Heating/Lighting Questions

[Dontcome2myhouse]

I'm new to all this and have been doing my research. I plan on buying a corn (this will be my first snake) in a few months, but want to get my viv squared away first. I'm running an 18W heating pad under my viv (24x18x12) with approx 2" of substrate in the viv. I was reading that I want around 84 F on the heat side and around 75 F on the cool side of the viv. Numbers correct?

I have a hand-held infrared thermometer and measured 97 F straight on the glass and around 85 F right on top of the 2"of substrate. Is this OK or too hot? Not really sure where I should be measuring temperature. I've heard about snakes in general burning their bellies and I'd like to avoid this. Should I thicken the substrate more than 2 inches?

I also have a dual-bulb lamp on top of my viv. I know corns don't need special lighting, but my viv is in a dark area, so I'm using a 5000K CFL bulb. Any better recommendations? Since it is dual-bulb, what two bulbs would you use in this setup? I would also have the option to supplement my heating pad by using a low watt heat bulb...good idea? Some folks say better to heat from under, while others say from above.

 

[Karl_Mcknight]

it should measure 82 to 88 directly on the glass. The top of the substrate will be much cooler. Regardless of how deep your bedding is, you take the measurement on the glass. The snake could burrow under the bedding and come into contact with the glass, so that's where you want the temp to be.

Use a good thermostat with any type of heat source to regulate the heat. Keep in mind, "Lights" also produce heat. So if you already are too hot, adding light will only make it worse.

 

[Dontcome2myhouse]

it should measure 82 to 88 directly on the glass. The top of the substrate will be much cooler. Regardless of how deep your bedding is, you take the measurement on the glass. The snake could burrow under the bedding and come into contact with the glass, so that's where you want the temp to be.

Use a good thermostat with any type of heat source to regulate the heat. Keep in mind, "Lights" also produce heat. So if you already are too hot, adding light will only make it worse.

On the glass...gotcha. So, I'm way too hot right now at 97 F. If I get the tank glass to 87, would there be anything wrong getting the surface temp of the substrate to 87 by using a low watt heating bulb? As of now, my 16W CFL bulb doesn't seem to be putting out much heat at all 12 inches above the tank. Might switch to LED eventually.

 

[Karl_Mcknight]

Odds are if you do that, then the rest of the tank will heat up as well. Ideally, you want a cool side too. Heat is "Energy" and it travels.

It's Normal for the top of the substrate to be cooler. The snake will burrow and find the heat zone he likes.

I use a light to simulate Day/Night. 12 hours on and 12 hours off. It's on a timer and I don't have to remember to turn it on or off. It's a "Cool Light" so to speak, but all lights still produce heat. I keep the light well above the tank so that it has no effect on the temp inside.

I keep the glass temp on the warm side at about 85. The cool side is just room temp, and the snake has a choice of cool or warm.

 

[Dontcome2myhouse]

Odds are if you do that, then the rest of the tank will heat up as well. Ideally, you want a cool side too. Heat is "Energy" and it travels.

It's Normal for the top of the substrate to be cooler. The snake will burrow and find the heat zone he likes.

I use a light to simulate Day/Night. 12 hours on and 12 hours off. It's on a timer and I don't have to remember to turn it on or off. It's a "Cool Light" so to speak, but all lights still produce heat. I keep the light well above the tank so that it has no effect on the temp inside.

I keep the glass temp on the warm side at about 85. The cool side is just room temp, and the snake has a choice of cool or warm.

Awesome. Thank you so much for your time and much appreciated sir. I was hoping that my future corn wouldn't burrow all the time trying to find the "zone", but I guess that's not reality. Looks like I'll be buying a thermostat.

 

[Dontcome2myhouse]

How deep is your substrate? I don't want it too thick that it insulates the heat pad too much.

 

[DLena]

Welcome to the forum! Karl is exactly correct with what he has told you. He doesn't use Aspen substrate; he uses reptile carpet. My Aspen is about 2 inches deep on average, but it's a bit deeper in some areas to help anchor plants, mound around the water bowl and cork hides and branches. A corn snake is going to be in hiding quite a bit of the time. If they cannot hide, they get nervous and then you run into feeding, shedding, and behavior problems. If your snake can burrow, you get to see his tunnel holes and his head peaking out. If he can climb through vines, you can see him hanging out and traveling all over the place via the vine system. Use suction cups to hold the vines to the side of the viv. Snakes like to hang out in tight-fitting hides, so he needs at least 2, one in each temperature zone. Make darn sure you buy a thermostat to regulate the temp of that heat mat. Don't overheat your snake. At the least, he'll be too dry to shed properly, and at the worst, you'll kill him.

 

[Giga]

One thing to remember with snakes is that, generally, too cool is better than too warm. Too cool and you'll get a sluggish snake that doesn't want to eat. To warm and you risk dehydration and brain damage. If you aren't sure, better to start cool and work up than the reverse.