There are many different names for corn snake housing: enclosure, habitat, terrarium, and vivarium ... but they are all very similar.
Due to their small size, corn snakes can generally live their entire lives in a 50-gallon terrarium or even smaller. No matter what size it is, it should always be large enough for your pet to be able to fully stretch out without touching any part of the cage. It should also have a secure lock on the lid. Snakes have the ability to squeeze through small spaces.
The bottom of any terrarium should be covered with some sort of substrate. Some common materials used to create substrate are bark chips and mulch. Substrate should never be made out of jagged rock pieces, printed paper towels, or cedar shavings, as they can affect the snake's lungs and cause skin blisters.
Some people like to include live plants in their terrarium. While living plants look good, they cannot be decontaminated and may harbor harmful organisms. Also, these plants are very easily destroyed by any snake. Artificial plants, however, are easily cleaned and can make a very real-looking addition to any terrarium. Ferns, vines, and other plants with large leaves are great options.
Another important part of creating a snake terrarium is providing hiding places. In the wild, snakes are able to hide from things and they need to feel this security in captivity, even though there will likely not be anything around.
Many snakes have very specific lighting needs, but corn snakes are not among them. While providing your corn snake with some sort of ultraviolet light will be good for his overall health, corn snakes do not require ultraviolet light to metabolize their food and vitamins.
