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New Owner... Viv Questions

S

Sluggo_63

New member
Hi all,

I have a new baby corn snake that I bought about a week ago. (S/He's about 15" long)

I have him in a 10 gal aquarium with 'Yesterdays News' as substrate. I have an 8x8 UTH on on side. He has two hides, one on each side and also a little tree to climb on.

I put one of those sticky strip thermometers on the inside of the viv on the hot side (it doesn't seem to be registering anything meaningful, though).

He likes to hide in one particular hiding spot, which was on the cool side. He was always over on that side. As an experiment, I switched the hides, putting his favorite one on the 'hot' side. Now he's always under his 'favorite' hide on the 'hot' side.

We don't see him very often, I'm sure it's okay, but I thought he'd be out a little more.

My big questions are:
1. Does it sound like the viv is okay for him?
2. Is there anything I should add/change to the viv?
3. Is the 'favorite' hiding place a normal type behavior?
4. Anything else important that I should consider while caring for "Godzilla" (my 7-year old named him)?

Thanks in advance for all your help.
 
Hello! Your viv sounds fine. Both my snakes have their favourite hide's bot on the cool side so that sounds normal to me. The thermometer you have don't usually work very well you would be better getting a digital indoor/outdoor one with a probe on the end. You can get them online there not very expensive. Hope I helped :)
 
Welcome Sluggo!

It sounds like you have the right idea. Babies need their privacy and a bit of time to settle in. You won't see him/her much for the first few months because as babies they feel very vulnerable and hiding makes them feel safe. You'll notice your snake out cruising in the evenings the most as the times around dawm and dusk are when they're most active.

Make sure you post some pics of the little 'un for us to all coo over!

Cheers,
Adèle
 
and i think i better substrate is aspen bedding because then he or she can do thier natural burrowing and its just as easy to clean :) hope i helped
 
I would consider adding a rheostat to your UTH IF you stuck it directly to the glass underneath the aquarium...They get HOT, and so will the glass where it is attached, and can burn your corn if he burrows under the paper and lies directly above the UTH on the glass...A rheostat will allow you to "dial down" the temperature...

The stick on thermometer strips are pretty useless...a cheap alternative would be a dial type "probe" thermometer i.e. meat thermometer...you can move it around the aquarium to get different readings...
 
To elaborate on the "probe" thermometer (a definite must) we sell them at PetsMart in the reptile section. They are digital and stick on the side of the viv, with a probe attached that you would put under the hide on top of the substrate to monitor the temps. They cost under $10. Invaluable, as you'll learn your temps are much higher than you thought, and you will more than likely need a rheostat. Though I have found that Exo Terra's "desert" UTH's actually put out less heat and I don't need one. Go figure???

Edit: They don't "put out" less heat, they "conduct" less heat with aspen.
 
I use Yesterday's News with Treasure.. and she LOVES burrowing in it! Shes used it since she was little and never had any trouble to burrow in it.. plus its easy to clean hehe.. clumps around the poo =)

I can only get the stick on thermomiters also.. can't afford the digital ones. I put them inside the hides so I know the temp in there hehe, works well for me =)
 
An alternative to using a rheostat would be to NOT attach the UTH to the bottom of the tank, but instead place it on a heat resistant tile and raise/lower the aquarium over it to get the right temperature...
 
Ok. I'll have to run to my local PetSmart. So just lay the probe on top of the substrate and read the temps there? Should I have another on the cool side?

Steve
 
I wouldn't hurt to have one on each side, ..how deep do you fill your Viv with
??? yn???....substrate??? about two inches.
 
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