Corn snakes are curious, intelligent, and surprisingly interactive reptiles. While they’re often seen as low-maintenance pets, that doesn’t mean they don’t benefit from mental and physical stimulation. Just like dogs or birds, snakes need enrichment too—activities and objects that encourage natural behaviours and keep them engaged in their environment.
Here are some fun and easy ways to enrich your corn snake’s life and help it thrive:
1. Switch Up the Scenery
Rearranging the décor inside your snake’s enclosure now and then can give them a whole new world to explore. You don’t need to buy anything new—just moving hides, branches, and climbing features around can provide mental stimulation and encourage exploration.
2. Add Climbing Opportunities
Corn snakes love to climb! Add in sturdy branches, vines, or even stackable hides to give them a chance to move vertically. It not only enriches their environment but also helps with muscle tone and overall health.
3. Offer Different Substrates
While corn snakes don’t need a complicated setup, they enjoy tactile variety. Try using a mix of substrates in different areas of the enclosure—like aspen, coconut fiber, and sphagnum moss—to let them explore different textures. A “dig box” can also be fun for a bit of burrowing.
4. Scent Trails & Puzzle Feeding
Place a thawed prey item in different spots, or even hide it under leaves or inside enrichment items, so your corn snake has to “hunt” for it. This is also known as nesting, and our male corn snake, Gumball, loves the practice. You can also drag the scent of the prey around the enclosure to create a scent trail for them to follow. This encourages natural foraging behaviour. However, by creating a scent trail you can sometimes spread salmonella, so ensure you’re keeping things hygienic.
5. Use Natural Hides and Décor
Swap plastic hides for cork bark, rocks, or natural wood tunnels. These create a more dynamic and enriching environment. Just be sure anything you introduce is clean, secure, and safe for your snake to explore.
6. Let Them Explore Outside the Viv
Supervised handling sessions in a snake-safe, escape-proof space (like a clean tub with enrichment items) can give them new sights and smells to investigate. Just be sure the temperature is appropriate and there’s no risk of escape.
7. Enrichment Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated
Even small changes—like adjusting lighting patterns, misting the enclosure, or adding a new plant—can be enriching. The key is variety. Keep things fresh, interesting, and appropriate to your corn snake’s behavior.
Final Word: Simple & Fun Ways to Add Enrichment for Your Corn Snake
Enrichment isn’t just for mammals and birds—your corn snake deserves it too! These small changes can go a long way toward improving your snake’s quality of life and making your time with them even more rewarding.
Got a corn snake setup you’re proud of? Share your photos or enrichment ideas with us on social media—we’d love to see how you’re keeping your scaley companions curious and content!
