Okay All you need to do is use a che or a nocturnal heat lamp which can be used 24 hours a day. So at night time the snake can come out and lay under the warm lamp if he wishes. The humidity is not a problem even with a heat lamp. As long as you don't have huge holes in your cage especially in the ceiling. I have three four foot cages with heat lamps that I keep my boas in the humidity right now in them is 65 percent plenty high enough for a corn snake. And like I said before zoos don't use uths they use overhead basking lamps. And tons of corn keepers use the rack systems where the heat tape runs down the back of the rack making one side of the tub the warm side and one side the cool side but the heat tape is not under the tub it is running down along one side of it which means no belly heat. Also Like I said before if you want to use a uth that is fine. there is nothing wrong with them. They work. I was just saying they are not necessary.
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New Viv, lots of questions about it!
- Thread starter Desert_Roach
- Start date
Tyger9791
Animal Care Specialist
i believe that overall a UTH is far cheaper and easier to have than a heat lamp. i know this from experience. Heat lamp bulbs cost $8-12 a bulb. plus you have to buy a ceramic fixture for each one. sometimes you can find the bulbs cheaper, but they dont last long.
for comparison...my turtle's tank has a basking heat bulb, a red heat bulb and a UVB flourescent bulb. during the day, i run the basking bulb and UVB. at night i run the red heat bulb. because they are active during the day and they need overhead heat they have lamps for day and night. turtles do bask whereas my corn doesnt. he's nocturnal. and the turtles have 3-5 inches of substrate to burrow in. so it would be pointless for me to set up a UTH for them as the heat wouldnt penetrate the 3-5 inches of thick heavy peat moss and mulch. and their substrate has to remain moist. the UTH would probably dry it out.
their basking bulb blows about every 60 days. i have to go to the store and buy them a new $8 100W bulb every 2 months. whereas for my snake's tanks, i bought them a UTH for $20 and it will probably last a very long time. also think about your power bill...since i've had the turtles set up, their bulbs use more power than the UTHs.
now in the winter time i do use a red bulb for the corn tank to keep the temps warm. but the rest of the year, i just have the UTH on. it's much easier than having to mess with blown bulbs and hot lamp fixtures. i even shelled out $50 for a combo hood fixture for my turtles tank to make handling the bulbs easier and safer. it holds all 3 bulbs and each one has it's own on/off switch.
and there's also the risk of fire with lamps. and if you're not careful, they can melt the plastic frame of screen tops. and the plastic rim of glass tanks. and if the cord gets pulled on, the fixture could fall and cause a fire.
i love my turtles, but my corn's tank is by far easier to maintain. and i wish i could just set my turtle's up with a UTH but their needs wouldnt be met.
some snakes, like ball pythons and aboreal snakes, would benefit from a daytime heat lamp, they are active during the day and bask...corns really dont. they benefit from a heat source from the bottom. they like to burrow. they are mostly ground dwellers, not tree climbers.
for comparison...my turtle's tank has a basking heat bulb, a red heat bulb and a UVB flourescent bulb. during the day, i run the basking bulb and UVB. at night i run the red heat bulb. because they are active during the day and they need overhead heat they have lamps for day and night. turtles do bask whereas my corn doesnt. he's nocturnal. and the turtles have 3-5 inches of substrate to burrow in. so it would be pointless for me to set up a UTH for them as the heat wouldnt penetrate the 3-5 inches of thick heavy peat moss and mulch. and their substrate has to remain moist. the UTH would probably dry it out.
their basking bulb blows about every 60 days. i have to go to the store and buy them a new $8 100W bulb every 2 months. whereas for my snake's tanks, i bought them a UTH for $20 and it will probably last a very long time. also think about your power bill...since i've had the turtles set up, their bulbs use more power than the UTHs.
now in the winter time i do use a red bulb for the corn tank to keep the temps warm. but the rest of the year, i just have the UTH on. it's much easier than having to mess with blown bulbs and hot lamp fixtures. i even shelled out $50 for a combo hood fixture for my turtles tank to make handling the bulbs easier and safer. it holds all 3 bulbs and each one has it's own on/off switch.
and there's also the risk of fire with lamps. and if you're not careful, they can melt the plastic frame of screen tops. and the plastic rim of glass tanks. and if the cord gets pulled on, the fixture could fall and cause a fire.
i love my turtles, but my corn's tank is by far easier to maintain. and i wish i could just set my turtle's up with a UTH but their needs wouldnt be met.
some snakes, like ball pythons and aboreal snakes, would benefit from a daytime heat lamp, they are active during the day and bask...corns really dont. they benefit from a heat source from the bottom. they like to burrow. they are mostly ground dwellers, not tree climbers.
Tyger9791
Animal Care Specialist
oh and one more thing...not all zoos use heat lamps. at least not for all their species of snakes and reptiles. for their nocturnal or burrowing species they use heat tape or a UTH. the red light you see is more for your benefit so you can see them. who would want to pay to go to a zoo and not see any animals?
a little off topic, but have you ever been to the bat exhibit at any zoo? you ever noticed that there are red bulbs everywhere but the exhibit is either freaking freezing or humid depending on the species? it's not hot and dry. the bulbs are red so you can see the bats. the bats arent basking.
a little off topic, but have you ever been to the bat exhibit at any zoo? you ever noticed that there are red bulbs everywhere but the exhibit is either freaking freezing or humid depending on the species? it's not hot and dry. the bulbs are red so you can see the bats. the bats arent basking.
Canadianmike
New member
watch for escapes!!
I use those critter tanks with the attached sliding screen. Great for adult snakes but the tanks are actually sold to the retailer with two stickers 1: "Don't Fill with Water" and 2: "Don't use with hatchling snakes". The tanks 15g and larger if you push you fingers along the rear lip you can slide the screen forward enough for a small snake to escape even though there are two clips on the back. So just to be on the safe side you might want to loose any decorations which would allow the snake near the top of the tank.
Mike
I use those critter tanks with the attached sliding screen. Great for adult snakes but the tanks are actually sold to the retailer with two stickers 1: "Don't Fill with Water" and 2: "Don't use with hatchling snakes". The tanks 15g and larger if you push you fingers along the rear lip you can slide the screen forward enough for a small snake to escape even though there are two clips on the back. So just to be on the safe side you might want to loose any decorations which would allow the snake near the top of the tank.
Mike
Nobody said a uth was not acceptable I don't see what you people are reading into this. Also I don't have any glass cages with screen tops because they suck. the rubbermaid stuff works better than they do. I have wooden cages with plexiglass fronts and heatlamps that I make myself.
the rubbermaid I am referring to is the rubbermaid sweaterboxes they sell at walmart. They work great for cornsnakes. Or kingsnakes or any other fairly small size snake. They are the same boxes people use in racks. You don't have to use them in racks though I have a copperhead that I keep in a rubbermaid sweaterbox tub. Just go to walmart and get a sweatbox plastictub. I think it is something like a 22gal or something.They are not very tall and kind of long and flat. What you do is poke some holes in the side for ventilation. Not a lot of holes but just a few. put some substrate in and put a uth under it you may need to raise the end up off the uth a little so it won't get too hot. Or you can get some flexwatt and a dimmerswitch to control the heat. just use the lid that comes with the box for the top. I can make you a wooden cage if you would like.
Desert_Roach
New member
I've seen those rubbermaid ones. I dunno, I prefer glass in general, better to see through and nicer for display in all honesty. The hatchling should be around 3 months old, still small enough to squeeze through? He might get leverage from that branch I have in the middle of the critter glass cage, huh?
I'm guessing locking the sliding top won't be enough, what if I try to add more weight? I am very worried about escapes since I have two cats in the house (not allowed to enter my room, but not much I can do if a snake crawls under the door).
Thanks for all the replies and discussions so far guys!
I'm guessing locking the sliding top won't be enough, what if I try to add more weight? I am very worried about escapes since I have two cats in the house (not allowed to enter my room, but not much I can do if a snake crawls under the door).
Thanks for all the replies and discussions so far guys!
BeckyG
Making it up as I go
redrott said:
Actually, I have several of these and they work just fine. I've never had an escape from one of mine, and yes, I did put hatchlings in them. Rubbermaid containers are fine for people who have a lot of snakes, but personally, I like mine to be on display. Glass tanks are better for this.
Duff
New member
Just wanted to add another quick warning about those sliding lids. I had a hatchling in one of those types of tanks, and it was able to escape. As was said before, they do seem to work fine with adults, as long as you secure the front latch, but just too many gaps for hatchlings. Even removing the log won't necessarily make it escape proof, as you'd be suprised how high the little guys can reach with nothing to climb on. I wouldn't be surprised if s/he could make it up on the lip that runs around the top and use that for leverage. Not saying it'll definitely happen, just something to keep in mind and prepare for.
The setup itself looks pretty good though.
The setup itself looks pretty good though.
Preita
New member
You know, I was just about to buy one of those tanks (the smaller one with a sliding lid for a new snake). Now I'm going to have to check out for gaps! We have an adult in a 55 g breeder & it works fine, but if those little worms can get out of the sliding tops I'm going to have to look at another option.Duff said:
Thanks for the heads up.
Plums
New member
5. My sister is a smoker and although she doesn't smoke in my room, the living room is fair game. There is a good air filter in the living room, but we are aware that snakes have strong sense of smell/taste thanks to the Jacobson's Organ; how will it affect the snake? Is anyone else a smoker who handles/has snakes?
Hi
my two snakes came from a very smoky enviroment. They were very weasy when i 1st got them. I have had them over a year now & they dont wease now. So this is a good indication that smoking around them does inface affect them. I am a smoker but i dont smoke in the living room where they are kept, I always ensure the doors are shut & the room is well aired.
Hope this helps
Hi
my two snakes came from a very smoky enviroment. They were very weasy when i 1st got them. I have had them over a year now & they dont wease now. So this is a good indication that smoking around them does inface affect them. I am a smoker but i dont smoke in the living room where they are kept, I always ensure the doors are shut & the room is well aired.
Hope this helps