A few questions from a new snake owner

I am a first time corn snake owner, and have a few questions.

-Although my temperature gradient is what was recommended to me by a snake specialist (~75F on cool side, ~85F on warm side), I am only using heat lamps. Should I use an under tank heater as well?

-What are the signs my snake is being over handled?

-Is an alert and active snake a sign of healthy digestion? (I am worried about this,because although my snake is both active and alert, I've read that an under tank heater is what promotes healthy digestion)

-Is there a way to tell if a corn snake is about to defecate/has recently defecated? The substrate I am using is reptile bark, and it is hard to tell if he has defecated.

I really want to make sure he is adjusting well, and digesting his meal (his first with me!) well.

number 1 Yes you need a under tank heater.
number 2 i dont know
number 3 after my boy eats, I usually do not see him for a couple days, but then he is active again
number 4 not sure if I can tell when he defecates, but it looks like bird pop on my aspen so I tell that way.

-Although my temperature gradient is what was recommended to me by a snake specialist (~75F on cool side, ~85F on warm side), I am only using heat lamps. Should I use an under tank heater as well?

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If those are the temps on the floor as measured with a digital or infra-red thermometer (air temps are a red herring as the snake isn't up there!), then you should be fine. We usually recommend an undertank heater+thermostat as it gives them the controlled belly heat which is said to be better for their digestion. I use this combo and it's worked for many years. However overhead heat sources can work as well and there are folks here who use a lamp. One of the disadvantages is that lamps can dry out the air in the tank, lower the humidity and cause shedding problems. Make sure the lamps are regulated with a controller so they don't overheat.

-What are the signs my snake is being over handled?

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The main sign of stress in a Corn, is that it stops eating. They will generally resist being picked up as it triggers their instinct to escape from a predator. They're also quite wriggly and reluctant to be held when they first arrive. However once used to you, you should find that they calm down very quickly once you have them in your hands and they've learned that you're not about to eat them!

[QUOTE[-Is an alert and active snake a sign of healthy digestion? (I am worried about this,because although my snake is both active and alert, I've read that an under tank heater is what promotes healthy digestion)[/QUOTE]
Not really. An over-active Corn can mean that temps are too high. Active and alert are usually good signs though - just not an indicator of good digestion. Most Corns will become inactive for a few days after eating when older, as digestion takes a lot of physical resources. However this is by no means a rule and many go about their business as normal. The main indicator is that the food goes through their system and the resulting poop looks normal.

-Is there a way to tell if a corn snake is about to defecate/has recently defecated? The substrate I am using is reptile bark, and it is hard to tell if he has defecated.

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This is a common problem with hatchlings, where there are very tiny amounts of waste produced and it does tend to get "lost" in substrate. If you're concerned, you could safely switch to using paper towels as a substrate for a couple of feeds, so that you have a better idea of what's coming out the business end. Don't worry - as they grow, it becomes all too obvious...!

Thank you! These were both very good answers, and bitsy was very informative. Can I wait until payday to get a UTH or is it urgent?

i'd say the sooner the better. your corn can't do any of her normal digesting, or even activity if she's cold.

i'd say the sooner the better. your corn can't do any of her normal digesting, or even activity if she's cold.

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As it's 85 on the warm side, it's the correct temp already. Just not coming from the ideal direction at the moment!

Can I wait until payday to get a UTH or is it urgent?

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I'd say if you've decided to swap to a UTH+thermostat (instead of the lamps, not as well as), then it's safe to wait.

I switched to paper towels as substrate instead of the bark for awhile, so that I know when he defecated.

I fed him Saturday, but he oly ate one of his two pinkies. Yesterday (Moday) He seemed hungry again and readily took another pinkie. At what point should I be concerned that he is not digestig properly and take him to see a vet?

One more thing, try to find Aspen, bark really isn't recommended for snakes.

Oh, and welcome!

You fed 2 pinkies on Saturday and then 2 days later another one? I am not at expert but I feed my hatchlings once per week, and I think every 5 days is also fine as well. They need to properly digest one meal before eating another, I believe.

bark really isn't recommended for snakes

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I think bark is fine as long as it is Reptibark....


Feeding - I wouldn't offer more than once every 5 days no matter the size of prey item. If they need more food, get larger prey, not more frequent feedings.

He seemed hungry again and readily took another pinkie.

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As well as feeding too often (I'd also go to one pinkie every 5 days), you're feeding on demand. Sadly you can't tell when a Corn "seems" hungry as their instinct is to hunt all the time they're not digesting. In the wild, they can hunt for weeks without finding food but in captivity they don't know that we guarantee their next meal. You can't interpret the behaviour as them needing food, beacuse it doesn't mean that.

At the moment you're radically over-feeding, so you do need to gear that back so that you don't end up with an obese adult (which will have the same kind of health problems and shortened life as any other fat animal).

Alright, thank you.

So I fed him two pinkies this morning and he took both of them. The store I got him at said they fed him two at once very five days.

Next feeding I will cut him back to one every 5 days.