Temperature for corn snake
 

Hi everyone! So I just got a baby corn snake at the end of October. The breeder said it didn’t need heat. However, I knew from research that it would need a heat source. So I put a heat mat on the side of the tank. That only raised the temperature by 5 degrees. I attached another mat on the underside of the tank with a thermostat. That only raised the temperature by 2 degrees so now the hot end is 72 degrees. He ate before I attached any heat sources but wouldn't last night. What should I try next to raise the temperature? Shouldn't a higher heat encourage digestion?

How are you measuring the temperatures? What sort of thermometer are you using? If you're using the stick-on dial type thermometers those are not only immensely inaccurate but the also only measure the temperature where *they* are, not where the heat source is.
For accurate temps you need a digital probe thermometer, with the probe placed on the glass directly over the heat source, and/or an infrared thermometer (these run about $15 on amazon) to check for hot spots. Ambient air temperature is not particularly important as long as your snake can get to an appropriate warm spot.

Originally I used the stick on kind. I had read that they need to lay on the terrarium floor to get an accurate reading. Now I'm checking the digital thermostat. The probe is laying next to the stick on thermometer on the floor.

The thermostat control the heat mat, but the thermometer measures. The stick on ones can be off by a *lot*. They are a waste of money.

You want something like this where you put the probe on the glass directly above the heat mat

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-LCD...QAAOSwFnFV8ppF

The thermostat I have does measure the temperature as well as regulate it. The probe rests directly over one of the mats. Maize ate one pinky last night but wouldn't eat anymore. Could the temperature be affecting his eating? Or maybe I'm overheating the mice? I heat them in a pot of water on low to medium heat for 8 minutes.
My thermostat: https://www.ebay.com/p/CENTURY-Digit...d=222539943107

The thermostat probe should not be in the tank. And while it might regulate the heat mat, you ALSO need a thermometer to double check it and because the temp on the mat is not necessarily the same as in the cage.

For example, I use flexwatt on the outside of vivs made from expanded PVC. To reach a surface temp inside the cage of 83*, I have to set the thermostat to 90*.

You might also save up for a thermostat designed for reptiles, like the VE series or a herpstat.

Do you mean that you are trying to feed her daily? I hope not, but that is what I understand from what you said.

No I waited 3 days to try again. At that point it had been 9 days since Maize last ate.

You don’t have to boil the mice or pinky just put one in some warm water for about 10 - 15 minutes then drain it out and add some hot water from the tap for another one minute next dry it off with a paper towel and serve on a silver platter

Don’t over think this it is a corn snake one of the easiest snakes to care for
Water
Temps
Mice
Clean
And the hardest thing about them is they love to escape

I do love my little baby snakes


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