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Scared, please help.

jolie

Marilynn
Alright..for those of you who know I've been whining about not having a snake, fear no more 'cause I got one tonight. Only it's not a corn snake. It's a king snake (not sure if she's male or female, but imma say female... 50% chance of me being correct.) I haven't had a chance to get a thermostat yet though, but I do have a probe on the heat mat right now it's 101!!! :| I'm scared she's gonna get burnt

... or will she be okay? Should I turn it off and just use a heat lamp for now until I get a thermostat?? Or will she just burrow down to a comfortable temp?
 
You really need thermostat weather you're using a heat map or a heat lamp. Lamps get hotter than me sometimes. 101* probably won't burn you're snake but is way too hot for normal temperatures. I think I would probably turn it off to be safe, use the heat lamp and then monitor the temperature often.

Get a thermostat!
 
I am asap! I just haven't been able to find one! lol does walmart carry them? I'll go turn it off now and use the lamp?
 
You can also sometimes use a lamp dimmer, they can lower the ammount of power getting to the mat, lowering the temp.
 
For now you could get a piece of floor tile and put it over the UTH, then check the temp after the tile heats up.
 
If I'm going to be going anywhere (I've been working a lot) I might as well get the thermostat when I'm out, rather than just a floor tile.
 
In the mean time pile up alot of aspen over the heating pad. The snake will find the right depth/temp for itself.
 
turn of the heat mat and just use the heat lamp. get a thermostat. Most heat mats can get very hot without a thermostat or a way to control the temp.
 
I would say if you just got the little one, and probably haven't fed her yet, just turn it off altogether since you will be picking something up tomorrow anyway..
In case you are unable to find a thermostat when you're out (there are none anywhere near me for instance, I'd have to wait for shipping if I needed one today) you will be able to find a 'lamp dimmer' at Do it Best or Home Depot. It's basically an extension cord to plug your uth into before the wall, and it has a dial in the middle so you can give the thing half power for instance. You'll have to experiment with it, to find the right temp, and then the 'right' temp will be wrong later at hotter or colder parts of the day. But it can easily hold you over till a thermostat arrives. I've seen them between 8 and 20 bucks..
 
First of all, congrats on your new snake! Also, I know you turned off the mat already but I just wanted to add to te reasons why you should. Your snake could burrow and lay on the bottom of the tank and get burned. My friend had a class pet corn snake that did this (s/he survived after being tended to by the teacher, not sure what the teacher did to help it). I use both heat mat and lamp, like when in the summer it is freezing in the house I turn on the mat over night. I don't often use both at the same time. Except maybe when I have been on vacation and I want to warm up my snake. Good luck!
 
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