| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| jsg |
Posted - 22/08/2010 : 18:47:03
hi, im new to snake keeping and want to get a snow corn snake for my birthday. could anybody tell me what is the best way to heat a 3 ft vivarium? would a infra red bulb be better than a ceramic heater, and what wattage would i need to use. |
| 16 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 23/08/2010 : 22:32:16
quote:
Originally posted by gingerpony
actually corns are crepuscular....... 
I knew it was something like that lol. |
| gingerpony |
Posted - 23/08/2010 : 22:00:23
actually corns are crepuscular....... |
| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 23/08/2010 : 19:55:05
Corn snakes are crespacular, meaning they come out between dusk and dawn. During the day they tend to hide, so when they do come out they absorb their heat from their surroundings, Rocks etc, which have been heated by the sun during the day. So in this case a heatsource which heats the ground is more natural. |
| jsg |
Posted - 23/08/2010 : 19:47:54
ok i was thinking a bulb of some sort would be more natural for the snake as it gives it a heat source to bask under, but if you say they absorb heat better from underneath then a mat would be better,also better looking. thankyou for all your replies its been very helpful. |
| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 23/08/2010 : 19:10:36
quote:
Originally posted by jsg
ok, thx il go with a ceramic bulb . what wattage do you think i need ???
quote:
Originally posted by gingerpony
IMO bulbs of any kind are overkill for corns, they absorb heat better from underneath, bulbs can also make it more difficult to get an adequate temperature gradient
Honestly not only is a mat + mat stat cheaper, but they're perfect for corns. Although bulbs can be used for corns, there is no specific need for them, unlike with big bodied snakes which need bulbs corns do perfectly fine with heat mats. |
| jsg |
Posted - 23/08/2010 : 18:41:56
ok, thx il go with a ceramic bulb . what wattage do you think i need ??? |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 23/08/2010 : 13:32:30
Hello and welcome. Gingerponys advise is sound. I have used bulbs with corns before and have found them to be an annoyance. If you did want to use bulbs I would go with a ceramic one. I had red bulbs and I found them so annoying lol but that's because I keep my snakes in my bedroom, so a blazing red light at night was hard to sleep with. |
| gingerpony |
Posted - 23/08/2010 : 08:56:58
heya and welcome 
if you get a mat that covers a third of the 3ft viv's floor space you can place the faun in the viv partly on top of the heat mat..........then you don't have to buy another heatmat at a later date. a thermostat IS an essential bit of kit, a basic matstat (on/off type) is perfectly fine for corns.
IMO bulbs of any kind are overkill for corns, they absorb heat better from underneath, bulbs can also make it more difficult to get an adequate temperature gradient |
| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 22/08/2010 : 20:31:57
It would be hard to get the temp gradient you need if you were heating a faunarium with a heat bulb. |
| jsg |
Posted - 22/08/2010 : 20:11:39
im thimking about a infrared bulb with a cage to protect it what wattage would i need for a vivarium this size i will be starting out with a faunarium so i will probably keep the faunarium inside the vivarium until the snake is big enough. |
| jsg |
Posted - 22/08/2010 : 19:50:03
ok , thx for your replys :) |
| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 22/08/2010 : 19:49:39
A heat bulb is fine for corns, but so are mats. Bulbs could also burn. Any heat source needs to be statted and bulbs would need to be guarded.
If it is for a hatchling your best off getting a faunarium or small RUB as large open spaces can stress your snake.
quote:
Originally posted by stotty01
yeah plus you can tell when it is on and off :)
That depends on the type of bulb you are using. |
| princessbroxy |
Posted - 22/08/2010 : 19:44:25
hi welcome to the forum and a properly stated heat mat wont burn the snake also if its a glass viv you can put it under the viv but if not you can put a piece on lino on top for your own peace of mind and also so it wont get wet i don't think a bulb is any good for corns as they get the heat through there belly not there back...hope this helps |
| stotty01 |
Posted - 22/08/2010 : 19:39:47
yeah plus you can tell when it is on and off :) |
| jsg |
Posted - 22/08/2010 : 19:38:42
yeah , ive reserved a hatchling , i thought a bulb would be better because people have told me that mats can burn the snake . |
| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 22/08/2010 : 19:13:22
Hey, welcome to the forum.
A cheaper option than the bulbs, would be a heatmat, which covers 1/3 of the floor.
Have you had a read of the caresheet on this site? http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/corn_snake_care_sheet.htm
Also would you be looking for a hatchling or an adult? |
