| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Jake_The_Snake |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 20:43:56
Hi everyone, I'm new here and have just bought my very first snake - a sub-adult female corn snake. She's called Jake and is just fantastic .
We had the tank set up before we got her obviously but are having some problems getting the temperature right.
She's in a 3ft viv with a hide at both ends and a heat mat under one end covering just less than 1/3. We were advised to also get a basking lamp so we have a 40W spot (and guard obviously) over her hot end. The viv only had vents at the back which wasn't ideal seeing as she's against a wall so my boyfriend drilled five holes at either end of the tank, as big as we dared without risking her escaping.
We have one of the Lucky Reptile Thermocontrol II thermostats, initially I put the heat mat and lamp into the socket that controls the heat thinking they would both turn on and off as required to keep the tank at the right temperature (about 25C in the middle, right?) but then read that the light being flicked on and off can cause snakes stress. When I left the light on constantly (so just the mat was controlled by the thermostat) then the temperature rocketed up to 27 in the middle in a matter of minutes even though the thermostat had turned the mat off.
I am so confused. Should I leave the lamp off until winter when she might need extra heat and just use the thermostat and heat mat to control temperature, or should I give her more ventilation so it is cooler generally in the tank or should I just leave the lamp on (or connected to the thermostat?!?!?) and turn the mat off. Or should I change the bulb for an energy saving one so she gets light (cos it does make the cage prettier and make it easier to see her) but much less heat. Obviously both heat mat and light will be turned off at night regardless while it is still mild.
HELP!!! Sorry for the essay, I just really don't want to get this wrong |
| 7 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| gingerpony |
Posted - 01/09/2011 : 14:45:52
quote:
Originally posted by Jake_The_Snake
Oh really? That's not what the breeder told me but ok :)
in a way i dread to ask.......'breeder' as in somebody who breeds a lot of corns or 'breeder' who has a pair?
either way, what they're recommending is certainly not in the snake's best interest and they seem a bit of a numpty, maybe you should point them in TCS direction for some husbandry tips!  |
| Jake_The_Snake |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 22:59:14
Yes, Jake the female snake.
Kind of a long story...
My boyfriend is a very keen cyclist and by fate recently acquired a new bike frame that the manufacturers call 'Jake the Snake' the week before we went to select our snake. So it was decided that our snake was going to be called Jake (a request I allowed because really I was the one pushing the idea of getting a snake - he'd rather we'd got a beardie). We went to the supplier and found the snake that most closely matched what we wanted in terms of age, colour etc. She happened to be a girl...
eekamouse, thank you :) |
| lotabob |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 22:34:35
Now you know how to heat the snake you can explain this: Jake the female snake? |
| eekamouse |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 21:58:45
hi, i'm new to corn snakes too. i found LittleMick posted excellent setup ideas in the sticky forums. i found them very useful, particularly regarding setting up of heatmat and thermostat. heres a link http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10789&SearchTerms=101 |
| Jake_The_Snake |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 21:21:36
Oh really? That's not what the breeder told me but ok :). The mat will stay on the thermostat 24 hours a day and I'll move the probe (and move the temperature on the thermostat up) thanks. |
| gingerpony |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 21:09:38
and don't turn the mat off at night regardless of how warm it is outside! |
| gingerpony |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 21:08:04
leave the lamp off, ideally replace the bulb with an energy-saver for viewing only
no extra ventilation should be needed
and measuring the temp in the middle is neither use nor ornament, the thermometer/therm probe should be in the warm end above the heatmat, resting on the substrate, measuring the temp where the snake wil be. the thermostat probe should be in the same place, i rubber-bandthe probes together |
