My new little guy (or gal)

[Islandzoo]

so finally got my corn snake yesterday!

No pics yet as he's a bit shy and hiding from me. he's about 3/4 of a ft long and the width of a pencil. I put a little cave in his tank with a lid with a hole in the top. When I first put him in tank he had to explore so he went all round the tank and explored around the lid (to see if he could escape) and then he curled up in a corner. He hadn't found the cave. But later in the evening, he was in the cave, his head was poking out the hole but soon as went in hte room he ducked back inside. I am leaving him for a couple of days to adjust before I handle him.
he looks a bit like this: http://www.moreptiles.com/h_amel%20blood.JPG

he (or she!) is an Amel.

[gary&chloe]

Very pretty. Those colors are beautiful.

[jimleasure]

kristie,

i've had my little corn about a month now. you should handle them as much as possible, they need to get use to being handled. mine is a candy cane and is about 10 to 12 inches. he eats one pinky mouse a week, although i may change that to two because he is digesting them quicker than when i first got him. he also just shed last weekend, first time for me.
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/1364/peppermint1om9.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/7888/peppermint2ql3.jpg

here are a couple of pictures. acacia just loves her new buddy. although it's hard to see in the picture she is holding him, and she does a great job on how she interacts with him.

[Islandzoo]

Hi thanks Gary, and Jim.

I just wanted to leave him alone for a couple of days to settle. he's frightened and hasn't come out of his cave yet - well not in our presence anyway.

[Brandy]

aww Kristie, what a beautiful color!!! is there a way to sex them?? and have you named him/her yet?? I cant wait to see him/her and hear lots of stories !!!

Jim,,,gorgeous little snake, I didnt know you had a snake, Acacia is adorable holding it :)

[parrotgirl]

Well Kristie, you know me and snakes, scared stiff but the colours are beautiful.

Jim, Acacia is fearless with animals. Good for her its a lovely picture.

[Islandzoo]

its too young to know what sex. He can do it in a few months when he/she's bigger.

No idea what to call him so any ideas welcomed!

so far we've thought of Sydney, slinky, ziggy, I like lilly and trinity but they're girls names of course.
sydney could be for a girl - like sydney in relic hunter! Not very original though eh.

[SadennaAndFlock]

Congrats on finally getting your cornsnake, your gonna love them. As for sex yeah at this age it is hard to tell so you have to wait till they are are a little older to be probed also when they are older you can sometimes tell by the tail I believe Kathy Loves book shows pictures distinguishing the tails of older male or female. Even though ours was already sexed when we got her I looked at the book and even without having a male on hand to compared you could tell she was female by the width of the area by her vent and her tail length.

Very pretty colors babies are so bright and vibrant and those colors change as they mature did you get a chance to see the parents or adults that are the same to see what they are going to look like.

We are actually looking at getting another snake i am looking at Hog Island Boas or maybe a Dumerils Boa neither get huge and both have very calm docile temperments. Hard part will be finding someone who breeds Hog Islands to talk to locally if not may have to wait till the up coming reptile show in august or the Unique Animal Expo in Feb thats in oregon. If I can't find a reputable breeder of either then I may get another cornsnake

[tropiclegirl]

OMG you guys with your snakes! I think snakes are just absolutely beautiful, but at the same time i would run for dear life if one was around me!!:yikes: Never had the desire to have one as a pet, even though have had all sorts of animals over the years ( Iguana, Bearded Dragon, Chamilian, Prarie Dog, Hamsters, Gerbil, Rabbits, Guinea pigs, Fish, dogs, cats, birds mmmmmmm no snakes lol!!

Congrats on your new baby tho , he is beautiful! :)

[Shirley]

Congratulations, Kristie! I gotta scan and post Pitre's pics... he is an amelanistic, too, and looked just like that photo you linked.

Yep... handle him now. You don't need to wait. The only time to leave him alone with right after he eats, let him digest for a day so he doesn't upchuck his mouse from being handled, and right around the time he's going to shed, he'll get dull and his eyes will look faded, then leave him be a bit more than usual if he gets cranky.

But it's his instinct to hide... so take him out and play with him! :agree:

You can visually sex him now if you had several to compare him too. Males have longer tails (from the vent to the tip).

[Sue]

Congrats Kristie on the new guy, cool colours.

I like the name Ziggy:)

[Islandzoo]

I opened his hide earlier cos Dan was here and wanted to see him - and he was getting really cross! he was pretending to be scary and doing his 'i'm going to strike' posture.

I put the lid back on.

The guy said to me you see, that it's best not to handle him for the first couple of days, so that he can get used to his eniviroment and all. I was going to start handling him on saturday.

Sadenna - wow I don't think I could fancy a large snake. I held a rainbow boa at the pet shop last month, she was scary! she wrapped herself round my arm and she was sooo strong, I couldn't easily remove her. beautiful colours though, irridescent purple almost.

[Shirley]

The babies act like that until they realize that being held is not a threat, but a nice warm body to lay on.

[SadennaAndFlock]

Baby corns will also rattle their tail like a rattle snake does no sound but the movement is the same..they think their tough just natural instinct your so big and their so small. Just remember to wash your hands before and after handling...especially if you have been handling one of your birds prior or other animals snake smells that on ya gonna think your hands lunch lol.

Rainbow Boas are nice to very pretty irridecent. The Hogs Island most is about 7-8 feet but not big girth wise the dumerils is a bit smaller but a bit more bulky like an over grown ball python..

[Jim]

Congratulations Kristie!

I'm with Sue, I like the name Ziggy.

[mourningdove]

How exciting Krisitie! congratulations!

hugs,missi