Where Should I Buy My Corn Snake?

Caprisaurus · 08-23-13, 12:57 AM

Long Story:

I plan on getting a corn snake in about a week and I don't know where to get one. Of course they have petsmart and petco around here but as far as I know they have absolutely no reptile places anywhere near here. They have a reptile show in about 3 months but I really don't want to wait that long.

I've checked out a few online stores and they seem good but then I look up reviews and it looks like all of them have good and bad reviews. I've heard people say that if they arrive sick or dead you have to pay for return shipping which would make it pointless because it's so expensive. At least I could just drive back to petsmart. I also hate having my snake shipped. I've had relatives that have worked for them and I have heard horror stories ...

Short Story:

So now I'm really conflicted. Should I just get one at petsmart and try my best to look it over, or order one from online? If I should order one online, who would you recommend or not recommend?

Any help would really be appreciated!

Mikoh4792 · 08-23-13, 01:09 AM

If your local petsmart is a good facility that actually cares for it's reptiles than I don't see a problem with it. However, from what I have heard those are rare to find.

I would look on kingsnake.com or faunaclassifieds.com and talk to a few breeders to see what they have.

I've ordered from lllreptile more than a couple of times and have always been satisfied.

Why do you have a problem with shipping? Thousands of reptiles get shipped everyday around the world and the majority are fine. If your animals are shipped overnight they should not be inside the shipping box for more than 24 hours. Also most reputable sellers will ship the animals appropriately with proper cushioning and heat/cold packs.

slowhite03 · 08-23-13, 01:34 AM

It's up to you, go to petsmart and check them out. If they seem healthy and alert by all means get it. They do have a 7 day return policy so if it acts up you can return it. Online stores are a dime a dozen. There is bhb, lilreptile, bigapple to name a few.

Mikoh4792 · 08-23-13, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slowhite03

It's up to you, go to petsmart and check them out. If they seem healthy and alert by all means get it. They do have a 7 day return policy so if it acts up you can return it. Online stores are a dime a dozen. There is bhb, lilreptile, bigapple to name a few.

I've also ordered from bigapple and have had good results, however you can't pick out an individual snake like you can with breeders because they buy their animals wholesale from third party sellers/breeders.

slowhite03 · 08-23-13, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikoh4792

I've also ordered from bigapple and have had good results, however you can't pick out an individual snake like you can with breeders because they buy their animals wholesale from third party sellers/breeders.

Petsmart/petco have about 3 or 4 babies per tank at all times whenever I am in there. The selection isn't great but they still have options

Mikoh4792 · 08-23-13, 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slowhite03

Petsmart/petco have about 3 or 4 babies per tank at all times whenever I am in there. The selection isn't great but they still have options

Yup if you can go down to actually see the snakes in person obviously one can pick their snake. However if you order from wholesale sellers like bigapple you can not. Which is why when I do order snakes online, I like to buy from breeders who can actually provide information and pictures of parents, lineage...etc.

Caprisaurus · 08-23-13, 02:13 AM

It really seems like a pick my poison scenario. I've seen people say that they've ordered them online at all 3 mentioned sites and some say they're great and then others say they're DOA, sick, mite infested, etc. I guess I'll just check out ones at the local pet stores and see if they look okay. At least I get to check it out first, and if something happens they're not 4 states away with $40 shipping both directions.

If Repticon was sooner or I didn't live in "you got a purdy mouth" Florida I would definitely prefer buying from a local breeder.

What should I be looking for when I look at the snakes to make sure they're healthy? Also, is it okay for multiple corn snakes to be in the same enclosure?

I appreciate the replies!

Mikoh4792 · 08-23-13, 02:31 AM

Look for mites, scale rot, mouth rot, bloating/constipation, weight(skinny or fat), respiratory infection, alertness(tongue flicking and active), and obviously temperament(aggressive or tame).

Some people do house their snakes together but most people including myself would recommend not doing it. Many things can go wrong, whereas you cut off all the risks when you give each snake it's own enclosure.

Starbuck · 08-23-13, 04:54 AM

i know you dont want to wait, but from what youve described it seems like the expo will best fit your needs. Thats where ive gotten all of my snakes (that and craigslist :P) and ive been really happy with my interactions with the seller, the prices, and my ability to pick out the snake i liked best.

**EL Ziggy** · 08-23-13, 07:44 AM

I'm a little impatient too Cap. I bought my MBK online from reptilesbymack. They had an excellent collection and great customer service. I would definitely buy from them again. I would also highly recommend Shane at ssuperiorsserpents.com . He specializes in colubrids and has some amazing corns and kings. He's also a member of this forum so that's great too. Best wishes in your search.

robin budd · 08-23-13, 08:25 AM

If I was going to get a corn snake it would only come from Cathy love. Her company cornutopia is the best by far. She specializes in corn snakes. You can pick individual animals great costomer service before and after purchase. Just check her site out.

TheZoo · 08-23-13, 08:47 AM

I would go to the expo pet smart is really pricey for not a lot of show I mean 60 for a normal corn is a bit ridiculous when most breeders sell them for under 35 I know its hard to wait but it shows maturity if you can. Also you could find a really good deal on the perfect snake for you.

**EL Ziggy** · 08-23-13, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheZoo

I would go to the expo pet smart is really pricey for not a lot of show I mean 60 for a normal corn is a bit ridiculous when most breeders sell them for under 35 I know its hard to wait but it shows maturity if you can. Also you could find a really good deal on the perfect snake for you.

I agree with you Zoo. Patience is a virtue I'm still working on. Delayed vs. Instant gratification is challenging sometimes and since tomorrow isn't promised I try to get the most out of every moment without being overly impulsive. When you factor in the costs of ordering online vs. the advantages of buying at an expo it does make better sense to wait. I paid a total of $110 ($40 shipping) for my MBK two months ago. If I had waited another 6 weeks for the expo I could have gotten one for $50. I don't regret my purchase at all as I absolutely LOVE my snake but I did learn a lesson in self control.

Caprisaurus · 08-23-13, 11:29 AM

Yeah, waiting definitely isn't something I'm good at. Life is too short to wait. Plus, I have a feeling that even the Repticon that will be here won't be all that great. I'm really out in the middle of no where. I've been looking on craigslist for weeks and haven't seen anything good. I know that petsmart is expensive but considering it's $40 shipping for any that I get online it evens out.

sharthun · 08-23-13, 12:16 PM

Yeah that "waiting thing" is tough! I got lucky and got both my normal corn and MBK from craigslist. Corn's are cool!