T O P I C R E V I E W |
Jarvo |
Posted - 23/11/2011 : 17:47:22 Hi All, I have an 18 month old corn in an exo terra 60x45x45 terrarium with a heat mat that covers just over 33% of the terrarium the problem that I am having at the minute is that the only time Zack goes on the warm side is after a meal or when he is in shed the rest of the time he is on the cool side,when I get him out to handle him he feels very cold. I understand that they thermoregulate but i was wondering if anybody else has a corn that spends most of thier time on the cold side. Would I be better off with a heat lamp through the mesh lid to try and raise the ambiant temprature and take the heat mat out or use both heat mat and lamp? |
20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
Jarvo |
Posted - 24/11/2011 : 16:06:09 quote: Originally posted by Kath
Cody's a cutie!!
Thanks Kath I like the photo where he is looking at Bailey but he is a great dog with loads of energy. |
Kath |
Posted - 24/11/2011 : 15:29:56 Cody's a cutie!! |
Jarvo |
Posted - 24/11/2011 : 15:23:04 quote: Originally posted by Kath
Hi Jarvo, yep, that's what I was thinking with Cornelius, that he was in his warmer side more because it's getting colder.
I did used to worry a lot more about him than what I do now (u can never stop completely worrying about them!) but I just keep thinking that he knows what's best for him & he'll work it out for himself. (But we're here if he needs our help!).
Put some pics of your black lab up! Love those dogs. (My parents have 1 called Millie, she's gorgeous.)
Hi Kath, A few pics here for ya. http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20731 |
Kath |
Posted - 24/11/2011 : 14:57:34 Hi Jarvo, yep, that's what I was thinking with Cornelius, that he was in his warmer side more because it's getting colder.
I did used to worry a lot more about him than what I do now (u can never stop completely worrying about them!) but I just keep thinking that he knows what's best for him & he'll work it out for himself. (But we're here if he needs our help!).
Put some pics of your black lab up! Love those dogs. (My parents have 1 called Millie, she's gorgeous.) |
Jarvo |
Posted - 24/11/2011 : 14:51:28 quote: Originally posted by Kath
Hi Jarvo,
Our corn spends much of his time in his cooler hide but we aren't worried about this because he's feeding & pooing fine & loves to be handled.
Saying that tho', over past couple of weeks, he has been behind his warmer hide & today he is in his warm hide which doesn't happen very often. He tends to go on warmer side after he's eaten.
We know his temps are fine & there's nowt u can do about temp on colder side.
Hi Kath, Zack is the same and only goes in his warm end when he has been fed, he is not showing any signs of stress I was a bit concerned and wanting to react before we started to get frost,s as the central heating goes of during the day when thier is nobady in(apart from the poor dog but he has fur so he doesn,t really count :).Who knows maybe when it gets very cold Zack might start to use his warm side. |
crowboy |
Posted - 24/11/2011 : 09:56:51 Thanks Jarvo.quote: Originally posted by Jarvo
[quote]Originally posted by crowboy
Hi Jarvo, I am changing the subject a bit but i am thinking of buying the same terrarium as you and wondered what you thought of it?[quote]
Hi Crowboy, I think that they are great but they have good points and bad. Good points - once filled with plants and hides they look really nice as you can see in from 3 sides.Very easy to clean(removable mesh top),No need to pre seal them as they are already water tight. You can hide the wires through 2 slots in the back ground. Bad points - A bit on the heavy side if you want to move them around. Now that the winter is here the ambiant temp is on the low side where as my Boa who is in a wooden viv his temps have not changed. More expensive than a wooden viv. Taking all that in to consideration I am now looking for the 3 foot one for my corn but I think I will heat this one with a bulb and not a mat.
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Kath |
Posted - 24/11/2011 : 09:37:51 Hi Jarvo,
Our corn spends much of his time in his cooler hide but we aren't worried about this because he's feeding & pooing fine & loves to be handled.
Saying that tho', over past couple of weeks, he has been behind his warmer hide & today he is in his warm hide which doesn't happen very often. He tends to go on warmer side after he's eaten.
We know his temps are fine & there's nowt u can do about temp on colder side. |
Jarvo |
Posted - 24/11/2011 : 05:36:23 [quote]Originally posted by crowboy
Hi Jarvo, I am changing the subject a bit but i am thinking of buying the same terrarium as you and wondered what you thought of it?[quote]
Hi Crowboy, I think that they are great but they have good points and bad. Good points - once filled with plants and hides they look really nice as you can see in from 3 sides.Very easy to clean(removable mesh top),No need to pre seal them as they are already water tight. You can hide the wires through 2 slots in the back ground. Bad points - A bit on the heavy side if you want to move them around. Now that the winter is here the ambiant temp is on the low side where as my Boa who is in a wooden viv his temps have not changed. More expensive than a wooden viv. Taking all that in to consideration I am now looking for the 3 foot one for my corn but I think I will heat this one with a bulb and not a mat.
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lotabob |
Posted - 23/11/2011 : 23:25:45 I could write pages in response but I'll just say OK if you say so. |
hillzi |
Posted - 23/11/2011 : 22:52:44 quote: Originally posted by lotabob
Really do different morphs not need different care, oh dear better get the snow out of the freezer. Not in a massive way but morph actually does define what it does, colouration does affect the way they gather and store heat but mainly I was just kidding.
If a snake spends most of its time in the cold end then it probably is 'broke' and needs 'fixed'. Using observations is the very best way to hone in your enclosure to meet the needs of your snake, guides are just that, to give you a safe starting point and also to point out the limits, its up to you to then set up your enclosure to your snakes preference.
Disagree with you again.. You know full well what I meant, the morph of the snake will not force it to do trends like "Oh it's only a normal morph that will climb" it doesn't make sense... Morph is just genetics.. how the animal behaves is completely different..
How can colouration affect how they store heat..? Let me guess the colour black absorbs heat? pretty sure that's only through infra red radiaton anyway?
I'm not saying the snake spends all it's time in the cool end, it probably moves, coincidentally when the OP does not see it.. it obviously works fine (shedding pooing etc?) so does not need fixing and therefore, does not show signs it is broken...
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crowboy |
Posted - 23/11/2011 : 22:46:56 Hi Jarvo, I am changing the subject a bit but i am thinking of buying the same terrarium as you and wondered what you thought of it?quote: Originally posted by Jarvo
Hi All, I have an 18 month old corn in an exo terra 60x45x45 terrarium with a heat mat that covers just over 33% of the terrarium the problem that I am having at the minute is that the only time Zack goes on the warm side is after a meal or when he is in shed the rest of the time he is on the cool side,when I get him out to handle him he feels very cold. I understand that they thermoregulate but i was wondering if anybody else has a corn that spends most of thier time on the cold side. Would I be better off with a heat lamp through the mesh lid to try and raise the ambiant temprature and take the heat mat out or use both heat mat and lamp?
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lotabob |
Posted - 23/11/2011 : 22:21:07 I would say for corns you have 2 options in a vivarium set up; Heat mats and ceramic heat bulbs.
Mats are cheaper and easier to set up but I prefer bulbs.
I'm just fitting out a new viv for my corn and it will be using ceramic heat bulbs, I just like how they perform but I've not had any problems using heat a heat mat, the only down side to a mat in my opinion is when they poo on it, it doesn't half smell. |
Jarvo |
Posted - 23/11/2011 : 21:28:31 quote: Originally posted by lotabob
Really do different morphs not need different care, oh dear better get the snow out of the freezer. Not in a massive way but morph actually does define what it does, colouration does affect the way they gather and store heat but mainly I was just kidding.
This made me smile it,s nice to see some humour on the forums. I will give it a try and lower his temps a little bit and see how he gets on. May I ask if you prefere lamps or heat mats for you corn? |
lotabob |
Posted - 23/11/2011 : 20:12:32 Really do different morphs not need different care, oh dear better get the snow out of the freezer. Not in a massive way but morph actually does define what it does, colouration does affect the way they gather and store heat but mainly I was just kidding.
If a snake spends most of its time in the cold end then it probably is 'broke' and needs 'fixed'. Using observations is the very best way to hone in your enclosure to meet the needs of your snake, guides are just that, to give you a safe starting point and also to point out the limits, its up to you to then set up your enclosure to your snakes preference. |
hillzi |
Posted - 23/11/2011 : 19:49:48 quote: Originally posted by lotabob
I have the same, my Boa and Royal are warm to the touch, my corn is always cold.
I've found that my corn snake likes it a bit colder than recommended too I started off with the whole 28oC on the heat mat but over time turned it down and down to 26oC and now he thermoregulates perfectly, digests fine etc. Maybe its an anery thing, give it a try and dip the stat by a degree or even 2, see what happens.
Morph of the snake would not define what they do..
to be honest Jarvo, it aint broken, don't try to fix it, snakes will be snakes he will go and do when and where he wants... he's probably in the warm end when your'e asleep! |
lotabob |
Posted - 23/11/2011 : 19:46:02 I have the same, my Boa and Royal are warm to the touch, my corn is always cold.
I've found that my corn snake likes it a bit colder than recommended too I started off with the whole 28oC on the heat mat but over time turned it down and down to 26oC and now he thermoregulates perfectly, digests fine etc. Maybe its an anery thing, give it a try and dip the stat by a degree or even 2, see what happens. |
Jarvo |
Posted - 23/11/2011 : 18:26:19 Good point Hillzi about the body temp but I have cold hands and when I get my Boa out who is always at the warm end(around 31*C) he feels warm to me yet Zack does feel very cold, sometimes I do worry about nothing as I just want to do the right thing and keep them happy. I have got a habistat mat-stat to regulate his temps. |
hillzi |
Posted - 23/11/2011 : 18:12:34 quote: Originally posted by Jarvo
Hi Casta, His temps on the warm side are holding between 28.5 and 29.3 and on the cold side I have seen it as low as 15, He is feeding great pounding one large mouse every 10 days then pooing 3 days later and he has always been as good as gold to handle. He is always hiding through the day but I know that he is out and about when the lights go out as the plants have moved and the substrate ends up in his water dish :). You are right as long as he is feeding and handling ok then why should I change something that is not broken.
Do you use a thermostat?
I wouldn't worry about the cold end tempreture. snakes will warm up, then cool down.. then move when they're cold it doesn't really matter to them they won't freeze to death!
Anyway your body tempreture is 38*C.. and the warm end is going to be about 29*C. that's quite a lot so you may not feel him as "warm" Mine's in his warm hide a lot when I get him out he feels cold to me but I know he isn't. |
Jarvo |
Posted - 23/11/2011 : 18:04:04 Hi Casta, His temps on the warm side are holding between 28.5 and 29.3 and on the cold side I have seen it as low as 15, He is feeding great pounding one large mouse every 10 days then pooing 3 days later and he has always been as good as gold to handle. He is always hiding through the day but I know that he is out and about when the lights go out as the plants have moved and the substrate ends up in his water dish :). You are right as long as he is feeding and handling ok then why should I change something that is not broken. |
Casta |
Posted - 23/11/2011 : 17:49:24 whats the temps? some snakes just prefer the cool side. i know mine tend to hang out in different places. they'll got to the warm side when they need to. so long as they're healthy and feeding etc i don't think there's much to worry about. |