Are corn snakes expensive to keep?
Owning a pet snake comes with a number of advantages and responsibilities. One of the most popular pet snakes among reptile lovers are the corn snakes. Corn snakes are some of the best beginner pet snakes because they are easy to handle.
Now before owning a corn snake, there are certain considerations you ought to make. You have to stop and factor in the cost of maintaining your pet friend all through its lifetime. Remember, you are removing the snake from its natural habitat where it is used to hunting different prey, which means that you have to take up the role of provision.
To help you break this down, this article will explore the question, are corn snakes expensive to keep? I hope that you will gain some useful insight before you purchase one.
Are corn snakes expensive to keep?
Now, keeping a corn snake comes with some requirements. Therefore, to help you determine whether owning one is an expensive venture of not, we will break down these necessities and give a verdict afterward. Let’s get started.
Housing
Now, you must accord your pet snake decent housing once you decide to tame it. Remember, it is miles away from its natural habitat, and the best you can do is to keep it as comfortable as possible.
Corn snakes are not as big, and therefore, a smaller house will be just right. The largest snake in this category is normally medium-sized, giving them an edge over the boa or python in terms of housing.
You do not require a big house which cuts down costs. On housing, therefore, corn snakes are pretty affordable. These snakes are not in any way exotic and do not, therefore, require any type of house customization. You are going to spend less housing a corn snake as compared to a tropical snake.
If you cannot afford a glass terrarium with a screen lid, you can keep your snake in a plastic cage, which is usually cheaper. The best type of housing, however, is the glass aquarium, which generally costs around a hundred bucks.
You should also get a bigger tank so that you do not attract replacement costs if your snake grows bigger. Still, on housing, your snake needs bedding. Now, most people use aspen shavings, which have proved to be very helpful. You, however, need to buy these. There is, however, a cheaper alternative, which is newspapers. The only problem with these is that you will find your snake tucked under them.
To help your snake adapt to its new habitat, you will need caging materials and other furniture, such as branches and rocks. These are not as expensive, and with the right creativity, you can make your own.
The rocks are necessary since your snake needs a hiding space at times. Remember, snakes are used to getting hunted, and therefore, they need to feel secure even in their new habitat. A corn snake also needs about 8-12 hours of light. At night, you need a nocturnal or infrared light. White light affects snakes.
Unlike other snake species, you can house adult corn snakes together, which reduces the cost of housing. Provided that the accommodation is large enough, you do not have to incur extra expenses.
Feeding
Now that a domesticated snake cannot go out hunting on its own, you have to feed it. This is where most snake owners spend a fortune. Feeding a snake regularly can be an expensive venture since they are entirely carnivorous.
Corn snakes do not have extreme feeding requirements. You only need to feed your snake once a week for juveniles and a maximum of two times for adults. Now, this saves you the cost of regular and everyday feeding. They eat rodents, such as mice, by swallowing them whole.
It is, therefore, easy to provide food for a corn snake since rodents are everywhere. You probably have a lot of rats in your basement, which can be easily trapped to ensure constant food supply. On an average, adult corn snakes feed on four to five mice a month. You could also buy in bulk to cut down the cost.
One consideration that you need to make when feeding your snake is to use a different place. You do not want the snake to associate with your hand. Feeding a corn snake is also not as demanding since you do not need any microwave.
Heating
Now, you need to furnish your snake with the right temperature. Remember, in their natural habitat; they can easily roll out and bask in the sun to feel some warmth. However, this is curtailed once they come home. Lack of proper heating might leave your corn snake with respiratory infections, which you want to avoid.
You, therefore, need a heating mat, which is not as expensive. A good heating mat will take around thirty pounds. It is optional, however. A heat source that emits LED lights would just be fine. However, it will be inconvenient for your pet if you keep the source at night.
You won’t need a heating mat; however, if your heating source does not emit light. You can, therefore, leave the source on at night without having to worry about your snake. Most heating costs are consequently derived from powering the heating source or the heating mat, which is also not as high.
You could also use heat lamps which sell for as low as five pounds. In case you get your pet a glass aquarium, you need an under-tank heater to control the temperature inside the aquarium. An under-tank heater is not as expensive. You will pat with around 25 dollars.
Veterinary services
One of the necessary costs that come with owning any type of pet is veterinary. You have to hire the services of a vet regularly to check on your snake. The good news is, these snakes do not need a monthly visit to the vet.
You are probably going to part with around 50 to 60 dollars the one or two times you take your pet friend to a vet.
Emergency costs
Snakes bite. This is one thing that you should be prepared for as a snake owner. Remember, owning a snake requires that you handle it. Handling predisposes you to risks, especially if your snake might is not in its right state. If you get it provoked, it is going to lash out and bite it.
Now, these bites are not normally dangerous since pet snakes are not in any way poisonous. However, you need to factor in the treatment costs. Treating a corn snake bite shouldn’t be a big deal, and with just soap and water, you will be good to go.
However, if you are still not sure, a hospital visit will not cost you as much.
Purchase cost
You are not just going to walk into any forest and capture a corn snake. You need to buy one. This is the first expense one undergoes in owning these snakes. Corn snakes come in different colors. Therefore, to own a basic corn snake, you are going to part with only 30 dollars.
A hybrid snake, loaded with unique colors and shades, cots around 70 dollars. Now, this is cheaper than most snakes in this category, which means that a corn snake is much less expensive.
Maintenance
You need to regularly maintain your snake’s habitat, which is usually done through cleaning and disinfection. Maintenance should, therefore, be done once a week since lack of it predisposes your pet snake to dermatitis, which can cause blisters and rapid shedding of the skin. Scrub the snake’s aquarium with a bleach solution and rinse it thoroughly with water.
The only thing that you will need to buy, therefore, is a bleach solution, which you can also quickly obtain from your laundry section. You also need to ensure that the snake’s habitat is humid enough when it wants to shed its skin.
Conclusion
Having a pet snake comes with its fair share of requirements, which generally differ depending on snake to snake. From our discussion, you have seen some of the necessities that you will have to spend on once you own a corn snake.
It is quite evident that corn snakes are not as expensive to keep. They do not need ultra-specific housing requirements and feed on live rodents, which can easily be found. Also, on the heating, a heating mat costs roughly 30 pounds, which is not a big deal considering that you will use the mat for quite some time.
For bedding, one can use newspapers if getting the right shavings is costly, which is also a cost saver. Provided that you keep a healthy habitat and the proper heat requirement, you are most likely not going to see a vet any soon.
Are corn snakes expensive to keep? Absolutely not.