Corn snakes, also called rat snakes, are among the most popular pet snakes out there due to their docile nature. They are suitable snake pets for all hobbyists, from beginners to experienced owners.
Corn snakes are carnivorous creatures and feed on mice, birds, rats, and bats in the wild.
Generally, corn snakes only eat a few times per week. You can easily feed a juvenile corn snake twice a week for just $2, while feeding an adult corn snake for a week can cost about $4. Therefore, you can budget between $20-40 per month for feeding a corn snake based on size.
As a beginner hobbyist, you may wonder “how much does corn snake food cost?”. This article will help break down everything you need to know about corn snake food costs, from how much it will cost you to feed a corn snake to tips you can follow to save money as a corn snake owner.
How Much Does Corn Snake Food Cost?
The cost of corn snake food usually depends on the type of food and how often you feed it. Corn snakes typically eat a few times per week, and you can budget around $20-$40 per month for feeding your snake based on its size.
A small fuzzy mouse for feeding a younger snake can cost $1, while adult frozen mice for an adult snake can cost a little over $1. The good thing is that you can buy frozen mice in bulk and from a local pet store nearby to save money.
However, you may need to consider the shipping cost when purchasing prey items online.
Corn Snake Diet in Captivity
Corn snakes are carnivorous creatures and usually eat mice, bats, rats, and birds in the wild. You should feed your corn snakes with captive-bred prey items that have been frozen rather than live. This is because live feeders may try to fight for their lives, causing injury.
The most popular corn snake food in captivity is mice. You can also feed them with rats, but it is more nutritious and can make your corn snake fat when you use the same feeding rate as that of mice. You can also feed your snake with quail eggs, house geckos, and green anoles to make their diet varied.
How Often To Feed Corn Snakes?
It is recommended to feed hatchling corn snakes once every 5-7 days, while juvenile corn snakes can be fed once every 7-10 days. However, adult corn snakes can be fed once every 10-14 days.
When feeding them, only offer a prey item that is around 1-1.5 times the width of your snake. You may even offer two prey items to your corn snake in a feeding session based on the size of the feeder prey and the age of your snake.
Quick Cost Summary When Keeping a Corn Snake
Generally, it is quite affordable to buy a corn snake as you can get a common snake morph for about $50. However, the cost may go up when you consider the cost of setting up the tank as a new corn snake owner.
In this section, we have helped highlight a quick cost summary in case you want to keep a corn snake, from the cost of buying a corn snake to the cost of setting up their enclosure.
| Estimated annual | Initial costs | Yearly costs |
| Breeds | $50 – $500 | |
| Enclosure | $150 – $300 | |
| Heating | $20 – $50 | |
| Lighting | $20 | |
| Thermometer / Hygrometer | $50-$100 | |
| Substrate | $20 | |
| Water bowl | $10 | |
| Hideaways | $20 | |
| Misting bottles | $50 | |
| Water dish | $5-$20 | |
| Plants | $5-$20 per plant | |
| Other decor | $50 | |
| Food | $60 | |
| Substrate | $50-$80 | |
| Vet care | $100 | |
| Total Cost of A Corn Snake | $700-$1000 |
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Money-Saving Tips for Corn Snake Owners
Here are some helpful tips you can follow to save money as a corn snake owner.
You can save money by buying your snake from a breeder rather than from a store, and this is because most stores are resellers and want to make money.
Buying your pet’s food bulk is best if your snake eats frozen-thawed prey. This way, you can get a discount on their food, which will help reduce your spending on your snake by half or more.
You can look for second-hand lighting and heating gears if it works perfectly for your snake’s enclosure. By buying second-hand lighting and heating gears, you can reduce the cost of setting up your snake’s enclosure.
You can use your imagination when it comes to providing hiding boxes for your snake. For instance, you can use cardboard boxes, Rubbermaid container saucers, or storage boxes to create a hiding place for your snake at a low price. However, you will need to remove the cardboard boxes when they get dirty.
You can buy substrates from home improvement stores and garden centers instead of retail pet stores to save money. However, you need to ensure the substrates you purchase are clean and are not treated with toxic chemicals.
FAQs
What is the cheapest corn snake breed?
The cheapest corn snake breeds are normal, Texas, Florida, Eastern, Amelanistic, and Caramel corn snakes. You can easily buy them for around $30-$50.
What’s the average cost per month for a corn snake?
It will cost you between $20-$50 for the general maintenance and feeding of a corn snake per month. Some of the other costs included are electricity for the heating pad, cleaning the cage, replacing the substrate, and so on.
Can your pet snake love you?
Corn snakes are not quite affectionate to humans like other snake species as they don’t have emotions like humans and other animals. The good thing is that snakes can enjoy physical contact with their owners, but that does not mean it is love.
How much does it cost to set up a snake tank?
The size of your corn snake’s enclosure will determine how much it will take to set it up. However, it usually takes between $75-$100 to buy a 20-gallon tank for your snake, while a 40-gallon tank will cost over $300. You will then need to consider the cost of substrates, lighting, thermometer, plants, etc.
In Conclusion
Feeding a corn snake is an ongoing cost; you need to consider this before buying a snake. The good thing is that the cost of feeding a corn snake for a month is not expensive. You can budget between $20-$40 for feeding your corn snake monthly without hassle.