| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| stotty |
Posted - 21/06/2010 : 23:19:34
now then im lee, have just got a baby carolina corn snake called Oscar off me kids for fathers day, i did have a full grown corn about 5 year ago but my girlfriends cat did away with it when i wasnt looking, really glad i have another one now but this time in a cat free household, gonna be getting my tank sorted properly this week as they borrowed one till i could get my own, i have noticed when reading your care sheet on using abstrates that sand isnt mentioned but i have found that sand is labelled up as ideal snake abstrate. is this true or should i stay away from it? |
| 16 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| hiper2009 |
Posted - 28/06/2010 : 11:18:00
Hey and welcome to the forum  |
| hillzi |
Posted - 24/06/2010 : 15:37:19
quote:
Originally posted by Sta~ple
Sand isn't that great for corns as the sand can get into the belly scales and cause infection.
I disagree that thats the main reason, it's more the risk of impaction and plus that corn snakes are from the everglades and such places round those areas in North America, Flordia, South/North Carolina etc and will not enouncter sand nor need it.
although I'm not completely dismissing it, I'd imagine sand could get in snakeys nostrils too.
However snakes such as the Hognose Snake are adapted to the sand, hence for the nose used for digging looking for prey as they are from those area's of the globe.
Plus something to do with the scales too, I disagree that corns don't have "proper" scales, theyr'e scales aren't as tough as "Kernel" scales as snakes such as the rattle snake, who live in deserts and rocky/cactus infested places.
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| KITTYCAT |
Posted - 24/06/2010 : 15:10:13
hi welcome to the forum |
| crazy JJ |
Posted - 24/06/2010 : 13:20:03
heya n welcome to the forum :D |
| Kellog |
Posted - 24/06/2010 : 02:21:41
quote:
Originally posted by stotty
pics now up, apologies for the quality........
We dont care about the quality of the pics....we just want to see Oscar  !!
xxx
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| Sizzlesmum |
Posted - 23/06/2010 : 20:11:47
Hi and welcome |
| stotty |
Posted - 23/06/2010 : 00:10:50
pics now up, apologies for the quality, they are off my phone, will get better pics up asap |
| luke1989 |
Posted - 22/06/2010 : 18:54:58
hi, welcome here. sorry to hear about the cat story, what a shame. |
| Mouse |
Posted - 22/06/2010 : 10:58:01
Hiya and welcome!!! :D *cough*pics*cough* |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 22/06/2010 : 10:06:13
Hello and welcome :) That's an awesome present you got!
Some snakes could probably be housed on sands but sand is more of a lizard bedding. Sand isn't that great for corns as the sand can get into the belly scales and cause infection. Sand is also expensive compared to some other bedding.
Pictures please ^^ |
| herriotfan |
Posted - 22/06/2010 : 06:55:46
Hi
Welcome to the forum.
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| Kellog |
Posted - 22/06/2010 : 02:53:24
Hi Lee, it is really good that you have joined us! I am sure that you have already seen what a great forum this is, with lots of experienced owners happy to give their advice and support. You also get lots of fun and friendship . I know you have kept a corn before (and I am so sorry to hear about how you lost it  ), so sorry if I am repeating information you already know....but it is better heard twice than not at all.
It is obviously you have already browsed the TCS site and forum, and found that it provides great information....and you have found the best place to look, the care sheet, it has lots of information for new snake owners. Doubt this is necessary for you but if you are interested you could also read this topic on 'Your 1st Snake' http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4133
I am not sure if you will have known about this from when you had your last corn, but we always suggest you follow the one-week rule (it is more of a guide than a rule but worth adhering too!)....no handling or feeding for the first week to allow Oscar to get over the stress of the move and for him to get used to the new smells and his new surroundings. This means just putting your hand in to change the water daily and straighten the substrate, so he can get used to your smell and not be threatened by you. You know how hardy corns are and that going for a week without being fed wont do them any harm, no matter how small they are. It is an important way of getting Oscar to de-stress and feel safe with you. It is a hard week, very frustrating, but worth it for his sake.
You will find that there is a large amount of conflicting information out there about corn keeping – on the internet, in books, etc....your question about sand being an example. Even on here you will find that people have different opinions.....but at least you have a place to ask what you need to know and get the answers from experienced owners. Then you can decide what to do with what you are told.
Unfortunately a lot of us have found that many pet shops cannot be trusted with what they are telling you  . I know that I double check anything I am told on here. On this forum no question is regarded as a silly question....it is much better asked and answered, you will probably find others who want the info too! First place to look is in the top right hand corner of the screen where there is a search button....type in what you are worried about and see if you can find an answer. I know you can get swamped with different topics including what you are searching for, so it is a bit daunting but worth a look. If you cant find the answer you are looking for then dont hesitate to ask!
As far as using sand is concerned, it can be used with some reptiles but it is highly recommended to NOT use it for corn snakes.
Other than the obvious risks of impaction through ingestion during eating, it can also cause a lot of scale irritations in general....plus it is very drying so could also cause several issues with shedding as well.
Another point is that I am not sure how well it would hold heat.
As Corn snakes are semi arboreal it would be ideal to give them something to climb on, then as they are mostly terrestrial and like burrowing you want a substrate where they can easily burrow....and they cannot do this with sand.
Snakes generally just get housed on wood based substrate like those listed on the care sheet. Aspen is great cos it looks good and is great for the snake to burrow in. A lot of us are changing over to Aubiouse, horse bedding made of hemp - but it can be hard to get hold of in small amounts.
But, as Gmac has said, for a baby corn kitchen roll is probably the way to go.
I am not sure if you did this with your previous corn, but I keep my own 'Snake Diaries'....noting things like weight, length, feeding dates and what you feed, shedding dates, health problems, when you do full viv cleans. I know it seems a bit over the top but it is actually really helpful keeping track of your snake's health - I even note when Kellog and Silvesta poo  !!
As you can see we are a demanding lot and want pics of Oscar. It is actually an unwritten forum rule - pics as soon as possible! This link will help - http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14
A warning - corn snakes are addictive.....and yes, the majority of us have stood up, said "hello my name is ****, I am addicted to corns........! And I am proud of it!" You have waited a long time to restart down that corn path so be warned!!
xxx
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| Figs |
Posted - 22/06/2010 : 01:10:33
hello and welcome to you and Oscar |
| mozacchio |
Posted - 21/06/2010 : 23:45:08
Hello and welcome to the forum..!
Pics would be appreciated!
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| gmac |
Posted - 21/06/2010 : 23:42:28
welcome to the forum, what Kehhlyr said about sand, one of the best thing for baby corns is kitchen roll. |
| Kehhlyr |
Posted - 21/06/2010 : 23:40:32
Recommended to steer well clear of sand, it's not very good for them.
And hello and welcome to the forum.
*cough* pics *cough* |
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