• Hello!

    Either you have not registered on this site yet, or you are registered but have not logged in. In either case, you will not be able to use the full functionality of this site until you have registered, and then logged in after your registration has been approved.

    Registration is FREE, so please register so you can participate instead of remaining a lurker....

    Please be certain that the location field is correctly filled out when you register. All registrations that appear to be bogus will be rejected. Which means that if your location field does NOT match the actual location of your registration IP address, then your registration will be rejected.

    Sorry about the strictness of this requirement, but it is necessary to block spammers and scammers at the door as much as possible.

Brand New Snake Owner! With a Couple of Questions

S

sierraraptor

New member
Hello all,

As of Monday afternoon, I am the proud owner of a baby corn snake!

This is my first ever reptile, so any pointers are welcome.

Right now I've got the snake in a 20L (which he/she seems to LOVE, constantly zooming about and climbing all over the place). Aspen for substrate, water bowl with filtered water, a few hides, and a climby branch. I've got an UTH on one side of the tank, but it's currently unplugged because the thermometer is reading between 78-82 degreess in the tank without any extra heat.

I was told that the snake was due to eat on Monday but to wait a couple of days for it to settle in before feeding. I offered a thawed pinkie this evening, and the snake ate immediately! :D
How long should I leave him/her in the feeding container before returning to the regular tank?

Also, I have 5 cats who are completely fascinated by the snake. I've got the screen lid clipped on, but the cats keeps jumping ontop of the tank, and I'm a little worried that their weight will break the screen. Is there something I can re-enforce the wire mesh with?

Am I doing anything wrong as far as basic husbandry goes?

This seems like an awesome community, and I can't wait to learn more and watch my snake grow up!

And, of course, pictures :D


Proudly introducing: Antiquehighheelreddollshoes
256233_850982122974_1785015399_o.jpg


So cute!
291396_850982497224_970007311_o.jpg


Set-up
622450_850981803614_1446897361_o.jpg



Sierra
 
Welcome Sierra! Glad you found the place. You can move him out of the feeding tub in 20 minutes or so. You just want to make sure the meal is all the down. Move and then leave alone for 2 - 3 days. No handling in those days.

And your snake is very nice. Great color that should only get better as it grows.

I don't know about reinforcing the top. Spray bottles of water and squirt the cats whenever they get up there, but I don't think they should be in the same room if no one is around to keep them off.
 
Hi welcome love your hair, the calico kitty and Oh! your snakey.
You can put a piece of plywood on top with holes in it for air. I would also put the sticky velcro on the mesh lid and other side on plywood as the cats can push the plywood off.
 
Hello and welcome!

A few things. You'll want a hide on the cool side without the UTH. I think if you switched the branch and water bowl it would work great.

You'll also need a thermostat or dimmer switch for the UTH, otherwise it can get wayy too hot. This thermostat is a good brand used by many people here: http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTP...ZG3S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1336184248&sr=8-3
If you can't/don't want to spend that much, you can make a dimmer. Here's a link with great instructions: http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19168&highlight=make+rheostat
Even if you know nothing about electricity, it's easy to make. I've already made 5, and they all work great.
If you go with the thermostat, you can set it at a temp and leave it be; it will adjust the temp manually. If you go with the dimmer, you will have to check it and adjust a couple of times a day.

Good choice going with the probe thermometer. The ideal range is between 83-87. 90 is a corns safest maximum temp.

A 20 gallon long tank with fit most corns for their whole lives, so good choice there!

For keeping cats off the tank, you could try putting tin foil on top of it. Most cats don't like how it sounds or feels and won't go back up there after a few encounters with the foil.

Like Pugsley said, no handling for at least 48 hours after she feeds. This is to let them digest and so they don't regurge their food, which can couse many problems. I usually leave them in their feeding containers until they start slithering around looking for a way out. Then I quickly plop them back in their tanks.

Good luck with your new snake friend! :)
 
Great, thank you all for the advice! I will definitely look into the thermostat.

Any ideas on how old my snake is? I forgot to ask when I got it.
 
It's really hard to tell with snakes, and especially at hatchling level, but from that size I'd make a rough guess at 2-4 months, depending on how much/often the breeder was feeding.
 
nice little snake! i agree, just switch around your branch and water bowl. he can then hide under the brack. and then, hide on both sides! when i discovered that i needed 2 hides, i just wrapped those strings of leaves around his branch that is on the cool side. simple! its still like that after a few years...never bought or plan to buy a hide from the pet store:D good luck. sounds liek your doing great!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top