Purchasing Your Corn Snake

Now that you know more about the Corn Snake, you are ready to consider the costs of keeping one and convince your family, roommates, or anyone living with you not to worry about your corn snake. You also have to consider the negative response to your pet – both from guests and your housemates. Convincing them will not be easy!

In this chapter you will find valuable information about where to find a Corn Snake breeder, how to select a reputable breeder, and the questions you need to ask from your potential supplier. You will also receive tips for your home and for introducing your new pet snake to your family.

This chapter will also discuss the different things you can do to get them to be comfortable with the idea of living with a snake at home.

Convincing Your Housemates

One of the biggest hurdles to getting a pet snake is convincing your housemates, especially if you live with your parents. The idea of keeping a snake at home is difficult to sell. To one who is not used to snakes, having one at home can be terrifying, especially if you have a phobia of snakes.

So, how does one convince their housemate to let them keep a corn snake? 

Learn about corn snakes – and share what you know!

In the previous chapters, we have discussed basic facts about the corn snake. It is docile, can grow up to 5 or 6 feet, and it feeds mostly on rodents. These will come in handy when you ask your housemates or parents if they will be okay with you keeping a corn snake.

If you can, get guidebooks like this one on corn snakes and taking care of them, so your housemate will know that they do not have to be afraid. Familiarize them with snakes by going with them to the zoo or talking to them. 

Present to them the idea of having a snake at home.

Of course, you shouldn’t suddenly tell them that you’ll be getting a pet snake. Wait until you have familiarized them enough with snakes to be comfortable enough to entertain the idea of living with one. You should also be able to answer their questions about corn snakes about the risks of taking care of one, how much it will cost, and how big it will get. Be honest so that they will be able to assess the risks and costs of living with a pet snake. 

Reassure them that you can take care of your snake.

As with all pets, you must be able to take care of your corn snake. You should have enough time to spend with your snake. Reassure your housemates that you are responsible enough to keep your snake, and that they won’t end up having to feed it for you or fight it off if it escapes and becomes agitated. This can only be done by showing them, not just telling them, that you are a responsible keeper.

Try to convince them – but if you can’t, don’t force them.

If you’ve tried everything you can to convince your housemates or parents but they still don’t want to live with a snake, don’t force them to! Even if corn snakes aren’t venomous, people who aren’t prepared to live with one may in some way agitate it. Even worse, it may cause a fight between you and your housemates. We get it, it’s not easy to convince people to live with a snake, but there is reason for them to be scared. Despite everything, snakes are not used to people and people are almost taught to fear snakes. So don’t push it – wait until you can get your own place or find housemates willing to accommodate your corn snake.

Before you get your own corn snake, you must make sure the people you live with are okay with it. Otherwise, you might end up having to relocate it – and corn snakes aren’t easy to put up for adoption like dogs and cats are.

Now, if you have convinced your housemates, read on to find out how much it costs to take care of your pet corn snake.