If you’re new to the snake fancying world, you may have heard all about corn snakes and what excellent pets they make through the grapevine. Indeed, these reptiles have a far-reaching reputation as one of the best pet snakes available out there. In fact, you may even be considering adopting one yourself. However, you may still have a few questions about how they compare to other snakes, and just why they’re so popular in the first place. After all, it’s important to take certain characteristics of an animal into consideration before purchasing them as a pet, such as temperament and the level of care they are going to need to thrive.
Origins
Corn snakes (pantherophis guttatus) are a small constrictor that populates various ecosystems across the Southeast US. There, these snakes play the important role of keeping the populations of various prey animals (e.g, mice and birds) at bay, ensuring the overall health of their environment. Because of their generally smaller size and tendency to be predated on by other animals, these snakes have acquired a non-conflictory nature. In other words, they would prefer to slither away and hide under a log than fight. This happens to make them amicable and tolerant of handling from humans.
Temperament
Jumping off from our last point, it’s important to remember that corn snakes make popular pets for a reason. These are generally docile, relaxed animals that are more than happy to chill on their own or perch themselves on your shoulders for hours. While these snakes are known to be a little bit more nervous and flighty as juveniles, they will soon gain confidence and start to show off their true personalities when socialized.
If you take the time to properly bond with your snake and build trust between each other, you will soon have a stable, long lived companion that may just provide one of the best pet owning experiences you’ve had the pleasure of taking part in.
Appearance
As their name would imply, the corn snake sports a pattern of corn kernel-like scales on its underbelly. This mid-sized constrictor, while about the same length of a ball python at around 3-5 feet as adults, is noticeably thinner at 1 pound. This makes them ideal for being kept in a variety of homes and easy to transport.
In the wild, corn snakes typically display a gradient of yellows, oranges and reds with darker spots along its back and side. However, the appearance of your own corn snake will be determined by its morph, or coloring and patterns that vary from its “natural” appearance.
Some morphs of corn snake include:
- Black
- Albino
- Ghost
- Snow
- Hypo
- Sunkissed
- Okeetee
- Scaleless
Keep in mind that certain morphs of corn snakes for sale are rarer and more highly desired than others. Certain varieties of corn snake may only be available through specialty breeders that have a highly limited selection of them. You can expect them to cost markedly more than a typical corn snake.
Corn Snake Care
One of the well-noted benefits of caring for a corn snake is how relatively low maintenance they are. Once their habitat is properly set up, they need fairly little upkeep aside from enclosure maintenance and routine vet care. This makes them ideal for people who live in smaller spaces, travel frequently, or are simply busy on a regular basis. They don’t need to be trained, walked, or groomed.
Of course, low-maintenance doesn’t mean no-maintenance. You do still need to set aside a certain amount of time and resources that’s dedicated to the care of your pet. It is also a good idea to regularly observe and interact with your animal to ensure that none of its habits or bodily functions have suddenly changed in a notable way. If you do see your snake’s temperament or habits suddenly shifting, it may be a good idea to take it to the vet to ensure there’s no physiological reason behind it.
Wrapping Up
There is no such thing as a “perfect” or “best” pet snake. Keeping any animal is going to require some adjustment to your home and routine. That said, there is a reason that people from a variety of different lifestyles and tastes seek out corn snakes for sale. If you are looking for a docile, easy to handle, cool looking snake that can fit nearly anywhere in your home, this may just be the pet for you. When properly cared for, the corn snake is a long-lived, healthy animal that will grace your house with its unique presence and provide you with years of companionship.
