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UnderTank heater? Newbie question plus a feeding question

whippet

whippet

Tara
Okay so first day newbie with a undertank heater question.
Should I stick it to the bottom of the tank or the side? So far its on the bottom but the sweetie pie new snake keeps hiding in the bedding and I am afraid she might come to rest right on the glass above the heater and hurt herself...am I being to much of a silly first time mommy?
And any other hints you can send my way...I will take them.

She came home today. She just ate a fuzzy yesterday. I plan to feed her in 3 days or so. How often should I feed really? I have read online every 5 days. The herp store said every 3 days. One of my books said once a week! So which is it already?

And where should I order fuzzies? And how many should I order? If I order 100 for example...won't she be up to hoppers before I run out of them?

Sorry for the newbie rush!
 
I recommend the UT heater under the tank. Get an accurate temp reading both directly on the glass, and on the bedding above the UT heater. Like you said, the heat directly on the pad will likely be way too hot for your snake. For a long time I have used a method to lower the heat above the heat pad... Dean and I 'cussed & discussed this method in the below link.
http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51802&page=2&pp=10

I will add something to the above link. Just in case you happened to have a teeny bit of tape exposed, your bedding would immediately adhere to it... making any risk virtually zero.

Every 3-4 days is usually O.K. to feed, a great signal to feed is to wait a day or so after they poop. Though, a lot of your feeding schedules depend also on the size of the snake's last meal, how fast you wish it to grow, and your budget.

Pre-killed vacuumed sealed frozen mice can easily be ordered over the internet. I have used BigCheeseRodent for awhile and have been very satisfied, you could order a couple different sizes and keep them frozen. Of course, the more you order, the better value they'll be.
 
If she's on fuzzies, I would feed once a week. Once off pinkies, I don't feed more often than that, and usually only every 4-5 days, not 3-even the hatchlings. I don't think it gives them enough time to properly utilize all the food in 3 days. It takes 2 just to make the lump go away (give or take a day) and then they should have a day or so to fully use the nutrients before stuffing more in.
 
Also you should pick up of of Kathy and Bill Love's books on cornsnakes. You can order it from them, www.cornutopia.com or you can check a book store. Your pet stores may even have one. Good luck!
 
Firstly, I'd recommend getting a thermostat to regulate your undertank heater. Without this, it could get hot enough to crack the tank and burn your snake.

Also, make sure the weight of the tank isn't resting directly on the heater - raise it off the surface of the heater a little, to allow airflow over the top of the mat. This also helps prevent overheating and prevents damage to the heater.
 
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