| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| elsie64 |
Posted - 04/04/2013 : 18:02:36
Hi. I've had my hatchling Caramel Corn Snake (Sugar) since Monday. This is the first time I've owned a snake. The first day she was really active and we saw a lot of her. But she's now been hiding under her stone since yesterday morning. Today is meant to be feeding day but there's no sign of her - should I be worried? |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| smart bunny |
Posted - 06/04/2013 : 14:31:03
Can only echo the advice of Razee above - thermostats are not a luxury but a necessity in my opinion, as are digital thermometers. Unfortunately for some reason loads of petshops say they are not necessary. |
| Foxtrotsierra |
Posted - 06/04/2013 : 07:36:19
Hi elise64 - I am new too, so to save Razee's blushes, I shall post another example of what the numbers mean. If you look in my sig, it means that I have a female (plus a pompous name  ) . Luke hasn't has his snake sexed yet, which is why the 1 is placed at the end in comparison.
It is lovely here, glad Razee told you about it, I would have gone insane without the help of everyone here  |
| Razee |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 23:15:41
( Mutters to herself ) must stop posting.... |
| Razee |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 23:13:34
The numbers mean the sex of the animal, 1 male is 1.0.0, one female is 0.1.0 and if you don't know the sex of your snakie, it's 0.0.1 So, I have 1.1.0 corn snakes - one male, one female. :-) |
| Razee |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 23:10:50
There are several forums, but this is the nicest and friendliest one :-)
Re low temperature - you can always raise the heatmat slightly, by putting something under it ( I used a tile ), so that it's closer to the bottom of the tank. Also, make sure there's very little bedding on the warm end, as the bedding acts as an insulator. Then you put 1 hide in the warm end, and one in cold end ( anything will do as a hide, mini cereal box, toothpaste box, half a toilet roll tube...) Mat covering 1/3 of the bottom is about right. Don't worry, I know it sounds complicated, but you'll get there. Have a look at the setting up a hatchling stickie - it's easier, if you see the pics.
There are 2 types of thermostat: first: on/ off ones - they switch your mat on, and when it reaches the right heat, they switch it off. When the temperature goes down again, they switch it back on, etc. Advantage: they are cheaper. Disadvantage: the temperature tends to fluctuate.
second: pulse thermostats: they heat the mat to the right temperature, and then keep sending pulses of power through the mat, to keep it at a constant temperature. Advantage: they keep the right temperature really stable. Disadvantage: they are slightly more expensive.
I prefer the pulse ones, they are far less hassle :-)
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| elsie64 |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 23:06:38
Thanks guys. Need to get my head around all this. Tell me something else - what do all the numbers mean by the names. For instance LukeW what does 0.0.1 cyrus mean? I realise Cyrus is the snake's name obviously!! :) |
| LukeW |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 21:48:12
Get a habistat 100w there the most accurate, can pick them up online for around £20 and as for the temperatue aiding food digestion Cyrus always goes to his cold hide to digest then once hes pooped he will go to the warm side, strange snake :) my current digital thermometer is broke its saying 37oC yet when the thermostat goes off it instantly drops to 30.5oC have brought another one but gonna put it in when i give Cyrus' faun a full clean :) |
| mjpeters |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 21:40:32
Hello from a fellow newbie!!I am an absolute technophobe-no mobile,no camera,never used a forum before and I managed to put up some pics.(with a borrowed camera)so I'm sure you'll be fine.
Enjoy  |
| elsie64 |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 21:30:43
OK - well I don't think you're an interfering so and so - if I did I wouldn't have joined the forum - it was you who recommended that and I wouldn't have even known there was such a thing!!!
I'm not averse to getting all the stuff you mention - the heat mat he sold me there covers around a third of the tank thing. But...if I got a thermostat and different thermometer thingy and it still says it's too cold....then how do I make it warmer anyway?? oh dear, it suddenly feels very complicated! |
| Razee |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 20:27:08
Plus, you'd have thought I was an interfering so and so ( you probably do already ) |
| Razee |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 20:18:32
The thing is, the two best and most important things you need for a snake, are digital thermometer, and thermostat ( and hides, but anything will do for those, snakes aren't choosy :-) ). The dial thermometer will only tell you the air temperature, but it will be much warmer on the floor, by the mat, where the snake is. I had exactly the same problem, when I bought my first snake. It was a different garden centre, ( Fermoys is much better ), but I got told exactly the same thing - that I don't need a stat ( thermostat ) - and I believed them , they are supposed to be the "experts ", after all.
I've put on the dial thermometer, and the temps seemed fine. Then, later, when I got the proper digital thermometer, it showed something like 43 C in hot hide :-0 ! Corn snakes are meant to have maximum of 31, anything above that can damage or even kill them... needles to say, I got the thermostat. They also sold me a huge mat, too big for the faunarium.
The thermosasts are much cheaper online ( so are digi thermometers ).
The reason,why it's so important to get the temperature right, is, that if they wrong, the snake won't be able to digest the food. It might even not feed at all, or it can reguritate. It's really easy to get the temperatures right with a stat, but very difficult without one. Pulse stats are best, they keep the temps spot on. I know it sounds complicated, but once set up, it's really easy.
Sorry, if I'm going on a bit, but I've been there, done that :-) I didn't want to barge in, when you were talking to the guys there, and possibly annoy them ( as I like them ).
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| elsie64 |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 19:43:08
Oh yes I remember you!!!! I didn't buy a thermostat there and then - the guy said it wasn't really necessary yet. My main concern is that according to the little temperature thingy it's only 65 in there and it should be warmer shouldn't it..not that Sugar seems bothered tho! Brian went to take the Brooks King out for me to handle but it wasn't very happy so we gave it a miss - start small....! |
| Razee |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 14:44:25
Erm.. yes..... I was the annoying person, telling you to buy a thermostat
Your Sugar has been there for a couple of weeks, she's absolutely gorgeous, you've picked the best of the corn snakes they had. If I'd been allowed more snakes, I'd have bought her myself, but it's nice to know, she's went to someone who's clearly going to look after her well.
I also have my eye on that lovely king snake - they let me handle her later, and she didn't bite, though the guy there said it was the first time she didn't. I'm not likely to convince my hubby, though...
Good luck with Sugar, she seems to be very sweet tempered as well |
| smart bunny |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 14:30:52
Lol sounds like Razee was keeping her eye on a little caramel which suddenly got sold!! :P |
| elsie64 |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 14:26:31
Hi Razee - yes I did buy her there!!! Do you know it? Thanks for the tips also - will have more time tonight to spend looking through the website properly :)
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| Razee |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 12:28:18
Elsie - there are some really good "stickies" in general keeping information - stickies - like " I just got my first snake - what do I do now" and " setting up a hatchling " - have a look at those, they are really good.
And don't worry about asking "silly questions" , they are never silly, and that's what we're here for.
BTW, you didn't get her in Fermoys, Newton Abbot by any chance, did you ? :-) |
| NatalieC |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 11:53:41
Hi and Welcome to the forum! Ask away with any 'silly' questions you may have, that's what everyone's here for |
| elsie64 |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 10:42:56
Thanks everyone - I knew not to handle her for a couple days after she'd fed but we've handled her quite a few times since we brought her home!! Oops! |
| Foxtrotsierra |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 10:19:26
Hello - I am new too, and believe you and me, in my short time here I have managed to ask my fair share of "daft questions" that everyone has been brilliant to help me with. Looking forwards to seeing Sugar when she is up and about after her settling in period |
| smart bunny |
Posted - 05/04/2013 : 09:13:16
Hiya and welcome :) Just in case you don't know, it is very important that you do not attempt to handle her for 48hrs after feeding, as it can cause a regurge. Also you should leave them alone without any handling for the first 7 days to allow them to settle in to their new home. Corns hiding is pretty much the norm I am afraid, although some people are lucky enough to have some they see out and about lol. |
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