At first glance, most people are generally intimidated by the idea of keeping a pet snake. They have this notion that all snakes are dangerous, slimey, and foul-smelling. In reality, that is not always necessarily the case.
As a matter of a fact, only 200 out of the 2000 species of snakes are venemous, and their undesirable physique is often caused by their lack of access to basic proper hygiene. With that being said, when animal enthusiasts take the chance into caring for these snakes, they could be surprised on how endearing these “intimidating” creatures could be.
If you’re considering on raising a pet snake of your own, consider those two points. In retrospect, basic hygiene is relatively easy to maintain – all of the information you could consult professionals for advice. However, in terms of choosing the right snake species, is a much trickier task.
Especially for beginners, it is wise that you raise a non venemous snake for safety precautions. There are various types of these: Rainbow Snakes, Green Tree Snakes, and Corn Snakes amongst the many. Corn snakes are a popular breed that snake enthusiasts raise and there are so many reasons why.
If you’re considering of adopting your very own Corn Snake, be sure to read through this article for 10 reasons why a Corn Snake is the perfect pet for you!
- Their Domestic Nature
It might seem bizarre, considering that snakes are wild animals, but Corn Snakes are generally domestic by nature. The Corn Snake’s natural habitats are concentrated in the southeast and central south Africa, and are generally harmless to humans as they don’t bite. Along their large physique (adults growing up to 3.9 – 6.0 meters), interesting patterns, and a long life span of 6-8 years, you could imagine why Corn Snakes are a desirable breed to raise.
2. Their Calm Personality
Their domestic nature goes hand in hand with their calm personality. Corn Snakes do not attack their human companions, especially when being fed. Their smart and endearing personality makes it all the easier to love them.
3. Easy to Feed
In the wild, Corn Snake’s diet mainly consists of mice. Though when domesticated they could opt for another nutritional diet, the breeds of mice Corn Snakes feed on are: pinkie mice, fuzzy mice, hoppers, weaned, adult, and giants.
In terms of their frequency, a Corn Snake’s required nutritional intake heavily depends on their age and weight. Below is a general rule of thumb of their diet menu:
- Corn Snakes weighing 4-15 g – newborn baby mice;
- Corn Snakes weighing 16-30 g – 2 newborn baby mice;
- Corn Snakes weighing 30-50 g – Fuzzy mice;
- Corn Snakes weighing 51-90 g – Hoppers;
- Corn Snakes weighing 90-170 g – Weaned Mice;
- Corn Snakes weighing 170-400 g – Adult Mice;
- Corn Snakes weighing 400 g+ – Giant Mice.
4. Good Hygiene
Contrary to popular belief, a Corn Snake has a low maintenance hygiene agenda. Corn Snakes only require their cages to be fully cleansed once for every three weeks, though require routine cleaning to health reasons. Every week, feed your snakes well and change their surroundings so they wont get bored and are comfortable in their habitat.
5. Not Venemous
Perhaps the most important point is that Corn Snakes are non venemous creatures. They, as pets, could also help control the wild rat population that could carry harmful diseases and ruin house plants.
6. Reduce Stress
Studies have vouched that just like raising any other pet, Corn Snakes help reduce their human companion’s stress levels. Especially with their charming personality, human companions can rely on their snake friend to end a bad day in good terms.
7. Helps Train Patience and a Sense of Responsibility
Raising a pet of your own helps train your patience and a sense of responsibility. Your animal companion relies on your guidance and care to survive. Being able to raise an animal on your own should not be treated like a short term investment – because animals are living creatures that deserves the love we do.
Raising an animal companion of your own is not just about feeding and cleaning. Investing time and energy to socialise with your pets is crucial for their development. In doing so, we could learn a thing or two about empathy and patience.
8. Fight Against Species Extinction
By raising a healthy family of snakes would combat their risk of extinction. Conservation of an animal species is important in order to maintain the balance in nature’s food chain.
9. Improve Overall Life Quality
Studies conducted by the Journal of Physical Activity and Health has found a correlation between one’s happiness rate and raising animal companions. The study has been tested by over 40.000 volunteers: a mix of pet owners and those who do not have animal companions.
10. Maintain Zen
Believe it or not, animal companions have been proven to play a huge part in one’s mental zen. Yes, your carnivorous predator friend could help you calm down! A study conducted by the Psychosomatic Medicine Journal has vouched for this.
In this study, researchers separated a group of people into pet owners and non-pet owners, and then proceeded to run tests. These volunteers were told to solve several logical tests but was placed in stressful circumstances. In their results, pet owners had managed to performed comparatively better than non-pet owners.
If you’ve read this far, congratulations! You now know 10 reasons why a Corn Snake is the perfect pet for you! However, just as you would adopt any other animal companion, it is always wiser to consult and do more prior research if this animal companion is fit for you. Raising a snake of your own should not be taken lightly, as there are heavy responsibilities that comes with it.