How Much Does A Corn Snake Cost (To Buy & Raise)

Corn snakes are awesome pets, but…

…how much will it cost you to buy and raise one?

In this article, we’ll cover all of the costs you can expect to come across when raising your reptile friend. We’ll even go through some tips that will help you cut some costs.

But perhaps you’re now wondering…

How much does it cost to set up a corn snake enclosure for the first time? Or, how much you will spend on food and medical treatment?

We’ll be considering all the prices you must know in the next section of this article.

How Much Does a Corn Snake Cost? (2023 Price Guide)

Are you planning to give a corn snake a home?

Then that’s fantastic! Corn snakes are easy animals to look after and do not need a lot of attention.

Corn snakes are popular captive reptiles in the United States and other countries around the world because they are so docile and interesting. They’re ideal for busy people as they do not need feeding often and entertain themselves.

Ok, so you’re already convinced, corn snakes are definitely the right animals for you.

But how can you be sure that the cost of buying and raising a corn snake is within your budget?

Coming up next in this article, we are going to break down the pricing for each essential part of corn snake care. You’ll find out the pricing for the following:

• The corn snake. That is, how much you’ll spend buying your new pet.
• The enclosure. Your new friend will need a space to live in. You’ll see how much it’ll cost.
• The substrate. Corn snakes like to burrow around.
• The supplies. He’ll need a water dish and lighting, amongst other things.
• The accessories. Hideouts and branches are perfect for the enclosure.
• The diet. He needs the right amount of grub for his size.
• The medical attention. Let’s make sure he stays healthy.

The prices you see will help you estimate how much you will spend looking after your corn snakes throughout their lives. The prices may vary slightly depending on where you live and how popular these wild animals are in your area.

Let’s jump to it!

Initial Corn Snake Cost

So, first things first, we’ll talk about the outright price of buying a corn snake.

How much does a corn snake cost?

Baby corn snakes and hatchlings cost between $30 and $100. The price of your new pet snake will vary depending on its morph and where you get it from.

Popular corn snake morphs from reputable breeders will be less expensive than an exotic or rare morph.

Corn Snake Enclosure Cost

Your brand-new pet snake will need a comfy new home to live in.

But how much does a corn snake enclosure cost?

An adult corn snake will need a 40-gallon terrarium to live comfortably. An empty tank of this size will cost about $50.

A hatchling or a young corn snake will need a 20-gallon terrarium.

If you are going to be housing multiple corn snakes, you will need a considerably bigger enclosure. The bigger it is, the more expensive it will be.

If your corn snake is still a baby, calculate the size of the terrarium he will need when he’s an adult. Get the biggest enclosure you have the space for.

Corn Snake Substrate Cost

You need to line your corn snake’s enclosure with substrate materials that will make him feel at home in his new environment.

What kind of substrate materials will you need for your corn snake’s setup?

Here’s a list of some of the most popular choices.

• Aspen shavings
• Coconut fiber
• Cypress mulch
• Organic topsoil
• Reptisoil
• Paper towels
• Sphagnum moss

The cost of substrate for most corn snakes is between $20 and $25. Mixing some of these substrate layers can give it a better texture and make it easier for the snake to burrow.

Corn Snake Supplies Cost

There is more to corn snake ownership than meets the eye. Part of the initial cost of owning this snake species is kitting out their terrarium with all the supplies they’ll need.

What kind of supplies do corn snakes need?

Here is a list of some of them.

• Water bowl
• Heat lamp
• Heat bulb
• Digital thermometer (to keep an eye on the temperature in the snake’s enclosure and his own body temperature)

How much will all of this cost?

A water bowl from your average pet store will cost between $5 and $10. The heat lamp costs between $10 and $25.

Individual heat bulbs usually cost around $5. The digital thermometer will cost around $10.

Corn Snake Accessories Cost

Another part of the initial cost is the price of the corn snake’s accessories.

What kind of accessories must you put in his enclosure?

Here is a list of some of them.

• Hide box
• Climbing branches

How much do these accessories cost?

Well, if you get creative, you can source these accessories for free. Make a hide box out of a cardboard box.

Use natural climbing branches from your yard for him to climb on. Just ensure they are firmly fixed in your terrarium.

If corn snake ownership is a new endeavor for you, you might feel more comfortable simply purchasing the accessories your snake will need. Here’s how much you’ll spend.

A snake hide box costs about $10. A snake climbing branch costs about $15.

Slightly bigger branches and more complex hideouts will be more expensive. But a couple of simple hideouts and branches will suffice.

Decorative rocks are also nice features for the perfect enclosure.

Corn Snake Food Cost

Another factor to consider when it comes to snake ownership is the cost of the food. A corn snake’s diet consists of frozen rodents.

The size of the rodent you must feed your pet corn snake depends on the size of the snake rather than the snake’s age. Larger snakes will prefer to eat larger mice, while small snakes will prefer pinky mice.

Buying frozen mice in small quantities is a bit pricey. To save money, consider buying them in bulk and purchasing them from online retailers.

How much will you spend on your pet corn snake’s food?

Each frozen rodent costs between $2 and $3. You will spend between $8 and $16 on food each month.

Now, that’s not bad for a monthly food bill!

Corn Snake Medical Care Cost

There is more to keeping your pet corn snake healthy than feeding it on time and keeping its tank clean. For your reptile to avoid serious health issues, you will need to take him to the vet regularly.

How much does it cost to take a corn snake to the vet?

A general office visit can cost anything between $35 and $100.

To make sure your snake gets the proper care he needs and stays healthy, take out a veterinary insurance plan. To avoid respiratory diseases and other health problems, take him to the vet for a check-up annually, or more often if possible.

It is wise to put some money aside for visits to the vet as these are expensive.

All About the Cost of Corn Snakes

Are you taking home a pet corn snake for the first time today?

That’s great, as corn snakes are awesome home reptiles.

Why?

Well, for one thing, they are docile, have a very manageable size, and are easy to look after. They are also non-venomous.

Of course, with every new pet comes a new set of expenses you will have to cover.

How much does a corn snake cost?

The outright price for a corn snake is between $30 and $100. Prices will vary slightly depending on how common the snake morph you are after is in the wild.

But, there’s more to the expenses of corn snakes than just the initial purchase. In this section, we’ll cover the following 3 sets of expenses.

• Initial setup costs
• Food
• Additional costs

Bringing Home a New Corn Snake: Initial Setup Costs

There are some things you must have ready for when your new corn snake arrives home for the first time. Here is a list of items and accessories he will need and how much they will cost you.

ITEM	AVERAGE PRICE
Terrarium 40-gallon tank	$50
Substrate materials	$20 to $25
Water dish	$5 to $10
Heat lamp and bulb	$15 to $35
Digital thermometer	$10
Hide box	$10
Climbing branches	$15

The initial setup costs for a corn snake in captivity are between $125 and $155.

How Much Does a Corn Snake Cost to Feed?

Reptiles like corn snakes eat frozen mice. Larger pets will eat larger rodents and smaller pets will eat slightly smaller rodents.

How much you will spend on pet corn snake food will depend on how big he is and how often you feed him.

A large corn snake in captivity will need feeding every week to two weeks. Smaller corn snakes, hatchlings, and elderly ones will need feeding more often.

Frozen food for these great pets costs between $2 and $3 per rodent. You will spend between $8 and $16 a month on rodent food for your pet.

Additional Costs to Factor In

When calculating the cost of keeping your new pet corn snake, it’s not just the price of the tank and water bowls you have to consider. There are many different types of additional costs to bear in mind too.

One of these is vet bills. To keep your pet corn snake healthy, you must take him to the vet at least once a year for a checkup.

A visit to the vet can cost between $35 and $100. If your snake needs any special treatment, it will be even more expensive.

Here comes another additional cost to think about.

You also need to consider the cost of running a space heater or heat lamp that will ensure your pet corn snake feels comfortable. He needs the following three temperature ranges in his tank:

• Basking warm side: 90 degrees Fahrenheit
• Cool side: 75 degrees Fahrenheit
• Ambient air temperature: 82 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit
• The humidity levels in the tank need to be between 40 and 50% to keep your reptile’s skin healthy

Saving Money on Corn Snake Care

Owning a corn snake is not cheap. There’s the enclosure to buy and kit out, lighting to purchase, and expensive vet check-ups to take him to.

All of this may have you wondering whether you can really afford to keep a corn snake as a pet. Before you knock the idea on the head, take a look at the following ideas that will help you save money while looking after these interesting wild animals.

Choosing a Corn Snake

Some corn snakes cost more than others. Depending on the morph and how popular they are where you live, you could end up spending upwards of $100 or more on just the snake itself.

How can you save some money?

Choose corn snakes that are more popular and easier to get hold of, as these are often cheaper. Here are some of the more common types of corn snakes that might be less expensive.

• Striped corn snakes
• Snow tessera corn snakes
• Oketee corn snakes

Laying Your Substrate

Commercial substrate for corn snakes is expensive. A 24-quart bag of shredded aspen can cost about $25.

How can you cut this cost?

One way is to supplement commercial bedding with ones that are recyclable. Use paper shreddings, as they are also perfect for your snakes to burrow into.

Buying your substrate in bulk is also a great way of getting the cost down.

Choosing Supplies

Some pet stores like to take advantage of the fact that you are kitting out an exotic animal to make the prices of simple things more expensive. For example, you could end up paying close to $20 or more for a simple reptile water dish.

Your snakes do not need a special water dish to drink from. As long as the bowl is not porous, it will do the trick.

A simple, shallow drinking bowl will be more than enough for your corn snake.

Making a Hide Box

Corn snakes need at least one hide box inside their enclosures. But you do not need to buy an expensive hide box from the pet store.

A simple cardboard box with a small entryway cut into it will be the perfect hide box for your snake. Place several hideouts throughout the corn snake’s enclosure to keep him entertained.

Medical Attention

Medical bills can make owning a corn snake more expensive than you had bargained. To cut the cost, make sure you take out medical insurance for your snake.

A pay monthly insurance plan can help to cover the costs of any emergency treatment.

The Ultimate Corn Snake Care Pricing

Corn snakes are not your average pet, so calculating how much you will spend to look after one is a little tricky. But thankfully, this article has gone through an extensive list of prices, from the initial cost to long-term vet expenses.

Buying a corn snake can cost between $30 and $100. When you factor in the cost of the corn snake’s enclosure, substrate, and lighting, the initial costs of the pet come to between $125 and $155.

The cost to keep the corn snake after the first year is between $200 and $400 per year.

Did you find the information in this article interesting?

At Oddly Cute Pets, we are always striving to provide you with the best cost estimates for corn snakes and other pets so you can plan ahead and give them the care they need. For more useful guides and tips about looking after snakes and other wild animals, check out our website.

Thanks for reading!