding an appropriate lid, these guys are really good at escaping. Have you considered a Geo Box.
|
|
|
Post by chishnfips on Oct 10, 2006 14:52:04 GMT 1
Whats a geo box?
So is that to handle it every day for 10 mins at a time? I suppose, the bigger and older they get, the more accustomed they become to you.
I planning on getting my bro to build a good lid with latches on the top made from wood, whith some sort of mesh air holes for it?
|
|
|
Post by Shrimply on Oct 10, 2006 15:03:06 GMT 1
Yeah ten minutes each day to start off with. A geo box is one of these things. They are much cheaper than tanks and have tight fitting lids.
|
|
|
Post by chishnfips on Oct 10, 2006 15:14:44 GMT 1
they look pretty neat, so do you take your snake back to the shop now and then for them to check over, like a sort of vet visit?
|
|
|
Post by Shrimply on Oct 10, 2006 15:56:54 GMT 1
Not really although I might in the future. I guess it really depends how good the shop is. At the minute I am happy that alll my snakes are healthy but if i was worried about them there is a good chance they would go back to the shop.
The shop owner quite often has ill reptiles through the back of the shop.
I have had my oldest corn in to get probed but that is the only time any of them has been back.
|
|
|
Post by brigadoon on Oct 10, 2006 16:01:43 GMT 1
Usually you can tell if there's something wrong with your snake, and if you notice something wrong, it's best to take it to a reptile vet
|
|
|
Post by Shrimply on Oct 10, 2006 16:06:54 GMT 1
I suppose it depends on your situation. I don't have a reptile vet close but the owner of my local shop takes all his reptiles to a local vets and basically tells them what to treat them with so if there was anything wrong a trip to the shop would always be my first step.
|
|
|
Post by brigadoon on Oct 10, 2006 17:01:24 GMT 1
I'm quite lucky, there's a vet who specialises in exotic animal close to me, although I've never visited him yet, and hopefully I won't need to either!
|
|
|
Post by chishnfips on Oct 10, 2006 23:12:24 GMT 1
I will need to see if there is a reptile vet up here, I live in the highlands in inverness so that kind of thing might be a wee drive. The shop I am going to is in grantown on spey in the middle of the cairngorms lol, not the place you usually find a shop that sells snakes I hear you say lol.
its about a 50 mile drive. 100 mile round trip.
|
|
|
Post by brigadoon on Oct 10, 2006 23:49:22 GMT 1
Wow, you must have really wanted a snake!!
|
|
|
Post by Shrimply on Oct 11, 2006 12:49:59 GMT 1
Nice to see another scot about. I am close to the border so finding shops isn't that hard and if I had major problems my nearest exotic vet is in edinburgh about an hours drive away.
|
|
|
Post by mourne on Oct 11, 2006 12:54:29 GMT 1
Where i am in northern ireland my closest reptile vet is 30 mile away from me. Just glad i have never needed one yet.
|
|