Cohabitating Corn Snakes
⚠️ Corn Snake Communal Housing: Risks and Safety Precautions
While some keepers choose to house multiple corn snakes per cage, it is ill-advised and comes with significant risks. There is no guarantee that cage mates will evade injury or death due to feeding confusion or misidentification.
Risk of Cannibalism in Neonatal Corn Snakes
For hatchling and juvenile corn snakes, the risk is highest because their sense of smell is extremely acute. To a neonatal corn snake, anything smelling or tasting remotely like food is on the menu, including a cage mate.
| Precautionary Measure (If Communal Housing is Used) | Goal |
| Feed Separately | Always feed neonatal corn snakes outside of the community cage. |
| Rinse Thoroughly | After feeding, rinse each snake with slightly cool water for 30–60 seconds before reintroducing them. |
| Manage Odor | Never handle snakes if your skin or clothing has rodent odors (prey or predator smells). |
Expert Risk Estimate: Even with these rinsing precautions, the chance of cannibalism in neonates is estimated to be 1.5% to 3% based on breeder experience and customer testimonies.
The Size Safety Threshold (30 Inches)
The risk dynamics change significantly once corn snakes reach a certain size:
- Under 30" (76 cm): High risk of serious injury or death from a cage mate.
- Over 30" (76 cm): The author has never witnessed a corn snake over 30 inches long being seriously injured or killed by a cage mate. Attacks are usually halted once the attacked snake demonstrates its power.
- Larger Snake Risk: The estimated chance of serious injury or death for larger, communally housed corn snakes is much less than 1%.
General Safety Warnings
Attacks can be triggered by sudden environmental changes, regardless of size:
- Attacks have been witnessed when snakes are suddenly awakened by room lights switching on or jarring of the cage.
- The presence of rodent smells near the cage can also induce a defensive feeding response.
Final Recommendation: Although serious incidents are rare in adult corn snakes, housing them separately is always advised as it is contrary to their basic instinct to eat other corn snakes, and survival instincts make anything possible.