Corn Snake

Corn Snake (scientific name: Pantherophis guttatus) is a carnivorous reptile in the Colubridae family. It has 2 subspecies. The body length is 80-120 cm, and it has a variety of colors. It is usually red with orange saddle-shaped markings. It has various color variations, ranging from fluorescent orange to gray, gray-brown, tan, and purple. Due to the black-bordered red or reddish-brown markings on its body and the checkered markings on its belly, it is also called "Corn Snake".

Corn Snakes mostly have one or more recessive genes, which gives them highly variable colors and patterns. They are often seen in gray, gray-brown, yellowish-brown, and orange. These colors serve as a base, with red or reddish-brown markings bordered in black. The belly has alternating light and dark square-shaped markings, while the underside of the tail is striped. Some gray individuals have black square patterns on their belly.

This snake is the most variable subspecies, with snakes in the same clutch having both horizontal and vertical striped patterns. Various color variations have been bred, such as albino, yellow-free, red-free, and colorless variations, as well as longitudinal striped variations.

Corn snakes are not only attractive in appearance, but also have a friendly personality, making them very suitable for keeping as pets. They have a variety of body color patterns, and the longest body length can reach 182 cm, with a relatively slim build.

1. Acute pneumonia

One of the common diseases of snakes. It is characterized by difficulty in breathing, open mouth, unwillingness to prey, and prolonged stay outside the nest. The onset is relatively sudden and can cause mass deaths when severe. It mostly occurs during the period when female snakes lay eggs or give birth, because they are weak at this time, do not drink water, and the humid and hot temperature makes snakes prone to illness. The preventive measures are to supplement sufficient clean water for female snakes during the egg laying (offspring) period, ensure good ventilation, and lower the ambient temperature.

2. Mold Spot Disease

Common in captive snakes, especially venomous snakes, such as vipers and pit vipers. This disease often occurs in poor living environments, small activity areas, and humid environments. The main preventive measure is to keep the snake's habitat dry and give the snake a certain range of activities. Lime can also be used regularly to sweep and absorb moisture, or wrap lime in paper and place it on one side of the snake's nest, replacing it regularly.

Treatment: Apply 2% iodine to the affected snake's body twice a day. Or soak in potassium permanganate solution, and it can be cured after 1 week. Mold spot disease should be detected and treated early, and late treatment has poor efficacy.

3. Parasites

There are many types of parasites that infect snakes, including flagellates, nematodes, tapeworms, and roundworms. The snake's skin is infested with ticks and mites.

Treatment method: Oral administration of a solution containing dichlorvos for animals, with a dosage of per kilogram of snake's weight, administered continuously for 5 days, can kill or expel various parasites in the body. In addition, fenbendazole, metronidazole, and dichlorophenol can also be used. For ticks and mites on the skin, the snake can be placed in a nylon bag and soaked in the solution containing dichlorvos for animals for 10 minutes, and the ticks and mites will die and fall off, then rinse the skin with water.

4. Snake stomatitis

It is almost the most common disease in snakes. Stomatitis occurs most frequently in venomous snakes, because taking venom can easily cause oral injuries. Improper repeated venom collection methods or careless operations can easily cause stomatitis. During hibernation, certain bacteria are prone to invade the cheeks and may also cause stomatitis. During the hunting season, oral injuries can also occur due to fighting or swallowing larger prey. If artificially fed, the incidence of stomatitis is even higher. The main manifestations are swelling of the upper and lower jaws, inability to open or close the mouth, affecting food intake, sometimes redness of the oral gums and forehead (normally pale), and in severe cases, purulent discharge in some tooth sockets. Finally, due to the spread of inflammation, the snake cannot drink water, becomes weak, and dies.

Corn Snakes are mostly purchased for household pets. Before keeping a Corn Snake, it is important to set up the proper living environment in advance. Do not wait until you have the snake to consider these things. For Corn Snakes, a new environment means everything is unfamiliar. Therefore, they need some time to adapt to the new surroundings.

When keeping a Corn Snake, you will need a box that is at least 1.5 times larger than the snake when coiled up. It is recommended to use a container with a lid, such as a covered food container. You will also need a hiding place (optional), a water bowl, and a substrate (simple newspaper works, but if you want something more aesthetically pleasing, you can use white aspen shavings). In the winter, you will need a 15W heating pad and a thermostat.

Corn Snakes are highly sensitive to changes in temperature, lighting, smell, and vibration in a new environment. They do not quickly adapt to their surroundings. Provide them with a quiet environment, clean water, and a hiding spot. When you bring a new baby snake home, it is important not to handle or feed it right away. Let it rest quietly for at least three to five days and avoid constantly checking the enclosure. Give it time to adapt to the new environment. After the adjustment period, you can start feeding it without worrying about it starving. Snakes can go for a long time without eating.

Snakes require warmth on their bellies, so a heating pad is more effective than a heat lamp. However, be careful not to make the temperature too high, as it can cause burns. If your hand feels hot when placed on the pad, it is too hot. It is best to place a ceramic tile on top of the pad.