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Could my Snake be Dying???

Or at least that's what I am assuming. I'm only a novice snake owner so I listened to the experts and got a heating lamp :p
 
They did but I had the choice between a free heat lamp or a $30 UTH so I went with the free heat lamp...
 
Yeah but I have also heard from several sources that corns don't need a heat source so long as the temperature in the room isn't too high or low for them. I know they tend to do BETTER with a heat source but they don't need one, just like it isn't NECESSARY that humans eat a perfectly balanced diet.

BUT why would anyone keep a pet in less than ideal conditions? That is horrible. How is that any different from keeping a kitten in a 10 gallon aquairum? Sure it CAN survive...but life for it would suck.
 
They did but I had the choice between a free heat lamp or a $30 UTH so I went with the free heat lamp...

*sorry for the double post*

OMG seriously? Dude...again I say if you can't afford what is best for the animal WHY are you getting this pet! If you are that poor or that cheap please hold off on the animal. But since you have had time at this point please tell me you went ahead and got the UTH and at least a dimmer switch for it by now?
 
Well I kept mine without a heat source for two weeks because I read and was told that they could do fine without them. Both the pet store and several online sources said that corn snakes were very hardy and could deal without them. And since I didn't have a heat source or a thermometer or a car to go out and get those things (and I'm rather poor) I didn't go out and get one.

But once I learned what the heat was for (digestion and to help humidity during shedding) I got him his lamp.
 
Don't get a heating lamp, at least not if you can help it.

Corn snakes do not need UV light or a day/night cycle. A under tank heater, maintained with a thermostat or rheostat in the mid-80's for the hot end would be ideal.

Many people heat the whole room, but they use a higher temperature than indicated (mid to low 80's).

If we could keep the aggressive dismissals of someone owning the corn snake OUT of the discussion, don't you think that MAYBE we would get a better response FOR THE SNAKE?!?

I HATE it when our members make sweeping dismissals of people asking for help. How, exactly, does this help anyone? Advise, suggest, be kind, be polite, and DON'T tell them to just rehome the pet because they don't have it set up in the IDEAL fashion.

People in this hobby DO advise that corn snakes don't necessarily need supplemental heat if the room they are in is in the high-70's.

She should rehome her pets because of that?

The same theory applies here.... If you can't deal with this kind of thread without getting aggressive, DON'T read them and DON'T post in them.

Sheesh.
 
Well I kept mine without a heat source for two weeks because I read and was told that they could do fine without them. Both the pet store and several online sources said that corn snakes were very hardy and could deal without them. And since I didn't have a heat source or a thermometer or a car to go out and get those things (and I'm rather poor) I didn't go out and get one.

But once I learned what the heat was for (digestion and to help humidity during shedding) I got him his lamp.
Hold on, hadn't you checked at all with your college herp club what the correct temperatures and set up for the snake would be?
 
*sorry for the double post*

OMG seriously? Dude...again I say if you can't afford what is best for the animal WHY are you getting this pet! If you are that poor or that cheap please hold off on the animal. But since you have had time at this point please tell me you went ahead and got the UTH and at least a dimmer switch for it by now?

He's a happy healthy snake. I'm not worried about him dying. And the light is on a timer, its not on 24/7 and baking him. Next week I am going home from college for fall break and I will have my car, so I plan on driving to several pet stores to find a good UTH, yes. And actually just on Saturday I went back to the pet store to see what they had. There weren't any small enough for his box and they also didn't have any thermometers or rheostats. Its not like I am not trying. I am using the lamp until I can get him a UTH.
 
Hold on, hadn't you checked at all with your college herp club what the correct temperatures and set up for the snake would be?

Being a freshman, and only having been to the club once before getting my snake, I hadn't really made any contacts with people yet. But once I got him and brought him to the meeting, yes I did start asking for advice and made one friend who is the one who offered me use of her heat lamp until I could find a UTH.
 
I see where you're coming from Darcy...but if this was a horse in an apartment (as Whippet mentioned), wouldn't you suggest rehoming the animal? Yes, that is quite an extreme example, but it is technically the same situation.
 
Don't get a heating lamp, at least not if you can help it.

Corn snakes do not need UV light or a day/night cycle. A under tank heater, maintained with a thermostat or rheostat in the mid-80's for the hot end would be ideal.

Many people heat the whole room, but they use a higher temperature than indicated (mid to low 80's).

If we could keep the aggressive dismissals of someone owning the corn snake OUT of the discussion, don't you think that MAYBE we would get a better response FOR THE SNAKE?!?

I HATE it when our members make sweeping dismissals of people asking for help. How, exactly, does this help anyone? Advise, suggest, be kind, be polite, and DON'T tell them to just rehome the pet because they don't have it set up in the IDEAL fashion.

People in this hobby DO advise that corn snakes don't necessarily need supplemental heat if the room they are in is in the high-70's.

She should rehome her pets because of that?

The same theory applies here.... If you can't deal with this kind of thread without getting aggressive, DON'T read them and DON'T post in them.

Sheesh.

Yeah, see? I'm not a crazy pet abuser out to kill my snake. I do love him to death, and want only the best for him, and honestly I think the people who are keeping him for me since my roommate kicked him out of our room (god I hate living in a dorm, with the "no pets that breathe air" rule) are getting fed up with me because I am always asking how he's doing. Just because I am not doing things EXACTLY how you think they should be done doesn't mean I am an evil snake killer who buys pets just to kill them. Like I said before, he is a happy healthy snake. I check up on him often.
 
Being a freshman, and only having been to the club once before getting my snake, I hadn't really made any contacts with people yet. But once I got him and brought him to the meeting, yes I did start asking for advice and made one friend who is the one who offered me use of her heat lamp until I could find a UTH.
But now the snake isn't in your closet anymore?
(wrote that before your post)
 
Josh, did I say that the advice was WRONG, or incorrectly delivered?

We need to stop AGRESSIVELY dismissing those whose husbandry isn't perfect. Because all we do is force them away!
 
But now the snake isn't in your closet anymore?

The snake is living with one of the head members of the herpetology club because my roommate is apparently snake phobic. I am sure that he is getting the best care as the person owns and has owned many reptiles (including snakes).
 
actually just on Saturday I went back to the pet store to see what they had. There weren't any small enough for his box and they also didn't have any thermometers or rheostats. Its not like I am not trying. I am using the lamp until I can get him a UTH.

Are you using a heat lamp on a plastic storage box? And just FYI 99.9% of pet stores won't have rheostats or thermostats...
 
I have also heard from several sources that corns don't need a heat source so long as the temperature in the room isn't too high or low for them.
But I think in this case, the ambient temps are too low. There's an occasional "spike" at 78 which is less than ideal.

Her other two snakes are fine, though.
Corns are individual - the fact that two are (currently) OK with that, doesn't rule out the other one needing slightly higher temps than them for digestion. Also, Corns will seek out higher temps when they're feeling sick. If there's a different health problem, then the snake could still benefit from additional heat.
 
Are you using a heat lamp on a plastic storage box? And just FYI 99.9% of pet stores won't have rheostats or thermostats...

Yes, and before you say anything its not going to melt the box, its not THAT hot. Its only really being used directly on the box right now because he just ate and then went into shed and needs extra humidity. And if I can't find one I'll order one offline.
 
Best part of this is that we aren't on the original topic any more.

COerriccaRN, How is YOUR corn doing? Any way we can get some heat gradient going on there? Maybe you could space your feedings out? Verify elimination prior to more feeding?

Maybe a small UTH/ human heat pad and shims would provide the several-degree change that you need?

Could we get an update on yours?

Mine do something similar periodically, they usually go back to hiding again soon after.

Mine are in racks with heat cable/flexwatt, though, so not precisely the same.

One other thing that wasn't mentioned was the fact that maybe your snake is just comfortable enough to sleep while out of hiding in your room, which is why he isn't moving when you flail at him.

Just a thought.

:)
 
Sorry Darcy :-offtopic
Yes, and before you say anything its not going to melt the box, its not THAT hot. Its only really being used directly on the box right now because he just ate and then went into shed and needs extra humidity. And if I can't find one I'll order one offline.

DYK (did you know :p) that heat lamps actually suck the humidity right out of the viv? So, you might actually being doing the exact opposite of what you're going for...
 
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