Suke's Château with Treehouse Retreat

[Shortbread]

I'm putting the finishing touches on my first vivarium. Suke, my 2 month old phantom, will have to wait to move in, because she isn't scheduled to ship until 2 weeks from now. It's hard to wait, but I want my son to be there when she shows up!

I made this out of an old barn wood cabinet. I constructed a removable tray with a glass bottom for heat transfer and easy cleaning. I found that fake ficus tree at a thrift store for 15 bucks, and then baked a bunch of driftwood I found on the beach. I made a tree house out of some of it, which is secured from a bar on the ceiling, and I made two hides at the bottom with the rest. I used sawdust to cover up the screws in the hides. Then I put a window latch for a lock, since that door really was an old window.

The first picture is the before picture. I never knew what to do with the old thing. I'm glad I found a use because I love it so much!

 

[Nanci]

She's going to love that!

 

[rainbow_bright83]

It looks so awesome!

 

[Shortbread]

Thanks! I hope she likes it! I still want to do a separate feeding tank, so more fun to come. I'm always a little sad when a fun project is over

 

[smigon]

I love it, and what a great way to recycle, but (hate to say this) it won't be big enough for very long! Corns need floor space, not vertical space, and I don't know what you are using underneath for heat but it won't be enough for a good grade of ambient heat.

If there is any way to turn it on its side (the ficus would have to be removed) it would be ideal with the right type of heating. What are the warm and cool sides registering at right now?

 

[Shortbread]

I am still going to install a basking lamp at the top today. And where I live it never gets very cold, so it won't be hard to heat. And you think the bottom's too small? It's only 2 inches shorter than the 20 gallon feeding tank I have. It's as wide as two ten gallons side by side. Is it too cluttered maybe? I thought she would like all the hides.

 

[Nanci]

It's not too cluttered. Are you positive none of the things on the floor could shift and crush her? She would definitely like more vines down low, or even reptile hammocks in the corners to take advantage of the height.

 

[Shortbread]

Yeah, I made sure everything on the bottom was extra secure, with back-up supports under everything. I'll look into hammocks too. Thanks for the input!!

 

[Tavia]

Most of the snakes that I've given hammocks to like them. Stormy, Suke's mom, loved hers until she outgrew it. Sometime I need to make my own that can be secured better for the bigger snakes.

Here is Stormy in her hammock when she was smaller.

 

[Shortbread]

That is adorable

 

[smigon]

It's as wide as two ten gallons side by side. Is it too cluttered maybe? I thought she would like all the hides.

The hides are great, but what (for my own curiosity) is the exact measurements for the base of the hide (not including height.

And a basking lamp is not necessary nor ideal for corns, lamps dry out the viv
and some bulbs can harm or even blind a corn.

 

[smigon]

Looking at the picture and comparing it to other things in the room, I just can't picture it being 4' x 4' (10 gallons are 24" wide each), it looks like about 18" wide at the most. Please don't think I am picking on you at all, I am always concerned for the snake's best interest, and this doesn't seem right to me, and I want your new baby to have the best and most comfortable home you can give her.

Everything you did with the decorations and hideaway and tree are amazing, they really are up there with some of the best-decorated vivs I've seen, I just am confused by the seemingly small footprint which needs to have a gradient heat source.

If you measure the snake, the long side of the viv should equal the snake's length and if the snake is longer the rest of the snake should be no bigger than 1/2 the width of the viv. So a 10 gallon tank (24" x 9") is fine for a snake up to 28.5" (24+4.5), or about a year and a half old. Keep in mind this is a general rule of thumb to keep the snakes the most comfortable, most love to stretch out and need room to do so. Most people keep hatchlings in 10 gallons because they are great for them and take up less room, but I have a guy who is almost 6' and his 55 gallon is almost too small for him!

I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer to you or make you think I am picking on this, I am just wanting to make sure you have everything your new baby needs and no surprises once she is settled and needs more room and heat (I live in Phoenix and I still have to use UTHs for all my kids!)

 

[smigon]

Most of the snakes that I've given hammocks to like them. Stormy, Suke's mom, loved hers until she outgrew it. Sometime I need to make my own that can be secured better for the bigger snakes.

Here is Stormy in her hammock when she was smaller.

SO cute! I have a few smaller guys coming this fall, I think I will get a few of the hammocks!

 

[Shortbread]

Smigon,
Well I was going to turn the vivarium on its side when she got bigger, but do you think I should do that now? And other corn owners have been telling me to get a full spectrum reptile lamp if I ever want to see her come out of her hides. It's really confusing when there is so much conflicting advice.

 

[Nythain]

Not sure what other corns owners that would be, but not only is full spectrum lighting not required, over exposure to the UV *can* in rare cases cause eye damage. Given that your corn is still really young, I don't personally see a need to flip the viv yet. Many people will keep hatchlings in shoebox size tubs. Really nice setup btw. Have you considered getting her a new home when she outgrows that one, and repurposing that one for an arboreal species. I could see a GTP or ATB loving something like that.

 

[Shortbread]

And standard 10 gallon tank dimensions are 20" long x 10" wide x 12" tall. So two together would be 20" x 20", which is about 1" longer both ways than what I have. And I figured that having a bulb in a protective casing and creating natural speckled light through the leaves would raise the ambient temp, not be too bright, but encourage basking as well. I was told it is good to have multiple heat sources and cool spots. There is a flat, hammock-like area on the top of the tree house to lay also, if she even ends up being a climber, which she may not. Many owners say they have some corns that hang out all day in the fake trees and others who never do at all.

 

[Shortbread]

Nythain, I actually was thinking about that. I have other standard tanks to move her in to if I don't want to turn this one on its side. I just want to get the reptile care down first before I move on to bigger snakes. I need to gain some experience. I'm brand new to all of this!

 

[Shortbread]

Well, I'm not sure I should other with a lamp after all. The temperature variant seems alright, ranging from 72 on the cool side to 84 on the warm. My house never gets much colder than this. I think it will be fine. Maybe I can put a space heater a couple feet away from it in the winter and just monitor it closely? What do you think?

 

[smigon]

And standard 10 gallon tank dimensions are 20" long x 10" wide x 12" tall. So two together would be 20" x 20", which is about 1" longer both ways than what I have.

Ah, you mean 20" x 20" square, not side by side ("side by side" means the longest part of each tank is facing you, the shorter sides are next to each other and it would be really long, 40") so the short sides would be what you are measuring by. I KNEW that couldn't be that big or those are the biggest vegetables I have ever seen! I was also thinking of a leader tank which are 24" long, sorry we confused each other!

Okay, for a baby that size I think would be fine for at least a year or so, but later on you can turn it on its side and have a fantastic viv. Since the ficus is plastic, you can cut it into smaller pieces and still use it in the sideways viv. And if your baby likes the hammock and doesn't outgrow it, you can still use it.

And I figured that having a bulb in a protective casing and creating natural speckled light through the leaves would raise the ambient temp, not be too bright, but encourage basking as well.

I agree with Nythain about the light, don't bother with it. It is an added risk with not much benefit. Corns aren't basking snakes, they seem to prefer belly heat which is why most people recommend UTHs for corn snakes.

I was told it is good to have multiple heat sources and cool spots. There is a flat, hammock-like area on the top of the tree house to lay also, if she even ends up being a climber, which she may not. Many owners say they have some corns that hang out all day in the fake trees and others who never do at all.

For corns they need one heat source at one end and the other end would be the cool spot, a long tank would provide that which is why the longer tanks are recommended over the tall ones. If your room is the temps you say it is, just keep a digital thermometer on the warmer end to make sure it stays around 87°, there is not much gradient, but if she gets too warm you can tell, they usually get irritable. If you need a space heater you can always get one in the future.

Sorry for the confusion, this is why communication is so important! I love your viv, and want it to work for you, thank you for taking our opinions to heart. We mean nothing but help for you and Suke!

 

[Shortbread]

Thanks! I actually have a space heater that will work great! Thanks for all the great advice. I'm so grateful I have experienced snake owners willing to help me along!
Cheers!