Corn Snake Temperature & Humidity Guide
Last updated: · Reviewed against sources listed below
A corn snake needs a warm end of about 85–90°F, a cool end of 70–80°F, nights of about 65–75°F and humidity of 40–60%, rising to 65–75% before a shed. Enter your readings in the checker above to see what needs adjusting.
Your readings
| Reading | Yours | Target | Status |
|---|
This is our temperature and humidity checker, preset for corn snakes.
Corn Snake temperature and humidity chart
| Zone | Target range | How to measure |
|---|---|---|
| Basking spot | 85–90°F29–32°C | Infrared thermometer on the surface |
| Cool side | 70–80°F21–27°C | Digital probe at floor level |
| Night low | 65–75°F18–24°C | Digital probe, after lights out |
| Humidity | 40–60% (65–75% during shed) | Digital hygrometer at animal level |
Temperature gradient
Corn snakes warm up and cool down by moving between the two ends of their enclosure. After a meal they often spend more time on the warm side to digest; before a shed they may prefer the cooler, more humid areas. Give them the full range with a hide at each end.
| Zone | Target |
|---|---|
| Warm end | 85–90°F29–32°C |
| Cool end | 70–80°F21–27°C |
| Night | 65–75°F18–24°C |
| Humidity | 40–60% (65–75% before a shed) |
Sources differ a little here. Veterinary and welfare guides give a warm end of about 82–86°F and a cool end in the low 70s, while some keeper guides aim for a warmer 90°F basking spot. Our ranges cover the ground they share.
Humidity and shedding
Corn snakes come from a humid region but do well at moderate indoor humidity of about 40–60%. Stuck shed, especially around the tail tip or eyes, is the usual sign that the air is too dry. When your snake’s eyes turn cloudy or bluish, raise humidity to about 65–75% for the shed:
- Add a humid hide filled with damp sphagnum moss.
- Lightly mist one end of the enclosure.
- Make sure the water bowl is big enough to soak in.
Constantly wet substrate with poor airflow can cause skin and breathing problems, so let the enclosure dry back down after the shed.
How to measure
Use a digital thermometer with a probe on the floor at the warm end and inside the cool hide, and check surfaces with an infrared thermometer. Place a digital hygrometer at snake level. Stick-on dial gauges are often off by several degrees, so they are not reliable enough to set a thermostat by.
Heat sources
Overhead heat from a halogen bulb, deep heat projector or radiant heat panel warms the air and the surfaces below, much like the sun. A heat mat under one end of a glass enclosure also works well for corn snakes, which often rest on warm ground. Whichever you use, run it on a thermostat with the probe where your snake lies, and guard any bulb inside the enclosure.
Winter and brumation
In the wild, corn snakes slow down in winter, a rest period called brumation (the reptile version of hibernation). Pet corn snakes do not need to brumate, and brumation should only be attempted with healthy adults, after a vet check, by keepers who plan to breed. Many pet corn snakes still eat less in winter even when temperatures stay the same.
See a reptile vet if your corn snake breathes with its mouth open, wheezes, has bubbles or mucus at the nose, has repeated stuck shed over the eyes, or is losing weight.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature should a corn snake tank be?
Aim for a warm end of about 85–90°F, a cool end of 70–80°F and nights of about 65–75°F. Measure the floor at each end with a digital probe thermometer, and run every heat source on a thermostat. Our checker above tells you what to change if a reading is off.
Do corn snakes need a heat lamp at night?
Usually not. Night temperatures of about 65–75°F are fine, and most homes stay in that range. If your room drops lower, add a heat source that gives no light, such as a ceramic heat emitter or a heat mat, on a thermostat, so your snake still gets a dark night.
Sources
- RSPCA — How to Care for a Corn Snake
- PetMD — Corn Snake Care Sheet (written by a veterinarian)
- VCA Animal Hospitals — Snakes: Housing
- ReptiFiles — Corn Snake Temperatures & Humidity
- Baines F. et al. (2016). How much UV-B does my reptile need? The UV-Tool, a guide to the selection of UV lighting for reptiles and amphibians in captivity. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research 4(1): 42–63
Where sources disagree we show the range they share. See our sources and methodology for how every number is checked.