Just a few questions??

[Virago]

Hello everyone,

I've been reading this forum for awhile now, but never posted. I'm still relatively new with snakes. I never had any problems with my snake. I have always kept him in a homemade viv. I was told temperatures should be 70-83 and always has been. Probably drops to about 70 in the whole tank at night.

Here is my question, Houdini has very minor bends in his tail. You know they're there but no crazy. And it starts at the tip of his tail and goes maybe 1/2-3/4 of an inch of (very minor) zigzag. the only thing I can see is I have fake plants in the viv and he's always on it for support. Climbing up the walls and puching against the "ceiling" of his viv. He looks like an upside down "L". The top of his tank is all wood to get in there a little door on hinges of the roof of the tank. Somtimes when he's doing his upside down "L" thing he eventually falls. Maybe one day he was hanging on ans then he let go of the roof and was still hanging on to the plant???? I'm pretty sure its not a big deal but just wondering. He has never showed any signs of stress, aggression or any bad health. He's my very happy (I assume) little buddy!

This whole story is all because I would like to breed my Houdini, so I'm getting a companion for him. ( don't really know if he's M/F, I'm bringing him along to get probed so he can get a proper sexed mate). I have just read the "CORN SNAKE MANUAL" and under acquiring a corn snake it says "tail kinks alone probably won't be detrimental in a pet, but snakes with such conditions shouldn't be used for breeding."

Has any one had a situation like this? Why shouldn't you breed them? Houdinis,s injury is very minor. I can't see it having any effect. But that's why I'm asking. I like feed back.

Thanks

[guitrage]

I'm not sure about the tail kink thing, but I think your temps should be a little bit warmer at night. You will notice that the Corn Snake Manual says that corns shouldn't be exposed to temperatures below 72 F for any extended period of time. The warm side in my cage stays 83-85 day and night, but I've been told that high 70's (for the warm side) is sufficient for nighttime.

I haven't heard of tail kinks causing any kind of problems, but I don't know for sure.

[Jynx]

Normally kinks are caused by a few reasons like genetics, or the temp he was incubated at before he hatched etc. He might be a perfectly good breeding animal in the future, but if its genetic, you may have alot of problems with kinked/deformed hatchlings...stuff like that. As long as it doesn't get much colder than 70 at night you should be ok. Make sure that you have a heating pad though at least so he has belly heat should he get too cold at night.

[Virago]

Thank You! He always has his infrared heat lamp on it doesn't light up very much but that one corner of his tank is always around 80 even at night. Right now I have forest bedding as a substrate, but I have been reading alot aboutthem ingesting things and getting very sick. This is pretty much like ground that comes in a brick then you add water and it becomes 10 times the size. I'm just worried about him ingesting some, but he loves it so much he has tunnel dug all over the place and juring the day he goes in hole after hole. Maybe they all connect but I don't know what he did under there it just looks flat on top. I you can't find him juruing the day you always know where he is:) Maybe
I should cover the bottom of the tank in astroturf and just put in a very larg tupperware container filled with this forest bedding.. ?? What do you think?

[Spirit]

What I do is raise the light. I have it hanging above the tank, and if it's too warm in here, I just raise it.

I also use forest bed. It's completely safe if ingested, for the record. Though I'm assuming you do know to never feed him in the tank, right? I feed mine in a shoebox, lined with paper towels. Usually the only time they ingest the substrate is when eating anyway.

I LOVE the forest bed. And he loves to burrow. I wouldn't cover the bottom wiht astroturf though (especially not if you're going to cover it with forest bed, as the bacteria will grow UNDER the substrate, on the astroturf). Astroturf is great if you have two pieces because while you wash one, you have another to line the cage with, but the washing can be a pain. Can't spot clean astroturf. ;)

Edit:

Maybe I should cover the bottom of the tank in astroturf and just put in a very larg tupperware container filled with this forest bedding.. ?? What do you think?

Oops, I misread. Why would you want to do this?

[Jynx]

alot of herp bedding is formulated to prevent impaction if digested in small amounts. As long as you feed him in a seperate container, you'll be fine. Thats pretty much the only way he'll get a mouthful large enough to worry about. I don't think you'll need the astroturf. If he defacates on it, it will soak up waste like a sponge and become a breeding ground for bacteria. The forest bed should be fine alone.

On another note, I use bedding like that for my hatchlings called eco earth made from coconut fibers. It very similar to forest bed. My hatchlings like to tunnel through it too. One day I checked one of my hatchling's "subway systems" out. I just tried to move the top layer of bedding away. Those guys are like gophers when it comes to digging! I think I counted like 10 seperate tunnels. I thought it was cute. :)

[Virago]

I was going to put the astro turf in so he wouldn't ingest any forest bed. The I would fill the tupperware with the forest bed so he could still make some tunnels. But if it can't hurt him then I won't. The reason being is that I was feeding him in his tank. When I got him the breeder was feeding him in his tank so I continued to do so. I didn't want to change anything because he eats perfectly and I didn't want to stress him out. I will try and feed him in a separate container. Also, I'm getting my the newest member of my family on Monday.( houdini's companion) She's only between 4-6 months of age and the tank I have for her is a Twenty gallon. Would this size tank be alright if I put alot of hidings in it. I don't want to stress her out with too big an environnement. Can I feed both of them in the same container? Obviously at different times, but I should be able to feed one and then the other after right? :)

[LadyLaw]

I have a question while we are on the topic of astroturf, I am goning to be away from home next week and I was thinking of puting in astroturf while I am gone. I was told that Bed-A-Beast can dry out and cause problems by sticking to my two hatchlings. Can anyone give me suggestions?? I will make sure that they are properly fed before leaving and have plenty of water, but due to the length of the trip... driving to Seattle from California... I dont want to risk their health by bringing them with me.

Thanks... LadyLaw

[kiki1555]

have a quick qus to ask

im gettin a corn snake and im tryin to think of things that arent dead the i can give to like is there a sausage a type of egg or somtin please help if i dont find somtin i cant get a snake!!!

[cornman1979]

Snake steak sausage!!
It's just like a normal sausage but come's in differant sizes for differant sizes of snakes going off mouse size. They are made of a mix of mouse, rat, some sort of bird and have added vitamins and minerals. What i don't know though is where to buy them in the US, as i am from the U.K.