SpeciesCorn snake
Corn snake
Pantherophis guttatus
The corn snake has a reputation as a beginner’s snake. Deservedly so: it is hardy, easy to observe and makes no unusual demands. That does not make it undemanding.
- Group
- Snake
- Level
- Beginner
- Origin
- North America
Where the species comes from
- World region
- North America
- Countries
- The southeastern and central United States
- Habitat
- Woodland, fields, scrub, rocky terrain and farmed landscapes
The natural habitat is the yardstick for how you furnish an enclosure. Knowing where an animal comes from is knowing why it needs heat zones, hides and a particular humidity.
Husbandry at a glance
The same details appear in the animal’s profile inside the app.
- Enclosure
- A long, tall, escape-proof enclosure with branches for climbing. The Animal Welfare Ordinance sets no minimum size for corn snakes. The reference is the German 1997 expert report on reptile keeping: at least 1 × 0.5 × 1 body lengths, i.e. 140 × 70 × 140 cm for a total length of 140 cm. Swiss Animal Protection (STS) recommends 180 × 80 × 100 cm for one or two animals. Meeting both means roughly 180 × 80 × 140 cm. Front opening, safe ventilation and fully secured cable and door passages.
- Temperature
- Basking spot around 28–32 °C, warm zone 25–28 °C, cool zone around 20–24 °C. At night it may usually drop to normal, safe room temperature. Control every heat source with a thermostat.
- Humidity
- Usually moderate humidity; often around 50–70 %, with good ventilation. During a shed offer a humid hide rather than keeping the whole enclosure permanently wet.
- Lighting
- A clear day–night cycle of roughly 12 hours. Bright full-spectrum light and low-level UVB are advisable, provided distance and shading are chosen correctly.
- Substrate
- At least several centimetres of diggable, low-dust soil, a leaf and bark mix or another suitable substrate. No aromatic softwood shavings.
- Furnishings
- At least one snug hide each in the warm and the cool area, additional cover, sturdy branches, cork tubes, leaf litter and raised levels.
- Water
- A stable bowl of fresh drinking water; clean it immediately once soiled.
- Feeding
- Appropriately sized, fully thawed rodents. Juveniles more often, adults at longer intervals; adjust the amount to body shape, weight and activity.
- Behaviour
- Crepuscular and nocturnal, often inquisitive and a capable climber. Regular, calm exploring is normal.
- Handling
- Briefly, calmly and supporting the whole body. Do not handle for at least about 48 hours after feeding.
- Cohabitation
- Housing the animal alone is the safe default.
- Health
- Record weight, sheds, breathing, mouth, skin and droppings. Have breathing sounds, mucus, sustained weight loss or repeated retained shed checked by a vet.
- Seasonal cycle
- For a pet, winter rest is not essential. The species comes from the south-eastern USA, where it rests for two to three months. To recreate it, cool down to 12–15 °C over two weeks, hold for eight to ten weeks and warm up again just as slowly. Do not feed for two to three weeks beforehand so that no food remains in the gut and rots. Only with healthy, well-developed animals.
- Safety
- Check escape protection especially carefully; hatchlings slip through very small gaps.
Legal position in Switzerland
No permit foreseen
No permit required. The genus is on the list of harmless venomous snakes in the federal veterinary office’s ordinance on keeping wild animals (SR 455.110.3) and is therefore exempt from the permit requirement under Art. 89 let. h of the Ordinance
No certificate of competence foreseen
No proof of competence required. It is only demanded for the animals named in Art. 89 of the Ordinance
No CITES listing
Not listed in the CITES appendices: Import and transfer require no species-protection papers. Keep the proof of purchase nonetheless
Minimum enclosure dimensions
Annex 2, table 5 of the Animal Welfare Ordinance does not list this species. Among snakes the table names only giant snakes (pythons and boas), elapids, vipers and pit vipers, and a few venomous or dangerous colubrids; for the rest no figure appears there.
The general rule in Annex 2 (letter K) then applies: the enclosure must be large enough for everything the species needs (hides, basking spot, climbing branches) to be arranged sensibly. As a yardstick, the ordinance points to expert opinions on a scientific basis. There is therefore no binding figure. The guide values in the calculator come from the 1997 expert report. Binding information comes from the cantonal veterinary office.
What the enclosure must provide
Provide an escape-proof enclosure, species-appropriate temperature zones, suitable humidity, places to retreat, water, substrate and, where applicable, a winter or dry rest period. Feeding live prey is permitted only under the narrow conditions of Art. 4 para. 3 TSchV.
Paperwork
Keep the purchase contract and proof of origin. Import and export are additionally subject to animal health and species protection legislation.
These details are a guide, not legal advice. Binding information comes from the cantonal veterinary office; the text of the ordinance is what counts. More on the legal position
