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Purchased corn snakes..Need some advice

D

dRb1983

New member
Hello, I recently purchased 3 snakes off someone on facebook buy and sell, the vivarium is 48inch long 21inch high and 18inch deep, there is a heat pad but no thermostat, and a 60watt spot light bulb, the temp on the warm side is 31 degrees C and 23 degrees C on the cool, the thermometer is just a little plastic thing that has a dial on it, ive moved the thermometer to opposite sides of the tank and left it for an hour or so to try and get the best reading I can, having it about 2 inches from the bottom. There is a water bowl and looks like wood chip covering the bottom of the vivarium. Ive read that keeping multiple snakes in one vivarium isnt good for their health? There are two adults, male and female, i would say around 3 foot long and one smaller one that is around 2 foot long..Should I seperate these or not? I dont know how long they have been together as the guy I bought them off had gone off to university with his mates and left them in the out house for his mum to take care of, she didnt seem to know much about them, they got fed sometime last week and she said the male had shed his skin around the same time. Iam unsure wether they are the sex he says? I would like these snakes to have a good life, so if it mean seperating them then so be it..Any advice would be greatly appreciated..

Thanks :)
 
It sounds like you've gotten some rudimentary research started on your own. Kudos!

Yes, I would definitely look into a thermostat for your heat source. Most heat mats can reach a temperature that will burn a corn snake if left unregulated, so it's always best to have a thermostat to keep that in check.

Yes, it would be best for the health of the snakes if they separated into their own individual habitats. They aren't naturally social animals with each other, and having "competition" in such a relatively tight space will stress them out. With the size you described of the vivarium you have, it may be possible to put in a divider and convert the space into two separate habitats. I'm not an expert on that process, but there are others here who have done it. Hopefully they will chime in, too.

I would also consider replacing your thermometer. It sounds like the one you described is only measuring the air temperature. What you need is a thermometer with a probe (or two) that can be placed below the substrate, directly on the surface of the glass above the heat mat. You will get far more accurate and stable readings that way!

Finally, double-check what kind of wood chips the snakes are being housed on. Aspen shavings are fine, but any soft-wood chips (pine, cedar, etc.) have oils in the wood that can be harmful to the snakes respiratory systems.

Sorry to be brief, but I only have a few minutes to type this morning. I just wanted to touch on the big things I noticed from your post a bit. More people will be along to help you out, too! You've certainly come to the right place for that. ;) Best of luck with your new snakes!
 
Thanks Maxfox, I think I will partition the viv and have the male and female adults in their own space, will have to buy another viv for the smaller one, I dont think the lad I bought them from knew enough, looking closer at the setup, there are plastic vents that have been blocked with what looks like silicone sealant? So the ventilation in there isnt good, I think getting a warm and cool side in the partition would be tricky? Maybe having the heat pads on complete opposite sides so the centre of the viv where the partition is would be the cool side? Maybe adding more vents in that area to let heat out? I will upload some pics to show you what I have.
 
For now you could get tubs from Wilcos and use a heated screwdriver or braddle to melt airholes, then house the snakes in it. A heat cable on a thermostat will give a warm end for all 3 tubs if you have 'normal' heating in your home. If it's comfortable for humans it's about right as air temps for the corns (my central heating thermostat is on 19)
 
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