| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Browsies |
Posted - 27/12/2010 : 14:55:31
Hi folkes, I am a VERY new corn snake owner - Sydney is 4 years old and came to me in her ready made set up. Her viv is approx 3ft and has a red heat/light bulb at one end (and yes it has a very good cover to prevent nasty burns!) and the usual contents! Now Sydney apparently has had this set up for a while, but I am concerned about the temp. She has not had a heat mat and stat or dimmer for the bulb, the previous owners and my snake sitter, just used to switch the bulb on for a couple of hours of an evening. I know the temps outside are extreme at the mo, but she seems absolutely fine - I haven't fed her yet, but my snake sitter had fed her and she ate fine. Her next feed is due on the 1st Jan. I don't really want to change too much because she has been happy this way for 4 years  What would you recommend? My head is saying get a dimmer, but I don't want to change too much for her if I don't need to! HELP! |
| 4 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| 1982ltrav |
Posted - 28/12/2010 : 13:53:17
we use a heat mat and stat set at 28 degrees for the hot end and currently using a red bulb, guard and dimmer stat set very low to keep the cool end temp to 22 degrees. without the bulb the cool end drops to as low as 5degrees as our viv is in conservatory. we fitted the bulb a couple of weeks ago as snakey never left his warm hide due to the very low temp in the rest of the viv, he's now very happy to be out and about exploring as he was before the cold weather. |
| lotabob |
Posted - 27/12/2010 : 17:54:51
Do you have a digital thermometer? Do you have any idea on temperature? Whats the wattage of the bulb?
Corn snakes are very tough little snakes thats why they are so popular as pets but just because they can survive been kept incorrectly doesn't mean they should be. Unfortunately your setup is not right, it sounds like its through no fault of your own and the fact you are even asking shows you know its not right. Bulbs can be used as a heat source but definitely not without a stat, a few hours heat a day isn't enough and unstatted god knows how much heat is been emitted by the bulb (I have a 60 watt spot bulb that is on from 9am to 5pm and my stat will dim that bulb within a few hours as the surface temperature has hit 28 degrees centigrade, without dimming the heat will contuinue to climb way beyond safe limits for a corn snake). Ideally you need a 24 hour heat source statted to about 28 degrees, a heat mat is perfect for this job provided that the substrate isn't too thick over the mat. (I have a mat with a mat-stat regulated at 28 degrees).
It is so important to be able to monitor and regulate temperature, to me it is the most important thing, I have 2 heat sources, 2 different types of thermostat and three digital thermometers just to satisfy my need to know exactly what is going on in my vivarium.
I don't mean to be blunt and I know just by you been on this forum you care for your snake so that is not an issue. Good luck sorting out your set up and don't forget we like pictures on here so post some as soon as you can. |
| n/a |
Posted - 27/12/2010 : 17:36:51
all mine are on mats, they absorb heat though their bellies in the wild so makes sense to me to use a mat. no need for extra expense with bulbs,guards and dimmer stats |
| a33272 |
Posted - 27/12/2010 : 15:03:26
hello Browsies.
Generally corns need a constant temperature, with a hot end around the 27-30 oC mark. so with the way uve described he wont be getting that, there are a few people that use bulbs to provide there warm end heat without issues, but most use a heat mat. As a minimum if i was you id get a dimmer stat so atleast you can prove the correct heat 24hr a day without having to turn it on and off all the time, but for what it may cost you to buy a dimming stat you could buy a cheap on/off mat stat and mat |
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