It is wise to set up your corn snake habitat before you buy your corn snake. Baby corn snakes are quite small and, if raised together, will happily co-habitate until adulthood. You might want to consider two. Especially when small, they spend all their time together.

Buy the right sized tank at the beginning. A 30 gallon aquarium, 30" long, 13" tall and about 13" deep, is just right. Special reptile vivariums, or aquariums, are not set up for fish. They must have a firmly locking top. A mesh screen top that slides in and locks with pins is ideal. Corn snakes are escape artists!

Fill the bottom of the vivarium with about 2 inches of a "substrate" or bedding that is comfortable for the snake and easy to clean. Some owners opt for shredded paper, some use folded newspaper, and some go to the pet store and ask questions about many more types of bedding. Reptile Bark is a popular choice.

Provide a "hide" or corn snake retreat. This will make it feel secure and give it a place to sleep. A terra cotta flower pot works very well. Other owners prefer artificial foliage. A corn snake is largely nocturnal, so you may have to wake it up during the day to play with it. This is not a problem. Corn snakes love to play!

Place a stick-on heating pad anapsid.org: [1] underneath the glass of the vivarium. If placed inside the tank, it may get too hot. At least one end of the habitat needs to be warm at all times, approximately 75-80 degrees. A stick-on thermometer on the side of the tank will help you maintain the proper temperature.

Provide a shallow water dish and do NOT let it run dry. Corn snakes drink a lot of water, especially after they have eaten. Clean the dish frequently to prevent mold. Keep it away from the heat source. Spilled water can crack hot glass.

Zoologists recommend "enhancements" for animals, and snakes are no exception. If you provide something for your snake to climb on, different textures like a smooth rock, it will keep your corn snake interested, happy and healthy. A reptile climbing stick, for instance, helps when your corn snake sheds its skin. When they are young, this happens about once a month.

First, never feed your snake in its vivarium. It will associate the habitat with food and your hand as well. It's a great way to get bitten, even if you do not taste like a rodent.

Now that you have a beautiful home for your corn snake, it's very important to select the proper food. This can be a controversial topic. Many reptile experts claim that the snake must be fed live prey. This is not true. Corn snakes eat mice. Frozen feeder rodents come in all sizes. Your baby snake will eat newborn mice called "pinky mice" or "pinkies." Defrost the pinky overnight in the fridge. When ready to feed, warm it in warm water (not too hot), dry it and put it into a paper bag or secure reptile feeding tub along with your snake. Close the top securely. The snake will see and smell its prey in the darkness.

Instinct is strong in a constrictor, so don't be alarmed of your snake wraps coils around the defrosted warm mouse. It's sometimes amusing to watch a "life and death" struggle between your corn snake and a deceased mouse. Some snakes do this, some do not. They do have individual personalities!

As your corn snake grows, so does the food. The next size mouse is a "Fuzzy," then a "Hopper" then a "Small Mouse" and so forth. Feed your snake once a week. Make sure you have the right size rodent. Ask the pet shop personnel if you are not sure, or look on the Internet regarding when to "graduate" to the next size.

Let your corn snake digest in peace and quiet for at least 24 hours before you handle it again. Full tummies make it uncomfortable for your snake to bend and play.

A good habit to develop is to thoroughly clean the tank when you feed your snake. While your snake is "catching" its rodent and eating it, you can quickly and easily remove all the accessories (climbing stick, rock, dish, hide) and throw away the soiled bedding. Remove all the bedding, and thoroughly clean the tank. Paper towels and water will do the trick. Do not use chemicals. Replace the bedding with fresh clean substrate, clean the accessories if necessary, reassemble the tank with all the items and make sure the water is fresh and the dish full. By the time you are done, so is the snake. Look in the bag or tub. If the "bulge" is at least halfway down the snake, it's ready to return to the tank. If it is still working on the rodent, close the top and give it more time.

Spot clean by removing soiled bedding in between the major cleanings.

Once back in the tank, your snake will probably hide in its retreat while it digests.