| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| JackHutchy979 |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 10:17:50
I'm getting a baby corn snake soon all goes well and the one thing that puzzels me is about the heat mat. Where do you put it inside the viv or outside on the base and then what do you do with the thermostat?? I'm just a bit confused with this bit... Can anyone give me a list of what is essential and then what will help aswell please |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| JackHutchy979 |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 21:28:17
Thanks gmac that is a useful website!! |
| gmac |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 21:09:58
price depends on what brands you get, have a look at triple 8 reptiles that will give you a rough idea for equipment prices |
| JackHutchy979 |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 21:06:30
Thanks BATS - Everyone - for the essential equip i need for a baby corn, roughly how
much should it all be
vivarium wooden 24in
heat mat
habistat
Substrate
2 hides
water bowl
2 thermometers
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| BurnedAtTheStake |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 19:36:12
Oh, I know what you mean - I wasn't sure myself till a few months ago. , When you go to the page on which you've entered your query, a couple of subjects down you'll see one entitled 'Best practice, new interest etc'- author, Soozee. There's a debate on there that is similar to this, about setting up for a first corn.
It may be confusing, all the differing opinions, but it IS useful - when i first came across these forums I used to hate being told you MUST do this - I would think - why? But then sometimes I'd think, well, yes, I'll go along with that, or, no, I disagree with this ... even to have an argument with someone would get me thinking and learning ... it's a learning curve - even the most experienced of us (and I'm not one) would tell you that. All the best. |
| JackHutchy979 |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 19:01:20
Were about is soozes thread?? I'm new to the website not sure even what a thread is |
| BurnedAtTheStake |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 18:30:56
Ah, join the club - the other day I was listing my snakes on the forum and I left out my royal ... facepalm!
If you haven't read it, read Soozee's thread on this page - it's what I mean about differing views on setups.
All the best! |
| JackHutchy979 |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 18:02:52
I Forgot to write sown two important things I'm getting a heat mat and a habistat the 2 obvious ones I have been talking about and I forgot about them... |
| JackHutchy979 |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 17:32:40
Well I live nearest a petsathome and city reptiles in northern Ireland - I'm not fully sure what is the best route to take for myself I'm sure il figure something out soon enough I may go for the lots if hides and I may go for a 20 gallon one with a few hides and accessorys... Depends on what is easier to get my hands on and what I feel is best for the snake... The end of the day it's his home I don't want to ruin it fir hm by making it to big for him...
Thanks B.A.T.S
I'm going to city reptiles on Tuesday hopefully and I'm going to check out what they have I think mist likely a wooden 24x12x12 or a 20 gallon they are pretty similiar size
Shopping List :-
Corn snake
wooden viv (size unknown yet)
a couple of hides may not buy them
water bowl
branch
something to run against |
| BurnedAtTheStake |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 17:23:07
Hi, I have six snakes, 5 corns and a royal, all sizes and all growing.
I would still dig around for more info to give yourself a larger picture, but if you do go down the 'more room lots of hides' route (and I'm not saying I'm right - it's just what works for me) I would really pack the viv out with hides - don't worry if it looks like a junk shop - snakey will love it. Use loo roll/kitchen roll inners, plantpots on their sides, small cardboard boxes (No sticky tape - it melts in the heat.) I use rodent hides for smaller snakes, they are cheap and just the right size for a small snake to feel secure in. when the snake is bigger and more confident you can splash out on the posh rep hides and do away with all the 'junk'.
And yes, they do love a few branches - I fix them to the walls of the viv with 'screw eyes' from B&Q (no sharp edges - basically a small metal ring that screws into the viv wall.) Or if you're feeling wealthy, that exo terra bendable vine stuff is just as good as branches.
Mopani root is good to scrape against when shedding - it's £5 a lump in petsathome - or if you live near a Dunelm Mills, apparently that is much cheaper.
Hope you find this useful.
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| elament |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 17:21:31
quote:
Originally posted by JackHutchy979
Elament,
Your corn colin is awesome I think amels are one if my favourite if not my favourite...also your other orn Xena or something is really pretty!!!!
Overall very nice corn snakes
Thanks |
| JackHutchy979 |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 17:07:25
No bother B.A.T.S. At least your putting a constructive point of view across. It seems like a good idea what size is your snakey ?!? Well what i'm probably goin to do is get a 3x1x1 put a lot of hides in it and see or
a few days how snakey reacts to the space if I feel it's wrking well good job but if it's not right il get a divider and make the cage a
little less threatening for the little guy seems fair? Well il get about three hides a water bowl a branch something to rub against to help him shed like a big stick eg
what do you think? |
| BurnedAtTheStake |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 16:59:50
20 gallons ... that's eighty litres ... ooh, this maths on a Saturday afternoon!
(Where I'm concerned, any afternoon!)
But I'm looking at a 60 litre fishtank as I write - yes, reckon 3' x 1' x1' must be about 80 litres. Ummm, well ... I'm one of those people who go in for lots of room and lots and lots of hides ... as long as snakey has loads of cover and dim lighting, basically, it will feel secure.
Other people go in for the 'limited space makes a snake feel secure' theory, and maintain that a small space of viv is like a safe hide for the snake.
I know what seems to be working for me and my snakes but wouldn't dream of telling someone else to do the same ... I think it's a good idea to gather info and viewpoints and then do what you feel is right for you and your snake ... sorry to be so vague, by the way! |
| JackHutchy979 |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 16:47:21
Yeh I have seen vivs measured in inches but for some reason I just say 20 gallons - well If I bought a 3x1x1 and used a divider would that work If the divide being the appropiate part so only offering it a third or so of the tank and as it grows give it more o move around in. This way I don't have to buy anything else for it like start with a 24x12x12 and get another down the line of the corns life. When would I give it the full 3x1x1 when it's an adult I know but when it's 3 years old or so. |
| JackHutchy979 |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 16:38:28
Elament,
Your corn colin is awesome I think amels are one if my favourite if not my favourite...also your other orn Xena or something is really pretty!!!!
Overall very nice corn snakes |
| mikerichards |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 16:38:08
Gallons are a waste of time for measuring a viv, you could get one that quite wide but really shallow and short, or the other way.
Thing if viv's in inches, a 3foot being 36 inches, by 12 by 12, so 36x12x12 or 3x1x1.
The size depends on the baby, certainly for a very young snake you don't want anything much bigger that 12x6x6, inches that is.
For an adult, a 3x1x1 is plenty, certainly for its entire life.
If you want a viv now, you can get one that size, but putting a baby in it wouldn't be wise. You should ideally have a tub with the above size inside the viv if you wished, or have the heatmat outside and the tub on the mat. |
| BurnedAtTheStake |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 16:36:34
vivs vary in prices so much, it's impossible to tell ... last Oct I bought a new vivexotic 3' x 18" x 18" with some equipment provided for £135 - the other day on this forum someoone picked up a similar setup for £30 ...
You could have a look on the classifieds section here. Some people even make their own (but you have to be very careful as to wood - in fact melamine and mdf are safest as pine is toxic to snakes because of the residue of resin. This can be sealed of course with yacht varnish but can take an age for fumes to disperse and these too are toxic.)
It's a good idea to shop around. Many starter kits omit things like stats and locks, but can still be good value even if you have to add equipment. Good luck! |
| JackHutchy979 |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 16:21:43
Mikerichards - yeh is it meant to be about1/2 inch on the cold side and less n the warm side. Cheers everyone fo their input il be sure to put it to good use - how much would a 20gallon wooden viv be about? A rough estimate is gd..
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| mikerichards |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 16:17:47
You are better off with a wooden viv, its much more insulated than a glass one.
Best way to do it, get your heatmat, put it where you want in the viv, see where the wire goes and drill the hole there. You only want about 1/2 inch of bedding over the heatmat, too much will block the heat, then the snake burrows and may end up with a heatmat that's too hot, depending on the setup. |
| JackHutchy979 |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 16:17:44
This would be my first corn snake so I'm going to get a baby corn and get a 20 gallon viv - is this to big? - if you say yes I'm going to make a divider for it and only give the corn about half of it but as it grows I'm gonna give it more room i plan on keeping it in the divided section for about a year but if I feel it's to big il give it more room sooner....how does that sound for a corn....? |
| JackHutchy979 |
Posted - 28/08/2010 : 16:12:21
B.A.T.S
I didn't relise you were talking about a wooden viv. So put the mat in with about an inch or 2 or substrate over with the hide on it...
So were do you drill the hole say the warm side is on the right do you drill the hole bottom right slide wire through hook it up with the habistat and hey-presto???
Is It that simple... I'm not yet sure what viv I will get a wooden one or a normal glass one probably wooden now..
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