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Heating

Ekans6

Ekans6

New member
So I have a baby corn and currently she is temporarily living in a plastic shoe box until her terrarium is done being "renovated" hahaha. In the winter my bedroom (where she lives) gets very cold because due to poor ventilation my room doesn't get much heat. Right now I have one heat lamp on her and same when she moves into her new terrarium home. I got a 15 gallon aquarium for her to live in for the next couple years. I am just wondering, since my bedroom is very cold at night, whether it is okay to turn the heat lamp off at night to simulate night/day or whether I should keep it on all the time. I have a friend who keeps various reptiles and amphibians and he has all his lamps on timers to make sure the animals have proper day/night cycles. I just get worried that if I turn off the lamp at night she will get too cold in my room. Once summer comes, this will no longer be a problem because it is the opposite and quite warm in my room. I am also wondering if the one lamp will be enough to keep her warm in the 15 gal terrarium?
Help Please!:) :confused:
 
Also, I don't know how I feel about under tank heaters because it is not very natural... Heat wouldn't be coming from the ground in nature. Plus when they bury, it is usually to cool down not get warmer... Advice? More info?

Thanks!:)
 
I'm very new. I have an UTH with a hydrofarm thermostat placed in the substrate above the heat source. I also have a cool side. Everything I have read says that corns do better with UTH because they like to hide. Apparently, in the wild they will hide someplace such as wedged in the bark of a log, or under tin and get warm that way. I don't think they usually sun themselves because they are so shy. The real snake experts should be along shortly to help you more.
 
I agree with Myca... I may be new to corn snakes but my other snakes I use a UTH which provides and warm side that they need. Snakes need belly heat to digest properly. If the snake is not heated properly, various issues can occur including something I call "belly rott" which is when the food rotts in the belly of the snake. As Myca said before, create a space for your snake that is warm like they do, do in the wild. I'm sure others can get more into details but that is the basics that you really need to know.

To sum up:

UTH is okay.
Without proper heat, it can cause medical problems.
I agree with Myca.
Create a little heat zone.
 
I've used a UTH+thermostat for many years with mine and they're just fine.

Your Corn needs access to an appropriate warm zone in the tank 24 hours a day, so don't leave it without heating overnight. This risks a regurge. On the other hand, so does overheating. You ideally need to aim to get the floor surface (as that's where the snake is) in the mid-80s, for about one-third of the floor surface.
 
Ekans6 said:
So I have a baby corn and currently she is temporarily living in a plastic shoe box until her terrarium is done being "renovated" hahaha.
Click to expand...
Keep a close eye on her... they're notoriously strong and expert escape artists, even with locking lids.
I am just wondering, since my bedroom is very cold at night, whether it is okay to turn the heat lamp off at night to simulate night/day or whether I should keep it on all the time.
Click to expand...
You can get a ceramic heat bulb which doesn't emit light, or a red/uv incandescent heat bulb for night time warming. If your room gets that cold at night, you are definitely going to want to keep a warm spot for the snake.
I am also wondering if the one lamp will be enough to keep her warm in the 15 gal terrarium?
Help Please!:) :confused:
Click to expand...
As long as the one lamp can keep the warm side warm enough, then yes. Its better to have a temperature gradient so the snake can go where it needs to when it needs to. Warm side of 82-85F at ground level (corns aren't arboreal and they aren't baskers) and cool side around room temperature or mid 70s should be fine. As long as there's a proper warm side and a decent gradient then the cool side isn't as accurately important.
Also, I don't know how I feel about under tank heaters because it is not very natural... Heat wouldn't be coming from the ground in nature. Plus when they bury, it is usually to cool down not get warmer... Advice? More info?
Click to expand...
Actually, the ground emits a bit of heat most of the year. An under tank heater is more natural than a heat lamp (which usually only increases ambient air temperatures) and since corns aren't baskers, the under belly heat is beneficial during times of hiding and digesting and fighting illness. I'm not gonna tell you they're a necessity, but when you look at it from a nature point of view, warming from beneath is actually more natural than just exposing to hotter air. The important part is, no matter what heating solution you use, you make sure it's properly regulated and appropriate temperatures in the right spots.
 
Thanks everyone for your input.

Hmm well it sounds like I should invest in an UTH. So I will look into that.

In regard to escaping, I do keep an eye on her and the container has a snap lid and I have weights on top. I was really nervous at first, worrying she might escape.

I ordered a thermometer for ambient air and I'm just waiting for it to arrive and I'm going to monitor the temperatures in the tank. Maybe try it under the lamp and in the cooler areas. She will probably move into her terrarium in the next couple days ... hopefully.

She seems healthy and everything. She is eating fine and regularly, and no regurges as I can see. I'm feeding her approximately once a week at this point. (She is 3.5 months old atm) And eventually I will probably cut down slightly.

I think she is comfortable in her temp home cause she does move around a little and everything between warmer and cooler areas. I'm very excited to move her into her terrarium, it is done up nice with places for her to climb and hide.
 
I don't know the temperatures yet. I was going to look up temperatures they should be kept at and try to keep those temps. I don't have my thermometer yet so I don't know what temperature she is in right now.
 
Temps are pretty easy... Warm side ground level between 82-85F daytime, allowed to drop a little at night but not a lot. Cool side doesn't matter quite as much as long as the warm side is correct and the tank is set up in a "long" fashion allowing for a gradient between 85F and whatever room temperature is at the other end. With enough hides and security, the snake will be where it needs to be.

When using a UTH, you will definitely want to monitor the inside flooring (glass/wood/pvc) temps right above the UTH, as corns are big on burrowing. Can be slightly warmer than ground level temps, but not much. Too hot can cause burning and other behavioral and feeding issues.
 
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