Length and Longevity

   Adult corn snakes (Elaphe guttata) can be 3-6 feet long and weigh up to 2 pounds. Males tend to be larger than females, but their size is also determined by their lineage.  When baby corns hatch they are about 10-13 inches, growing to full size in about two years.
   A healthy corn snake can live up to 12 years or more.

  A rule of thumb about cage size is that the cages length should be equal to half the length of your snakes body. Neonates are comfortable in plastic shoe boxes with air holes drilled in them. Fifteen or 20 gallon reptile cages are perfect for adults. We definitely recommend a cage with a locking lid because corns, as with all snakes, are great escape artists.
   Provide your snake a heavy water bowl that's big enough for him to soak in around shedding time and a hide box. The hide box can be as simple as an empty paper towel roll or an upside down margarine tub with an entrance cut in, or you can buy one of the many varieties available at your local pet store.
    Lining your cage with newspaper will work just fine, but you can also use wood shavings. Avoid cedar and pine, because they may be poisonous and gravel, because it won't absorb moisture.
    We recommend using an under the tank heater under one side of your cage to keep ithe cage 70-88 degrees Fahrenheit. The goal is to have one side of the cage hotter than the other so your snake can move to a spot that is the temperature it needs to be at any given time. It's a good idea to have a hide on both sides of the cage. You can supplement the under the tank heater with a heat bulb. This will give your snake a place to bask. Ultra-violet lights are not required by corn snakes because they are nocturnal for the most part.

  We feed our snakes pre killed mice. Most pet stores sale frozen, pre killed mice in a variety of sizes. This is nice so you don't have to kill them them yourself. We prefer pre killed mice because live mice can injure the snake. Soak the frozen mouse in warm water to dethaw it completely.
   Judge the size of mouse to feed your snake on the size of his body. Pick a mouse that is about 100-150% the widest part of the snakes body.
   Offer it to you snake using tongs or set it on a piece of newspaper in your snake's cage.
   You can feed your snake every 3-5 days for fast growth (if cage temps are warm enough for digestion) or once a week and see moderate growth.

For more in-depth information, we recommend reading a book like The Corn Snake Manual by Bill and Kathy Love. (2000, Advanced Vivarium Systems, Inc.) This is my favorite. It gives detailed information about illnesses and how to treat them, breeding and the color variations of corn snakes and how they orginated.

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