New member and baby corn snake! (Pic heavy)

That looks much better! And it's still an awesome piece of decor.

Originally Posted by hypnoctopus

That looks much better! And it's still an awesome piece of decor.

Thank you! I'm pretty happy with it and I'm sure my little one will love it once it leaves the warm hide. I'll also probably then add something to the warm side to cluster it up a bit more.

I've defiantly noticed it's a climber. Do corns tend to stop being so arboreal as they mature?


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COOL! That is one good-looking piece of mopani.

I can give you a short list of the equipment I've been running since January, shortly before my corn arrived. I'm happy with the equipment I have. No complaints here.

Zoo Med digital thermometer:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER
A probed digital thermometer on the warm side, affixed with aquarium-grade silicone to the bottom glass over the center of the UTH. Make sure you use aquarium-grade silicone (example: http://www.amazon.com/00688-Househol...6445525&sr=8-5). This is very important. Also, it'll need two days to cure, during which time your corn will need somewhere else to stay, and the UTH should be unplugged. I've read that others have successfully used Blu-tak and hot glue instead of silicone, but these substitutions were only about 50% successful for me. The silicone was 100% successful.

Exo Terra digital combination thermometer/hygrometer:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
A probed digital thermometer-hygrometer combination on the surface of the cool side. I suspended it in location. The suction cup is positioned approximately an inch above the probe, and with a drop of distilled water in the cup it sticks quite well. I pressed down and moved it around on the glass until it held, and this helps remove any excess water in the cup. Easy to do.
Since you already have a digital hygrometer, you may just want to opt for two of the thermometers above.

Hydrofarm MTPRTC digital thermostat for heat mats (now called Jumpstart):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I think with enough substrate you can, in theory, insulate the surface enough for it to be safe for your corn. However, a burrowing corn can reach much hotter temperatures deeper down in that gradient. Temperatures that are not safe. Temperatures that I've read may cause neurological damage, or worse. And if you ever need to switch over to paper towel or newspaper substrate (treating for mites or other health concerns, for example), that gradient is eliminated and your safety measure is gone. An unregulated UTH can reach upwards of 120°F and run steadily at these temps. It seems unbelievable, I know, but I do have first-hand data on this. Other individuals have posted similar data here on the forum that you can check out, and I can give you mine too, if you want to see it. I ran my data with both analog and digital thermometers, and I was shocked by how far off the analog was. This could also be true of unprobed thermometers that aren't right on the surface of the substrate or on the bottom surface of the viv, which is where you want to take your temp readings, as these are crucial measurements for your largely surface-dwelling corn. Your UTH may be running hotter than you think it is.

The thermostat handily eliminates this problem.

Many forum members have recommended Hydrofarm thermostats. I will do the same. This thermostat is an economical, reliable choice. If you have the budget, there are even better thermostats out there, like Herpstat, that provide even more precise temperature regulation. However, I've been pretty happy with the little Hydrofarm. You affix its probe to the inside bottom of the viv, next to the thermometer probe over the center of the UTH, with aquarium-grade silicone. (Keep just a touch of space between the two probes.) Once that has cured, you plug the UTH into the thermostat, plug the thermostat into your power source, set the thermostat to 87°F, and that's it. Done. You'll hear periodic quiet clicks as it turns on or off to maintain the 87°F +/- 2°F range.

All you really need to do at this point is keep an eye on the readouts from the thermometer and the thermostat probes over the UTH to make sure they are in agreement. If one or both of the probes gets dislodged by a particularly industrious corn, you will most likely start seeing strange readouts, which will tip you off to the problem. I double-check the probes when I clean, too, to make sure they're still in place and secure on the glass. Additionally, I also double-check all of my readings periodically with a temp gun as a failsafe. (That temp gun: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

I know you were budgeting for a thermostat in the winter, but I'm hoping that the info I've provided here will convince you to go ahead and get that item now. It really is an important part of your setup. As an additional incentive, it's $5 cheaper than when I purchased mine back on January 4th. In fact, the combo thermometer/hygrometer and temp gun are also cheaper than when I bought them. Bonus! There's always somewhere else that money can go in the snake budget.

I hope this info helps. Good luck, let me know if I can do anything else to help, and above all, enjoy that wonderful snake you have.

I would say that most corns do tend to be less climby after a year or two old, but not all of them. Of my ten corn snakes, one of them still loves to climb as an adult.

Nice exchange on the log, I actually like this one better. I don't know WHY they still insist on producing the "log of horrors" when they have gotten so much negative feedback on it.

My guess? It still sells. They put the returns right back out on the sales floor. I was still in the store, maybe 5-10 minutes after my return transaction, when I saw my return sitting there on the shelf with a makeshift handwritten tag attached. I knew it was my return because of minor wear and tear from cleaning it.

It still leaves a sad, sour feeling to think about it.

Regarding climbing, my 11-month-old corn seems a little less interested in climbing now that she has discovered the joys of burrowing, but she still makes the rounds of everything in her viv and seems to enjoy every bit of the decor, high and low. Just get ready to have to reinforce things. I've reached that stage. She's not a worm anymore.

Originally Posted by Phruit Dish

My guess? It still sells. They put the returns right back out on the sales floor. I was still in the store, maybe 5-10 minutes after my return transaction, when I saw my return sitting there on the shelf with a makeshift handwritten tag attached. I knew it was my return because of minor wear and tear from cleaning it.

It still leaves a sad, sour feeling to think about it.

Regarding climbing, my 11-month-old corn seems a little less interested in climbing now that she has discovered the joys of burrowing, but she still makes the rounds of everything in her viv and seems to enjoy every bit of the decor, high and low. Just get ready to have to reinforce things. I've reached that stage. She's not a worm anymore.

Yeah, anything for a buck with some companies. I was torn between that hide and a tree-shaped hide the day I got Scarlett, I am glad I chose correctly! Even though she is almost bigger than the entire treetop, she still manages to coil on it.

Originally Posted by hypnoctopus

I would say that most corns do tend to be less climby after a year or two old, but not all of them. Of my ten corn snakes, one of them still loves to climb as an adult.

It's pretty awesome how each snake has it's own personality and preferences! Thank you for all the help!

Originally Posted by smigon

Nice exchange on the log, I actually like this one better. I don't know WHY they still insist on producing the "log of horrors" when they have gotten so much negative feedback on it.

I was so skeptical when I picked it up. I noticed it was hollow all the the way through but I really liked the look of it. I'm just glad everyone pointed out it was the "log of horrors"! You guys have literally been life savers. This is such an amazing forum!!

Originally Posted by Phruit Dish

My guess? It still sells. They put the returns right back out on the sales floor. I was still in the store, maybe 5-10 minutes after my return transaction, when I saw my return sitting there on the shelf with a makeshift handwritten tag attached. I knew it was my return because of minor wear and tear from cleaning it.

It still leaves a sad, sour feeling to think about it.

Regarding climbing, my 11-month-old corn seems a little less interested in climbing now that she has discovered the joys of burrowing, but she still makes the rounds of everything in her viv and seems to enjoy every bit of the decor, high and low. Just get ready to have to reinforce things. I've reached that stage. She's not a worm anymore.

Thank you so much for all the info on thermometers and thermostats. I'll defiantly be hitting up the stores tomorrow to get something better. Do you have any idea on how to remove the stick on ones? It seems like they won't come off without leaving behind some residue.

I've noticed mine has burrowed a little but most of the time it gets into really tight spaces and just chills till night time.


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Try rubbing alcohol, maybe? You might need some sort of scraper to help the process along, but be super careful about the viv surface. You don't want to scratch anything. Rubbing alcohol *might* dry the adhesive out, but I expect it might take some work...and probably a few applications. A few other things come to mind, but with a host of precautions, so if this works, it's safest.

I'm not aware of anywhere that sells the Hydrofarm/Jumpstart thermostat except Amazon. Don't settle for anything less than that, especially some of the analog dial thermostats you might see in places like Petsmart. I've heard bad things about those. The thermometer at the top is available at Petco (at least where I live) for $10, and the combo thermometer/hygrometer is either there or at Petsmart (I can't remember which...sorry!) for $30. Either way, you do get a bit of a break on the price on Amazon. You might be able to get free shipping on Amazon, and I know they sometimes offer free trial Prime memberships (free 2-day shipping) if you're not already a Prime member, so that might help you out if you run out of local options. (I joined so that I could get decently priced textbooks quickly for school...worth it!). I'm glad you're looking into these things, though! Your corn is going to be so happy...and so spoiled! (As well they should be...LOL.). Good luck with your search!

Originally Posted by Phruit Dish

Try rubbing alcohol, maybe? You might need some sort of scraper to help the process along, but be super careful about the viv surface. You don't want to scratch anything. Rubbing alcohol *might* dry the adhesive out, but I expect it might take some work...and probably a few applications. A few other things come to mind, but with a host of precautions, so if this works, it's safest.

I'm not aware of anywhere that sells the Hydrofarm/Jumpstart thermostat except Amazon. Don't settle for anything less than that, especially some of the analog dial thermostats you might see in places like Petsmart. I've heard bad things about those. The thermometer at the top is available at Petco (at least where I live) for $10, and the combo thermometer/hygrometer is either there or at Petsmart (I can't remember which...sorry!) for $30. Either way, you do get a bit of a break on the price on Amazon. You might be able to get free shipping on Amazon, and I know they sometimes offer free trial Prime memberships (free 2-day shipping) if you're not already a Prime member, so that might help you out if you run out of local options. (I joined so that I could get decently priced textbooks quickly for school...worth it!). I'm glad you're looking into these things, though! Your corn is going to be so happy...and so spoiled! (As well they should be...LOL.). Good luck with your search!

I have some Goof Off that works wonders with sticky things. Would that be alright to use if I disinfected the viv afterwards? I am an Amazon Prime member so I'll defiantly check online as well for the same reason!! I saw a pretty amazing rock on my way home today so I pulled over and picked it up off the road hahah!



Here's how the viv is looking now:


Close up: