| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Nomatophobia |
Posted - 26/05/2012 : 11:49:47
I got my first pet corn snake, Kai, January 11th of last year. Before I got him, I made sure to do all of the appropriate research into caring for him, buying care books. I also had all of the equipment ready for when I got my own.
The people bought him off (he's a pre-owned 7-8 year old) obviously had no idea how to care for him properly. He was in a vivarium without any lamps - not even direct sunlight - a tiny water dish and a heat mat which had clearly been broken for a while. However, he was an absolute sweetie to handle and seemed to have no real health problems. Needless to say, my mother and I wished to take him home and give him the care he deserved as soon as possible.
However, after initially settling him in, we found that he wouldn't move around the tank, wouldn't leave his hide for drinks, wouldn't bask and often refused feeding. We contacted a few local experts and veterinary practices for their advice, and all of them said that it was probably just all of the changes.
When he stopped eating altogether - over the course of 3-4 weeks - I finally decided to take him to the nearest specialist vet. She took a blood test from him to check for infection - he tested negative - and then suggested that he was probably dehydrated and low on energy. We started bathing him daily in Reptoboost. We went back several times when problems with his feeding weren't sorted out, and she suggested that we try force feeding him. He was also put on injections for a short while before we got the blood results back. After rather a lot of money, drama and stress (on Kai's part), and him still refusing to eat, I got impatient and, after rereading some feeding information, decided to try him on a tiny strip of raw chicken. It was a gradual process, but eventually I got him eating again and switched him from raw chicken to pinkies, fuzzies, small adults and finally to medium adults. It's been on and off for a long time, but finally he's eating two a week. I was wondering if there are any better ways to go about this?
The next big problem is his shedding. From January to July of last year, Kai shed five times, almost perfectly. Since July of last year, though, he hasn't shed at all. He's now extremely tattered and dry looking.
I still bath him once every four days, occasionally with reptoboost if he isn't eating. I use BSP vitamin supplements in his water (which he now drinks of his own accord) and I handle him regularly. He still doesn't bask (I think that he's scared of the lamps) and he won't switch from one end of the tank to the other, despite both ends having hides.
I'm very concerned about him not shedding, despite the vet telling me that it's fairly normal for adult corns to shed irregularly, as he looks uncomfortable and sore. Can any give advice on ways to encourage shedding?
Thanks for reading, and I'd really appreciate replies. |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Nomatophobia |
Posted - 26/05/2012 : 17:54:18
Thanks, that's a lot of help! :D |
| paulie78 |
Posted - 26/05/2012 : 17:43:49
quote:
Originally posted by Nomatophobia
I see. That's quite a relief to know. :)
Are there any brands or types of heatmats and stats that anyone would suggest for me to try?
I have 3 different brands of stats here Komodo Microclimate and Habistat i swear by using Ultratherm heat mats as with my Habsitat stats there is next to no fluctuation in temps its alsmost as effective as a pulsestat lol ultimately though its personal preference good luck :-) |
| Nomatophobia |
Posted - 26/05/2012 : 17:13:56
I see. That's quite a relief to know. :)
Are there any brands or types of heatmats and stats that anyone would suggest for me to try? |
| Donnie |
Posted - 26/05/2012 : 16:55:51
A mat will only overheat if it is not run by a stat. The stat is designed that if it fails then it fails off so the mat will go cold which a corn will be able to cope with until you get a new one. |
| Nomatophobia |
Posted - 26/05/2012 : 16:42:34
Ah, that makes a lot of sense when it's explained. I think my biggest worry was that he might end up burning himself or the mat might overheat (I've heard it can happen rather easily) but I'm definitely willing to switch, if it's for the best. :)
Yeah, I had a feeling that the bathing was a big part of the problem, but I've found that if I don't keep it regular, over the course of a few weeks he'll stop drinking again altogether. I've also been told to keep bathing him as much as possible by the vets I've taken him to. However, maybe if I bathed him once a week rather than once every four days, that'd help. It would probably be better for him in the long run if I eased off.
Thanks for the advice! |
| Spreebok |
Posted - 26/05/2012 : 15:07:16
Heatmats are actually better for corns, because they absorb more heat through their bellies. Not to mention, if he's a nervous snakey, he wont want to come out and bask as he won't feel safe, and he wont be getting most of the benefit of the heat when he's hiding under his hide.
I'd suggest ditching the lamp and switching to a heatmat and matstat, and set it to about 28c.
Also, I would stop bathing him so often, especially if he's getting all dry and manky. |
| Nomatophobia |
Posted - 26/05/2012 : 14:43:03
@Auld Baldy: Yes, I have a digital thermometer at either end of his viv. :)
Thanks for the advice and reassurances. Still being rather new at handling, I think that I tend to worry easily. I'll make sure to keep the temperature in his viv a little lower from now on. |
| Auld Baldy |
Posted - 26/05/2012 : 14:35:26
Are you checking the basking area temperature under the lamp with a digital thermometer? The stat dial isn't the best way to judge actual temps.
As Donnie said, 90 is a bit too warm and normal room humidity is fine. A damp moss box when in blue will increase it enough to help with the shedding, hopefully.
At that age and time of year, 3-4 weeks without feeding is nothing to worry about. They can easily go without for 4 months. Also shedding once or twice a year is normal for his age.
I think the main problem is the temperatures just being a bit on the high side. |
| Nomatophobia |
Posted - 26/05/2012 : 14:05:55
I'll make sure to try it out, then!
Thank you for your help. It's really appreciated. :) |
| Donnie |
Posted - 26/05/2012 : 13:59:42
When you notice him going into blue put a moss hide in his viv and he should use it (especially if you take the other hides out as some do) which will help him shed and then take it out once he has finished. |
| Nomatophobia |
Posted - 26/05/2012 : 13:54:48
Ah, thanks for letting me know. :)
And no, not as of yet. When I asked the first specialist vet I took him to (we've taken him to others since, because we weren't too happy with her advice), she said it wasn't necessary to adjust the humidity in his viv. That being said, I'd love to try out a little, as I've heard that it can help them during the shedding process. At the same time, I'm really not sure how to go about it. |
| Donnie |
Posted - 26/05/2012 : 13:47:20
90 deg is a little warm and should be about 82.4 with a max temp of 86. Have you ever measured the humidity in his viv? Corns do not need assisted uv light, natural sunlight should be enough, maybe try switching the uv light off? |
| Nomatophobia |
Posted - 26/05/2012 : 13:34:56
@ScalySituation, thank you for the reassurance. :)
@Donnie, he has two hides in his tank - one at either end. I use aspen shavings for a substrate, which I clean out and replace with fresh bedding regularly. Similarly, I provide fresh water on a daily basis. I don't use a heat mat, and instead use the 'Habistat' dimming thermostat (with a 100w 'Red Night Spot Lamp'), as I find it easier to keep an eye on the temperatures - 90 degrees fahrenheit at one end, 75 at the other. I use a Repti Glo 'Full Spectrum Terrarium Lamp' (2.0 UVB) from around 9am to 7pm every day, as well. :) |
| Donnie |
Posted - 26/05/2012 : 12:33:47
Any info on your setup would be helpfull, mat, stat, lamp, stat, temps, no. of hides substrate etc. |
| ScalySituation |
Posted - 26/05/2012 : 12:12:41
I'm not aware of a way to encourage shedding, he'll do it when he's ready. and as for the feeding i wouldnt panic if he's refusing this time of year as its main breeding season and almost all adult males go off their food at this time of year |
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