| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| gemily |
Posted - 02/04/2012 : 21:05:30
Hi guys,
I am new to the forum and new to snakes as well. My girlfriend brought me a snow corn appropriately 7 weeks ago for valentines day and I am now in need of a little advice.
Lacey my corn was a hatch-ling (not sure what age that means) when I got her and I have had her for approx 7 weeks now.
Eating - She (my corn not girlfriend) has been eating every 4 days until last week when she shed. I gave her 2 days before I tried to feed her again or pick her up. She has not eaten now for around 5 days and has started to what appears to be sneeze. I have put up a picture of her nose as I thought it was just from her shedding but since she has shed and is now sneezing so it may be something else.
Being advised by other people, she had a heat mat on during the night to keep temps up and I have her viv on the top of my bearded dragon viv to keep her warm during the day. I also have the temp of the central heating set to min 17 so the temp will never go below that.
This eve I have emptied her viv of Aspen and and replaced it with kitchen role incase that has caused it but I have been using aspen from the start and havent had problems. I have disinfected her viv with 'Beapher Deep clean' and given her a bath. She did go to the toilet while in the bath. I have moved the heat mat so it is now touching the bottom of the viv as I have read that it may be because she is to cold. Right now she is trying her usual trick of climbing to get out of the top of the viv which is good to see because for the last few days she has been hiding in her hide.
This is the pic of her nose 
I am going to try her with another pinky to see if she takes it tonight. She looks fairly active so I am hoping she will.
Any advice on what may or may not be wrong with her is much appreciated.
Thanks,
Miguel |
| 5 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Katie.Dublin |
Posted - 04/04/2012 : 08:29:42
Lotabob said it all. Thermostats are absolutely essential! But don't be surprised if a pet shop tells you otherwise. |
| lotabob |
Posted - 03/04/2012 : 23:52:27
OK, the heating you are using is not controlled, monitored or consistent. Its just not adequate to rely on heat loss from another vivarium and a heat mat without a thermostat or thermometer (I dont see the wires, probes or other tell tale signs of either). Have a look at the caresheet for information on the care requirements of corn snakes and these topics:
http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4133
http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9878
And if your snake is struggling shedding properly then this will help:
http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12296
Hatchlings shouldn't really be fed more than every 5 days but personally I have just stuck with every 7 days. The clicking/sneezing is probably due to the retained shed on the head and its tightened around or loose inside the nostrils and they are trying to clear that airway. You also cant rule out RI (check for other symptoms) as your temperatures are uncontrolled so who knows what's going on in there and there will be no difference in hot end and cold end through the day if its just on top of a vivarium and then probably FAR too hot at night (if anything you cool them a bit at night not cook them  ). The best thing you can do is get a thermostat on the heat mat, get that running at between 28-30oC on no more than half of the tank and take it off the other vivarium or at the very least move it as far away from the vivarium's heat source.
I also dont see any hides in your faunarium, they need somewhere to hide or they become stressed and this can lead to them stopping eating.
So just a few things to do to get this little snake back to happy.
|
| gemily |
Posted - 03/04/2012 : 22:10:50
Thanks for the replies guys.
I keep her viv dry.
I have checked her shed and it hasn't completely come off her head. There is a little more coming from her head today and her nose looks better.
She has eaten another pinky and is also moving around a lot more again. As I write this she is making her usual attempt to escape out of the viv.
She is still clicking when she breaths but looks as though she is getting back to her usual self. Hopefully just shedding and a little more warmth required. |
| tordyjo |
Posted - 02/04/2012 : 21:24:47
Do you keep her faun moist or dry, it should be dry, corns don't need much humidity as this can lead to a respiratory infection. Did you check the shed to make sure the head and eye caps were there and the tail tip. |
| ScalySituation |
Posted - 02/04/2012 : 21:08:53
not quite sure whats wrong, possibly a respitory infection (RI) tbh you dont wanna be feeding more regularly than 5 days, possibly a week depending on her size
someone with more experience should be along soon :P |
