Gravid in October Needs Advice...

So I just purchased (what most believe to be) a gravid Okeetee. She's my first, so I'm learning as much as I can as quickly as I can. BUT, I need help and suggestions.

I live in an altitude where the days are currently around 68F and the nights are dipping down to the mid 50'sF. I currently have a blackish light on her (75w) that generates some heat.

Should I keep this light on 24/7? Should I just let her adjust to the normal temps? I want her to lay eggs for sure, but I want more for her overall health.

Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? All would be appreciated!

PS: I have an album on her in my profile

Do you also have a real heat source, a UTH??

No other source of heat. I was told (by the shop) that if I left that dark light on 24/7 it would be good enough. Are they wrong again?

Yes, they are wrong. Under tank heater. Corns are primarily nocturnal. only put the UTH on one end of the tank about 1/3 and have at least two hides, and fresh water.

oh, and also, about 1 to 2 weeks (7-14 days) before the female lays, she will shed; after this point, she will not eat until after she lays the eggs.

This is the optimal point at which you should prepare the lay box. You can use a bucket or plastic storage box that is large enough for the female to coil in with an access hole in the side.

Fill the container half-full (or 1-2 inches) with moist (not saturated) medium (either peat moss, sphaghum moss, or vermiculite). This will help the eggs from dehydrating as well as from getting rolled around by the female's body.

In most cases the female will lay in the lay box, but otherwise, she may lay in another shelter or under landscape.

I already have a nesting box set-up, so I'm good on that.

And you suggest an under-tank heater, correct? And would I place that at the end where her cave is with her water at the other end of the tank?

Here's what's both interesting and confusing to me (mind you, since I'm so new to all this, there's a lot that's making my brain bulge!)...The shop told me that "Evie" shed in the past two weeks. Yet she wolfed down a rat hopper on Sunday and calmly ate 2 pinkies yesterday.

Yes...You need an undertank heater, that covers about 1/4 of the bottom of the viv, in one corner, with a rheostat or thermostat to keep it from cooking your snake. Corns are nocturnal, for the most part. They don't bask in the sun- they crawl under things that retain heat. ZooMed or Exoterra Dessert UTHs are equally good. The Bean Farm has a basic thermostat for about $40, I think. It's made by Alife. You can find UTHs cheap on eBay.

Not ALL corns will stop eating (especially something as small as pinkies) before laying; it's just a general rule. Why are you feeding her pinkies? I would assume (!) that if she's big enough to be gravid she can probably handle a full grown mouse. Also, most people will recommend weekly(ish) feedings...not feeding a little Sunday and a little Tuesday...doesn't really give them time to digest properly. Are you certain that she's gravid?

If the pet store told you she was gravid, I wouldn't necessarily put much stock in that. Do you have any full body shots or any pics at all of her? (I looked on your profile, but couldn't find them.)

Technically, as long as you can provide an ambient temp of at least 70 and a hot spot of 80-85, the light would work, so leave it on for now, but the UTH is much better. The light will dry out the cage too much.

Originally Posted by Sweetseraph

If the pet store told you she was gravid, I wouldn't necessarily put much stock in that. Do you have any full body shots or any pics at all of her? (I looked on your profile, but couldn't find them.)

Technically, as long as you can provide an ambient temp of at least 70 and a hot spot of 80-85, the light would work, so leave it on for now, but the UTH is much better. The light will dry out the cage too much.

I do have a photo album of her on my profile page.

The temps and humidity info you gave me is really appreciated. I just got one of those sets tonight, with the thermometer and the humidity gauge. The room that her Viv is in (L/R) normally stays around 60F-70F with humidity (real or manufactured) of 70-80%.

Thank you all for your help!