Stop by the New Hanover County Cooperative Extension Office and Arboretum during the month of April to vote for a name for our new 4-H corn snake!
That's right, we are pleased to welcome our new fiend and coworker into the 4-H community to help us educate our community about even more fun and interesting topics! On Monday, March 31st, we acquired our new snake friend from a local breeder in Jacksonville called "Quirky Snakes." He is a 7 month old male corn snake, and he's settling in nicely into his new home here with us as part of the New Hanover County 4-H community.

Now, why in the world do we have a corn snake?
Great question! There are a variety of reasons we decided to keep a corn snake here at the office. Probably the biggest reason is to provide more programming for youth across the county about topics such as the wonderful world of reptiles, native species versus invasive species, ecosystems, responsible pet keeping, and so much more! Another reason we have this corn snake, and one of my (Alex, NHC 4-H Agent) favorite reasons is to educate youth as well as the public about how we don't have to be afraid of snakes!

Need some information before you vote?
I totally understand! How could you possibly name our new friend without knowing more about him?! Well, he is an "Okeetee Corn Snake," which refers to his color pattern and what he looks like. He is only 7 months old and isn't even a foot long yet. Right now he is enjoying hiding while he gets used to his new home, but I've caught him poking his head out and exploring his enclosure when he thinks no one is watching. Eventually, he will be about 3-5 feet long, but that will take about 2 years before he's fully grown. Lastly, a little fun fact about corn snakes: they get their name from where they tend to live! Corn snakes mostly hang out around corn fields or places where corn is stored because that's where their food likes to hangout. Corn snakes eat rodents like mice, and the mice live near the corn fields to eat the corn, so it's only natural for the snakes to be near the corn fields where the mice are! Their bellies also have a pattern that look kind of like a corn cob!

How do you vote?
Well I'm so glad you asked! We have two different ways you can vote for the name of our snake. The first, and the one I recommend, is to come to the New Hanover County Cooperative Extension Office and Arboretum (6206 Oleander Drive) and you can submit a paper ballot casting your vote! This option also gives you the opportunity to meet our corn snake (he's so cute) and learn a few things about him before casting your vote!
Second, if you can't find the time in your busy schedule to come by the office to vote, you can also vote via Google Form which will let you cast your vote online. However, if you choose the second option, I still recommend you find the time to come say hi to our new friend! After all, you may be responsible for the name he has for the rest of his 20 year lifespan!