| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| n/a |
Posted - 03/05/2010 : 21:43:38
Hi from chuffy in Bristol UK i have been reading you site for the past few days trying to gain as much knowledge as poss as my younger son (13) has talked me into buying him a baby corn snake, she was hatched back in august she is now 12" long she is a carolina called ruby and has cost me a small fortune up to now in 3 days ( typical female )actually managed to pick up some good cheap stuff of flea bay i do however have two questions :
do i need a uv light and if so is there a particular spec best for corn snakes and 2
i'm told by a friend who keeps beardies to roll her pinkies in calcium powder but i see no mention of this on here so here i am asking the experts all knowledge gratefully recieved , and i'll try to post some pix soon ,thanks chuffy |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| KITTYCAT |
Posted - 10/05/2010 : 16:06:01
Hi n welcome |
| gingerpony |
Posted - 10/05/2010 : 13:13:30
heya and welcome
no need for UV
no need to supplement a cornsnake's diet unless to treat a specific veterinary problem |
| n/a |
Posted - 06/05/2010 : 12:22:15
hiya and congrats as above lol x x |
| crazy JJ |
Posted - 05/05/2010 : 00:12:57
heya n welcome to the forum
congrats on snakie :D |
| hillzi |
Posted - 04/05/2010 : 19:41:16
hello |
| Sizzlesmum |
Posted - 04/05/2010 : 18:57:13
Hi and welcome |
| kdlang |
Posted - 04/05/2010 : 10:15:30
hiya and welcome |
| Mouse |
Posted - 04/05/2010 : 09:38:17
Heya! welcome 
|
| Kellog |
Posted - 04/05/2010 : 03:49:36
Hi Chuffy, it is really good that you have joined us! This is a great forum with lots of experienced owners happy to give their advice and support. You also get lots of fun and friendship . What a great dad you are, getting your son what he wants  , but then I have a 12yr old and know how persistent they are so can imagine that the easiest thing was taking the least line of resistance! It is great that you are trying to find out as much as you can about looking after Ruby as possible, just make sure he learns too! I am not sure how much information you already know about corn snake keeping, so sorry if I am repeating information you already know...but it is better heard twice than not at all.
It is obvious that you have already browsed the TCS site and forum, and found that it provides great information. The best place to look is http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/corn_snake_care_sheet.htm, it has lots of information for new snake owners. Also read this topic on 'Your 1st Snake' http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4133
I am not sure how long you have had Ruby, 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 her to get over the stress of the move and for her to get used to the new smells and her new surroundings. This means just putting your hand in to change the water daily and straighten the substrate, so she can get used to your smell and not be threatened by you. You mustnt worry about your corn not feeding for that week, corns are a lot hardier than we realise and going for a week without food will not do them any harm, no matter how small they are. You are rarely advised this in a lot of pet shops  but it is an important way of getting Ruby to de-stress and feel safe with you. It is a hard week, very frustrating, but worth it for the snake's sake. Good luck with keeping your son from breaking 'the rule' ! If you have already handled her then it may be a good idea to start the week again from now, just to give her the best chance to settle in as possible.
You will find that there is a large amount of conflicting information out there about corn keeping – on the internet, in books, etc. 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 many pet shops cannot be trusted with what they are telling you  . I know that I double check anything I am told on here. I am so glad you are already asking questions and they have been answered well. I personally dont use any sort of supplements with my snakes, as they get everything they need from their food. Remember that 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!
Hopefully when you got Ruby you were able to get as much info about her as possible....shedding history, feeding history etc. I keep my own 'Snake Diaries', noting things like weight, length, feeding dates and what you feed, shedding dates, health problems. 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  !!
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!" Your son has just started down that corn path and you will soon follow, so be warned!!
I look forward to getting to know you better.
xxx
|
| gmac |
Posted - 03/05/2010 : 23:15:15
hi and welcome to the forum |
| lee2308 |
Posted - 03/05/2010 : 23:14:29
YEY! a fellow Bristolian,were taking over slowly. Hi chuffy and welcome to the forum. |
| HannahB |
Posted - 03/05/2010 : 23:08:30
hey and welcome
wont be long til you want a snake yourself..then 2! |
| Figs |
Posted - 03/05/2010 : 22:30:29
hello and welcome to the forum!
Monkey and Rich already answered you there so i'll just stick with hello
cant wait to see piccies of course |
| n/a |
Posted - 03/05/2010 : 22:12:52
As Monkey has said they don't need light but if you want a light for viewing go for a Repti Glo 2.0.
As for Supplements I use Nutrobal for my Corns while they are still young. Once they get on to bigger mice which will have a better Calcium supply I will stop using.
I dust 1 pinkie on the backside once every 2 weeks.
Welcome to the forum |
| n/a |
Posted - 03/05/2010 : 21:52:34
Welcome Willy!
Congrats on the snake! I'm sure you and your son will spend plenty of quality time together watching and interacting with her!
To answer your questions:
1. Corns don't need a UV light source at all. Lighting is only really needed to create a photoperiod; natural light in a room should be sufficient for this. You could add a light for your own viewing pleasure, but be aware that it will need to be thermostatically controlled (you don't want a cooked snakey now )
2. While dusting with calcium and other supplements is important with lizards, it's not needed with snakes; they get everything they need from the mice.
Looking forward to seeing some pics! |
