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few questions from a 1st time corn owner

dwyn127

dwyn127

Cinderazzo
Got my 1st corn (baby amel) Sunday and I've got a few questions. 1) it's in a 10 gal tank. I've been told to start with a small enclosure and grow it with the snake and I've been told to get one now that it will be in as an adult. Which way is better or does it matter? 2) I have a light on top that heats the tank to about 80. I turn it off at night and it gets to about 70-72. Is this ok or should I keep the temp more consistent? and finally, 3) if used alone, what is better, a light from the top or a heat pad from the bottom?
 
Congratulations with your first snake. It's good to keep the snake in the smaller cage until it gets bigger because snakes don't like huge spaces. The temperatures you said are ideal for the snake although I recommend a pad because it helps with digestion and doesn't dry up the enviorment as much. Hope that helps.
 
I agree with Spitfire, on all counts. Lights are just as effective for digestion purposes if the temps are right but if you do decide to go ahead and stay with the light, you need to provide some extra humidity when it is time for your snake to shed. I use lights on my cages, and control the humidity by spraying water into the tank. I also bathe my snakes regularly when they are getting ready to shed.

Do you have a copy of the Corn Snake Manual by Kathy Love? If you look around the forum you'll see that its a heavily suggested read for the new corn owner.

Good Luck!!
;)
 
hmm...

well that brings up a question from me.. I work at the local Petco, have wanted a corn snake for the longest time.. finally a 30 gal tank went on clearance for 13.08. I bought it and the snake.. snake is an Okeetee Cornsnake and is about 2.5 ft in length is that too big?
 
Are you asking if the cage is too big, or the snake is too big for the cage? If your snake is 2.5 feet in length, then I would think that a 30 gallon cage would be fine. It is for very young snakes that smaller enclosures are suggested, because the larger amount of space can be intimidating and stress them out.

My adult corn is in a 150 gallon aquarium (I did not purchase it for him, he just lucked out), and has no problems. However, he was started in a kritter keeper, moved to a ten gallon, and then upgraded to the big tank. I would never have put a baby corn in such a big enclosure. Does this clarify?

;)
 
Thanx for the input, I've got an under tank heater I haven't used yet; I guess I'll give it a try.

Danny
 
Okeetee, as long as you provide sufficient hiding places, and ensure that your snake finds its food if you chose to feed it in the tank, I don't believe you can have too big a cage.

Skye
 
I don't know about that, how snakes dont like realy big enclosures, 1st of all, they live in the wild, the BIGGEST of all places???
and my snake is only about 2 1/2 - 3 foot, and he is in a 4ftx2ftx18 inches tank, he is tiny in it, he has been in ther for about half a year, and hes fine, so i dont believe in this big tanks cause stress crap, load of bull i think., its the same as the people who say a reptile doesnt get any bigger than its enclosure (keep the tank small, they stay small )
 
You are taking Stuart out of context there Spitfire.

Stuart made that statement as evidence of what he believes to be an invalid statement, i.e. we all know that keeping a cage small won't stop the snake from growing too big for it if you continue to offer sufficient food.

He was not stating that quote as somehting he believed in.

Skye
 
I'm with Skye re size of cage.

I think that a corn should be able to get up to 85 F during the day if it wants. Turning off the power at night is good.

Any way of heating the cage that provides the right temperature is acceptable. But heat rises, so IMHO an undertank heater is likely to require less wattage than heating from the top.
 
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