Housing questions

I got my snake back in May as a hatchling. I have her in a 10 gallon aquarium, with a UTH on one end. She has an overturned clay pot as a hide, a good sized water dish and a long stick that she can climb on.
Her fist shed right after I got her home was perfect, all in one piece. The second and third sheds were partials, and I had to help her using water and a towel to get the skin all off. At that point, I figured either the temp wasn't right, so I put a lamp in to provide more heat. She's always eaten well, but the partial sheds have always been a concern to me. Since I have put the lamp in, and keep her repti bark moistened a bit when she is in blue, the sheds are normal.
I have been reading that corn snakes really don't need the light, and want to take it out. She seems to be in her hide all the time, rarely coming out except to drink. I would like to see her be more social, though I know its not really their nature. Just be nice to see her out and about more.
I guess what I'm asking is this: would the partial sheds be a result of the incorrect temp, or more from lack of humidity? I have a stick on thermometer in her tank right at substrate level, and it reads about 75-80 degrees on average. Her hide sits in the middle of the tank, half on and half off the UTH.
She is growing well, and eating 3 pinks at a time every 5th day. One day she ate 5, but I haven't done that again! She looked downright uncomfortable!!
I am new to snakes, but don't plan on Nekoda being my last....learning as I go and so glad I found this forum!

Nekoda said:

I got my snake back in May as a hatchling. I have her in a 10 gallon aquarium, with a UTH on one end. She has an overturned clay pot as a hide, a good sized water dish and a long stick that she can climb on.
Her fist shed right after I got her home was perfect, all in one piece. The second and third sheds were partials, and I had to help her using water and a towel to get the skin all off. At that point, I figured either the temp wasn't right, so I put a lamp in to provide more heat. She's always eaten well, but the partial sheds have always been a concern to me. Since I have put the lamp in, and keep her repti bark moistened a bit when she is in blue, the sheds are normal.
I have been reading that corn snakes really don't need the light, and want to take it out. She seems to be in her hide all the time, rarely coming out except to drink. I would like to see her be more social, though I know its not really their nature. Just be nice to see her out and about more.
I guess what I'm asking is this: would the partial sheds be a result of the incorrect temp, or more from lack of humidity? I have a stick on thermometer in her tank right at substrate level, and it reads about 75-80 degrees on average. Her hide sits in the middle of the tank, half on and half off the UTH.
She is growing well, and eating 3 pinks at a time every 5th day. One day she ate 5, but I haven't done that again! She looked downright uncomfortable!!
I am new to snakes, but don't plan on Nekoda being my last....learning as I go and so glad I found this forum!

Click to expand...

Poor sheds have to do with lack of humidity, not temperature, BUT you shouldnt be using a stick on thermometer. Thats measuring the temperature of the air, when you want to measure the temperature of the glass in which the snake comes into contact with. You need a digital thermometer with a probe, any pet store should have it and it needs to touch the glass.




Do you have a thermostat that regulates the UTH?

Another thing is, you need 2 hides....one on the cool side, and one on the warm so the snake can choose, not be in the middle.


Also, I do not provide light for my snakes, other then the light in my room. They dont need it.


When your snake is in BLUE and her eyes cloud, mist her tank and cover half the top with a towel, thatll fix your poor sheds.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Zoo-Med-Digital-Aquarium-Thermometer-Suction-Cup-inTank_W0QQitemZ270132831342QQcmdZViewItem

Partial or bad sheds are related to humidity, not heat. So keeping the substrate moist is a great thing to can do for her while she's in shed. It sounds like the moistened substrate has fixed the shedding problem but adding a moiust hide to her viv while she is in shed (or all the time, as most snakes love them) is a good idea too. A moist hide is simply a tupperware with a whole big enough for the snake to pass through ion the side, and filled with damp (not soaking wet, just damp) paper towels or sphagnum moss. i know there is a thread somewhere that describes how to build one, but really it's very simple, just what I said above.

The second thing I think you should do is add another hide into your snakes viv. You really need 2 hides for the snake to properly control her body tempature. The one hide, while it is in the middle of the tank, will still warm to one tempature. There may be a slight gradient inside the hide, but that gradient is not enough for the corn. Move the hide to one side and add the second on the opposite side. That should make the snake a little more comfortable and digesting will be easier for her.

As for the heat lamp, you can remove it. What you have read, saying that corns don't need one, is exactly right. Remove the heat lamp. The only problem is that your tempatures read 75-80 right now, and when the heat lamp has been removed, those will drop. You need to raise the tempature on the warm side, above the UTH to around 85 degrees. where is your thermometer in relation to the UTH? Is it on the same side as the heater or on the cool side, away from the heater? If it isn't already on the warm side, move it there and get a rheostat or thermostat, if you don't have one already, to keep the UTH at around 85 degrees. That's the temp under the substrate, not above it.

Don't worry, I'm almost done.

If your snake is taking 3 pinkys you can probably move her up to one fuzzy every 5 or 6 days. it's easier for her to digest than multiple food items. That's the reasoning I remember at least. In any case, it's a good idea.

Finally, if you want to see your snake more I'd advice adding somemore cover for her in her viv. Buy some fake plants and maybe another stick. Those along with another hide should fill up the viv a little more and make the small snake more comfortable in her home. Once she feels secure she'll come out more often. She coud also just be a secretive, shy snake. i have one corn that I didn't see out in her viv at all until 3 weeks ago. I caught her out once before that. Another one of my snakes seldom stops moving. He's always out and h doesn;t mind us watching him cruise. hopefully your snake will become more active as she grows!

opps, missed the first post. Hope I didn't repeate too much.

Thanks so much! I will buy a proper thermometer this week. And I will add a moist hide for her as well. Right now the stick on thermometer is on the warm side, right at the level of the substrate.
I will also purchase a thermostate as well. I just want Nekoda to have a long happy life with me and to be comfortable while I enjoy her. She's so cool...
Thanks again for all your help! This forum is fantastic!

Sandra

Nekoda said:

Thanks so much! I will buy a proper thermometer this week. And I will add a moist hide for her as well. Right now the stick on thermometer is on the warm side, right at the level of the substrate.
I will also purchase a thermostate as well. I just want Nekoda to have a long happy life with me and to be comfortable while I enjoy her. She's so cool...
Thanks again for all your help! This forum is fantastic!

Sandra

Click to expand...

Your welcome!

Just a little note (someone correct me if i am wrong) you only need a "moist hide" when the corn is in "blue" Shell look like she rolled around in a bag of flour, thats how youll be able to tell. Otherwise two normal hides are each side will do.

yes, that's correct. i know a few people leave moist hides in all the time, but you don't actually need to.

And your welcome! Have fun with the little guy!!