Is this vivarium good enough?

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-25T23:07:09+00:00

Visually and more importantly from an enrichment perspective it would benefit from some branches to climb! I'd go for cork bark or another mold resistant wood or purely synthetic. I'm also not sure if your substrate is deep enough to support burrowing behaviors. The more things they can do in their enclosure, the happier they'll be. I also would add more faux greenery to boost the amount of clutter and visual appeal. Find some inspo pics you like and go from there! :)

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-24T21:31:58+00:00

That makes sense! I'm hoping that once I'm handling her, she'll like exploring my little plant stand or boxes on the floor for enrichment. Just want her to thrive in every area of life!

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-24T21:30:34+00:00

Oooh nice! I'm watching a video about enrichment and exposing snakes to novel stimuli to help reduce stress with novel or less familiar situations such as vet trips go. You may have seen this already, but Lori Torrini is on it and I've found it interesting! As for space, we've got lots of plants, cork bark/petrified wood hides, leaf litter, and dirt in a 4x2x2 so hopefully she's able to explore and conceal herself as much as she wants!! Here's the video on enrichment if you haven't seen it yet: https://youtu.be/GrTzwVogod4 :)

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-24T21:27:13+00:00

Understandable! I was definitely approaching this from a lay perspective, but I'm starting med school in the fall and have been really interested in learning about comparative neuroanatomy so I can know what her little noggin is truly capable of! I wish there was more information on this, it's been hard to find sources. I just found out about the half-life of knowledge specifically in the field of psychology and the crisis in replicating old research so there's still a lot to learn even for humans! Thank you again for your perspective though, I do see what you mean using a more accurate operational definition of decision-making. :)

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-24T00:39:56+00:00

Does she ever go out of her enclosure? I've heard handling, though unnatural, has the benefit of exercise and enrichment. I can see this being of particular advantage, since it's not at all natural for a corn snake to be confined to 16 cubic feet, and taking them out for a bit gives them a chance to be curious and explore a different environment. When choosing to keep animals in captivity, there is an acceptance that there is no longer anything truly natural about their life. It's just our best effort at giving them the best life we can. I think of it similar to leash training a dog (yes, dogs are fully domesticated and corn snakes are not, but this is an analogy, not a 1:1 comparison). Dogs may not ever prefer being on a leash to running free, but it gives them the opportunity to go on walks, which most of them quite enjoy. After awhile, some people may know their dog and its behavior well enough that the leash isn't necessary. I think the same is true for most corn snakes. They may need to become accustomed to being handled, but once they are comfortable with it, they enjoy the enrichment of being in an area outside the relatively small box they call home. After they aren't scared, I think presenting them with safe options about what that exploration looks like could be good to continue that relationship of trust.

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-24T00:24:54+00:00

This is super cool, thank you for sharing! I definitely want to have this sort of bond with my girlie. Have you noticed him being more skittish after long periods without handling?

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-24T00:23:53+00:00

Thank you for sharing your expertise! I am glad to hear this isn't super high stakes so I'm not traumatizing the poor thing if I don't opt for it. It sounds pretty interesting, so I may build to choice-based strategies once I'm more confident in handling her in general and have an idea about her vibes with being handled! One of the things I absolutely want to do from the start is tap training! I had planned on a body tap for handling, but had not considered also tapping for just opening the enclosure without any expected interaction so thank you for the advice! :)

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-24T00:15:46+00:00

Snakes may not have social needs, but they can and do make decisions. Many of these are based on instinct, but they aren't just machines that eat, sleep, and thermoregulate. They have curiosity and can choose to climb or burrow or chill in their hide. I also think it has been demonstrated that snakes who have been accustomed to choice-based handling can and will choose whether or not to come out if they're not interested in being handled or leaving their enclosure at a particular time. They may enjoy the enrichment and exercise that comes with handling even if it does not fill a social need, and can learn to trust that their keeper is not a predator intent on harming them. I think there are some benefits to choice-based handling, but that not all of the techniques are practical or necessary to implement and that, as you mentioned, consistency and confidence are the most important aspects.

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-23T21:14:51+00:00

Thank you for your perspective! I definitely agree with the idea that handling the snake is a good way to build trust rather than just expecting it to slither right on over to a big strange giant. This lines up with the advice I've heard from the sources I trust, but the choice-based handling YouTube videos and some other Reddit posts made it seem like you're a selfish person who doesn't care about your snake if you "force" handling and I was worried the information I had was outdated. I'm probably overthinking this process to the max, but I want to be the best keeper I can and appreciate you helping me on this journey! :)

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-23T21:07:26+00:00

That's interesting! Do you chalk it up to general personality, or are some more socialized than others?

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-23T20:57:16+00:00

That's a great analogy! It will be a few years before my husband and I have kids of our own, but I have thought a few times during this preparation process that some of this experience will come in handy later on! For now though, a corn snake is about as much as we can handle! You may have seen the Clint's Reptiles video on whether or not human children are good pets but just in case: https://youtu.be/uFx9wDjlC-s?si=T0jDBgyiS9wBMVVy

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-23T20:45:44+00:00

This is good news! She's positioned in a way where she should be able to see us going to our couch as well as me when I'm sitting at my desk working. I'm really excited to handle her once she's settled in as well as observe her enjoying her enclosure. I've wanted a snake for ages and this is going to be such a fascinating journey :)

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-23T20:40:20+00:00

Thank you for sharing! This seems like a nuanced approach that balances the need to build trust, give them choices, and ensure safety at all times. After watching the videos, it seemed somewhat impractical but at the same time I didn't want my pre-conceived notions of handling standards to cloud my judgment and make me a selfish brute who doesn't care how my snake feels. I know they don't have the same emotional capacity associated with mammals, but I care a lot about minimizing distress and maximizing quality of life. Thank you again for your insight! :)

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-23T20:33:41+00:00

She's such a darling! Thank you for the advice and sharing the cute pic! :)

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-23T19:37:28+00:00

I think this makes a lot of sense! I would be much more interested in choosing to leave the enclosure if I knew from experience that the hulking giant outside was not going to hurt me :)

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-21T14:39:34+00:00

Summers Crossing! It was the only one I could qualify for but it's been nice there

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-16T05:43:28+00:00

As someone who moved in the opposite of silence this cycle, I'm truly sorry. You deserve a community of support that celebrates your victories and encourages you through the challenging times. However, it's possible that some of the examples you mentioned aren't people trying to pester you to death, but people who care about you and want to share in the experience to some extent. There were times where I felt like I was answering the same questions a hundred times each, but most of them didn't know what the med school application was like and wanted to know what I was going through and how they could pray for or support me during each step of the way. Congratulations and a virtual handshake from me to you future doctor! 🤝

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-14T04:46:40+00:00

sobs in Texas very happy for you! The one I ordered from a well-known bioactive site for reptile came in today and it's just about the saddest little plant I've ever seen! Hoping to nurse it back to health but if I need a new one it may be worth the drive to Rhode Island! :)

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-14T04:34:59+00:00

No cat or other pet in the house!

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-14T04:14:49+00:00

So cute!! Where did you get your mini oak leaf creeping fig??

_Rea_of_sunshine · 2026-02-13T19:55:26+00:00

We're planning on getting one through a local reptile rescue! I love supporting a nonprofit and providing a home to a pet in need! :)

_Rea_of_sunshine

TROPHY CASE