New owner - couple of questions

Hi!
I stepped into the world of owning my first cornsnake on Saturday. A lovely 3 year old 'girl'... I have a couple of questions about heating and shedding (not related)

Firstly, she came with her 3ft wooden viv and is currently heated with an infrared bulb on a dimming thermostat. I've read numerous different things about the best heat source, so wanted advice. I know the red bulbs can mess up their day/night antics. But not sure what to invest in. I'll spend the money if needs be but if I can use some of what I already have, that'd be handy.

Also, she started going blue Saturday, and has been getting darker since. Milky eyes etc. I read that usually lasts 3-4 days so wanted to check as this would be going into 5th day... she's just been in her hide 24/7 for the past couple of days.

Thanks in advance...

Hi I am new owner well I was 9 months ago .i have got 3" viv with heat lamp and heat mat
You need to have a warm part and a cold part
They love to go in there hide i wood not hold her for the fist week to let her settle in my little man was 9 weeks old when I bought him he is now 10 months old and doing really well
This site is the best site I have found I always come on to find out things
Good luck and enjoy her
Pat x


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I definitely am (aside from the initial anxieties of making sure everything is right with her viv etc!)
How do you set up a heat lamp and heat mat then? I need separate thermostats or do they run through one?
She's currently got apx. 30c ish the hot end and it seems to be 25c ish the cool end? I've read it should go to 21 but not sure how to get that kind of gradient...

Hi I have got 2 thermostats
Both of them on the warm side I turn the heat lamp down to 23c in the evening and when I get up about 7:00 in the morning put the lamp up to 34c
The heat mat I leave that 25
So it doesn't get to cold
It's works for me
Put the water dish on the cold
I have got 3 hides one in the warm side one in the centre of the viv and one in the cool side
Pat x


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For an adult, you can usually expect the shedding process to take a couple weeks. First, she'll become inactive. Next time you check, she'll be blue. You may even notice when you have her out to feed. Then she remains inactive, and becomes more and more "blue." About a week to ten days later, she'll come out, no longer blue, and you'll search all over for the shed, without finding it. This is the clear phase. She will shed in about 24 hours or less, and THEN you will recognize her as fresh and shiny (and hungry). Don't bother feeding her while she is blue. In nature, she would not be out hunting. It sure doesn't hurt to skip a meal every now and then, as nature intended. Adults shed maybe three to four times a year, but she's young, and presumably growing, so she may go more often.

Ditto to what Nanci posted above. My snake, Rufus, always begins his shed cycle by Hiding a lot more than usual. When he's hiding a lot I know he's about to shed. I don't bother to feed him during this time. (He once went 5 weeks without eating and then he finally shed. Once he shed he went right back to eating again.) That's been his longest period, usually he sheds in about 3 weeks.

Hi just wanted to ask a question dose it do any harm to feed my corn when he is about to shed ??
Pat x


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Some snakes eat while "blue" and are just fine about it. Some refuse any food until after they shed. Others will eat and then regurge. Because of this last possibility, it is safer to simply wait until after they shed to offer a meal.

Both my corns will eat in blue, but I usually skip it. They don't need it and I prefer not to disturb them.

Rufus ate while blue 1 time about a year ago. Ever since then he refuses food before he sheds. In fact that's how I usually know a shed is coming. And he refused his Sunday meal 2 days ago. Being that he is usually an enthusiastic eater, I know a shed is coming. What I don't know is when. (He is not blue yet). But I will hold off on any further attempts to feed until he does shed. There's no need in wasting mice.

Thank you all i won't worry next time
Pat x


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Right or wrong, I've always offer when mine are blue and all three current ones will eat while blue. I've actually only had one that wouldn't eat while blue. Her, I didn't offer, but she was a poor eater from the day I brought her home.