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reptilebeginner
Corn Snake
Pantherophis guttatus
An active, curious North American snake and the classic beginner species. Hardy, a good eater, and easy to handle.
4–5.5 ft15–20 years
Habitat
Enclosure
20 gal for juveniles · 40 gal breeder for adults
Temperature
Warm side 80–85°F · cool side 70–75°F
Humidity / Water
40–50%
Heating & lighting
Under-tank heat mat on a thermostat covering a third of the floor, or an overhead halogen. Secure lid or front-opening doors — corn snakes are escape artists.
Diet
Feed these
- Frozen-thawed mice, sized to the snake's body width
Never feed
- Live rodents
- Insects — not part of their diet
- Handling right after feeding (regurgitation risk)
Feed every 7 days when young, every 10–14 days as adults. Always thaw rodents fully in the fridge, never in hot water.
Cohabitation
Can live with
No one — house this species alone.
Never house with
Other corn snakes — feeding competition and stress Any other species
House alone. Snakes are solitary by nature — cohabitation leads to stress, missed meals, and even cage-mate predation.
