How to Care for Baby Corn Snakes

Corn snakes are popular with pet owners because of their bright colors and manageable size. Like any pet, if you're lucky enough to acquire your corn snake as a baby, you can help shape its personality by handling it frequently and giving it proper care from the start.

Things You'll Need

• Secure enclosure
• Pinky mice
• Clean water
• Empty toilet paper rolls
• Heating pad

Instructions

1. Provide your corn snake with a secure enclosure. While they're small, corn snakes don't require a lot of space. Some corn snake owners opt to house their baby corn snakes in plastic shoe containers with holes punched in the container. The enclosure's security is the most important aspect of your corn snake's first home. Corn snakes are excellent escape artists and you could have a tough time finding your tiny companion if it gets out.

2. Heat one side of your baby corn snake's enclosure to 80 to 85 degrees F. Your snake is cold-blooded and doesn't produce its own body heat, so it needs a warm spot to bask.

3. Play with your baby corn snake. If you want your snake to be friendly, it's extremely important to spend time each day handling it. Let the snake slither between your fingers. Be careful not to drop it.

4. Keep your baby corn snake away from other pets. Dogs and cats might view the newest member of your family as a toy and other reptiles will likely see your baby corn snake as dinner.

5. Offer your baby corn snake 1 pinky mouse a week. Give your snake time to digest its meal before handling it or it could regurgitate its food. Keep clean water in the cage at all times. Make sure it's not so deep your baby corn snake could get in trouble when it submerges itself.

6. Place an empty toilet paper roll in your baby corn snake's enclosure so it has a place to hide. Like people, snakes occasionally need privacy.