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Jarvo
Egg
United Kingdom
96 Posts |
 Posted - 20/03/2013 : 08:59:05
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I have had Zack for 2 1/2 years and up until last month he had a heat mat in a 3' x 2' viv and his temp on the mat was between 28c - 29c but I never measured the temp on the cold side as I went on the rule that if he was eating,deficating and shedding with out any issues he was ok.I had no issues with eating,shedding but he would sometimes not poo for 3-4 weeks however he was very seldom seen and I had to play catch the snake to get him out for some handling (no handling issues).
If I have any spare time I will read papers and books about snakes anyway I came across something from a well respected breeder and keeper of the snake community and his view was that no corn snake should be inactive and if it is their is something wrong. I looked in to this further and it could be a possibility that my temp,s could be wrong, I bought another digital thermometer to moniter the cold end temps. I keep both my snakes downstairs so the ambient temp was my room temp and the temp on the cold side did fall as low as 13c during the night.
I reacted straight away and bought all of the gear for a ceramic heat bulb.
After fitting the ceramic(guarded) Zack is out and about up at the glass not only at night but before I go to work and when I come home from work he is stilll active, I now just open the door and he will come out onto my arm by himself. I took a mouse last Sunday and he was active a day later which I thought was a bit strange with a full stomach.
His temps are now holding at 28.5c hot end and 23.8 cold end, his viv is heavily decorated with 3 hides and plenty of plants/branches.
I will be totally honest and was dissapointed with myself for maybe having the temps wrong for a couple of years but did not think of it as I had no issues with him apart from him not deficating after every mouse which I have read can happen.
His humidity is around 45% and he is currently taking a jumbo mouse (from Pets at home they are small for Jumbo,s) every 3 weeks and is around 4.5 foot long.
So do you think that it is a good thing that he is so active?
I do have one theory that because his temps were low I could heve been brumating him without knowing it and now his temps are up he is looking for a mate.
Your thoughts would be appreciated. |
1.0.0. Albino Boa (Bailey)
1.0.0. Anery corn (Zack)
1.0.0. Black Labrador (Cody)
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Georgina
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
2382 Posts |
Posted - 20/03/2013 : 09:28:16
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| If he was brumating he more than Likley would eat. IMO he is now over active and trying to get away from the heat. Corns are not active snakes they do hide a lot. Aslong as the move about, eat drink and poo then they are ok. |
1.0 western hognose (hero)
1.0 phantom reverse pin dal brindle crested gecko (goyle)
0.2 red dal red harly (sprite) 99% full pin Harley crested gecko (TuLong)
0.0.3 miomantis paykullii
0.0.3 Bombina orientalis (oriental fire bellied toad)
0.3 fancy mice (snap, crackle and pop)
1.0 yorkshire terrier (jasper)
2.1 cats (echo, shadow and pokey) |
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Jarvo
Egg
United Kingdom
96 Posts |
Posted - 20/03/2013 : 09:36:45
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quote:
Originally posted by Georgina
If he was brumating he more than Likley would eat. IMO he is now over active and trying to get away from the heat. Corns are not active snakes they do hide a lot. Aslong as the move about, eat drink and poo then they are ok.
Thanks Georgina,
He is a hungry snake and never missed a feed and since I have changed his set up it is the first time that I have seen him drinking.
When he had his heat mat in the only time he would stay on his mat was after a meal or when in shed.
We recently changed the house to open plan and it was the coldest winter we have felt in this house and when I went in to get to handle he was very cold to the touch.
Do you think that I should drop his temps slightly? |
1.0.0. Albino Boa (Bailey)
1.0.0. Anery corn (Zack)
1.0.0. Black Labrador (Cody)
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Georgina
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
2382 Posts |
Posted - 20/03/2013 : 10:02:15
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| Some one with more experience will be better to advise you. Personally I have never worried about corn cold end temps unless the was a problem. X |
1.0 western hognose (hero)
1.0 phantom reverse pin dal brindle crested gecko (goyle)
0.2 red dal red harly (sprite) 99% full pin Harley crested gecko (TuLong)
0.0.3 miomantis paykullii
0.0.3 Bombina orientalis (oriental fire bellied toad)
0.3 fancy mice (snap, crackle and pop)
1.0 yorkshire terrier (jasper)
2.1 cats (echo, shadow and pokey) |
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herriotfan
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
5853 Posts |
Posted - 20/03/2013 : 10:49:57
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My snakes have a hot end of 28-30c and like Georgina I don't worry about the cool end.
It sounds like typical male behaviour for the breeding season, he's also just the right age to wake up to the idea!! 
I wouldn't worry he sounds like a very healthy, normal boy to me.  |
Husband....Very Understanding!!! (Phil)
Son & Daughter (Kevin & Carol)
Granddaughter (Eva)
3.4.0 Cornsnakes Amel (Sidney) Caramel Stripe (Sultan) Amber (Cleo) Carolina (Phoebe) Anery Motley Stripe (Penny) Snow (Lily) Caramel (Holmes)
1.2.0 Royal Pythons(Peeps, Pandora & Pepsi)
1.0.0 Hognose (Hudson)
2.1.0 Dogs (Dillon, Alfie, Ellie)
0.1.0 Senegal Parrot (Peanut)
1.1.0 Bearded Dragons (Bonnie & Clyde)
1.0.0 Crested Geckos (Echo)
0.2.1 Hermanns Tortoises (Ebbie, Rosie & Twiglet)
0.1.0 Guinea Pig (Dolly-Pipsqueak)
0.1.9 Tarantulas (Poppy, Gypsy, Bumble, Insey Winsey, Sonic, Cookie, Raven, Fudge, Titch & Sox)
??? Foster animals
Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex
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Mort13
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
5599 Posts |
Posted - 20/03/2013 : 14:03:08
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Personally I wouldn't go beating yourself up about it. I too don't worry about the cool end temps, as long as the warm end is the right temperature the snake will move around according to the temperature it wants to be at the time.
Sounds to me like he's feeling the spring urges  My males are all out and about glass dancing at the mo |
      
3.1.0 Corn snakes, 1.0.0 T-Albino Cape House Snake, 0.1.0 Western Hognose,
1.0.0 MBK, 0.1.0 Childrens Python, 1.0.0 Nicaraguan Dwarf Boas
0.0.1 Occelated Skink, 1.0.0 Leopard Gecko, 1.0.3 Tarantulas, 0.0.2 Damon diadema
1.0.0 C0ckatiel,
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Jarvo
Egg
United Kingdom
96 Posts |
Posted - 20/03/2013 : 21:17:04
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quote:
Originally posted by herriotfan
My snakes have a hot end of 28-30c and like Georgina I don't worry about the cool end.
It sounds like typical male behaviour for the breeding season, he's also just the right age to wake up to the idea!!
I wouldn't worry he sounds like a very healthy, normal boy to me.
quote:
Originally posted by Mort13
Personally I wouldn't go beating yourself up about it. I too don't worry about the cool end temps, as long as the warm end is the right temperature the snake will move around according to the temperature it wants to be at the time.
Sounds to me like he's feeling the spring urges My males are all out and about glass dancing at the mo
Thanks for the replies and reassurance.
Even though I do read alot you still cannot beat the advice from peoples experiences, and again this is still the most friendliest snake forum.
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1.0.0. Albino Boa (Bailey)
1.0.0. Anery corn (Zack)
1.0.0. Black Labrador (Cody)
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 20/03/2013 : 21:18:37
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I would be inclined to agree with Georgina, Paul. By the sounds of it you had a normal acting corn....who probably hid away during the day and came out to play at night when you were asleep . Lots of us don't see our corns unless we are getting them out to handle or its breeding season. The fact that he was only in his warm hide after a feed and when blue is the same as my corns. Before you made the changes he had the choice to move to the warm hide if he was cold, but chose the cool hide.....which probably means he was happy enough with it. As for him being cold to the touch, this isn't surprising....reptiles are cold-blooded and if he'd been in the cool hide then he would be like that. Also our own body heat means that he may feel 'cold' to you, when he isn't actually....if that makes any sense at all !!
If you look at his behaviour change, him being constantly active could be down to it being breeding season, and it may just be co-incidence that he's started doing this just when you've changed his temps or they could have brought it on. But what concerns me more is that you are seeing him drinking when you don't normally, and it makes me wonder whether your temps are too high. 28.5oC at the warm end is perfect, but maybe he is finding that nearly 24oC in the cool end isn't enough of a drop in temp. I would think you are looking for a temp of between 21 and 23oC. I know we're only talking a few degrees difference, so it may not be an issue. Where are the probes for the digital thermometers placed?
You mustn't feel disappointed with yourself regarding his care, you haven't done anything wrong. The set-up you had for him was fine, as far as I can see, and was probably exactly the same as most of ours. I certainly never worry about the cool end temp, even with the nights being so cold.
I guess you are in a wait and see situation. There is nothing wrong with how you've got the temps now, unless you feel that he is drinking a lot more than normal, which you might be able to tell by how much the water level goes down....and whether this behaviour continues past the breeding season, in which case you need to query whether it is down to the viv being too hot.
Sorry, I don't feel I've helped much  .....just gone around in circles  ! Trust your instinct and your knowledge of your snake, they are the best guides .
Xxx
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Jarvo
Egg
United Kingdom
96 Posts |
Posted - 20/03/2013 : 21:56:28
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Thanks Kellog,
What confused me abit with him being cold to the touch is that I have cold hands and when I handle my Boa he feels warm to the touch although his viv is 3 degrees warmer than Zacks.
The placement of his probes for the hot end I have a hide in the corner just under the ceramic and the probe is next to this almost directly under the ceramic, the probe for the cold is around the middle and about 6" from the left side of the viv, I do have a wooden hut in the corner and the probe is next to this. Zack has rearanged his viv sevaral times and pushed the probe in to the cold end corner of his viv which has resulted in a drop by a degree
I did have to move his water dish to the middle of the viv as his humidity level had dropped.
I have not noticed a significant drop in his water level when I do a daily water change.
What time of year would you say that the breeding season is just about finished?
Please don,t appologise Kellog you have been more than helpful like everybody on this forum
I do tend to worry abit when I see a change in behaviour as I want to keep them happy and healthy
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1.0.0. Albino Boa (Bailey)
1.0.0. Anery corn (Zack)
1.0.0. Black Labrador (Cody)
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smart bunny
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
5091 Posts |
Posted - 21/03/2013 : 07:35:49
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| I don't worry about cold temps either - and for the first time ever this last week Corno has been seen out every evening, and even sometimes during the day and last night after being fed, she STILL went wandering about for 20 mins or so rather than straight to her warm hide as usual :O - I think my little girl is growing up lol! (19 months) |
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LukeW
Hatchling
United Kingdom
276 Posts |
Posted - 21/03/2013 : 13:35:44
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| This has nothing to do with this topic but Smart bunny what snake is prism :o |
Female normal - Cyrus (can't think of a girl name :p)
Male charcoal - Midnight
Female amel - Lilly
Female CB13 anery 100% het sunkissed - Ariel.
Male CB13 fire 100% het stripe, 50% het hypo, anery and lavender
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smart bunny
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
5091 Posts |
Posted - 21/03/2013 : 19:33:25
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| Colombian rainbow boa :) |
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LukeW
Hatchling
United Kingdom
276 Posts |
Posted - 21/03/2013 : 19:38:40
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| Hes got lovely markings :) all your snakes look pretty (even the hoggy in his own special way :p) |
Female normal - Cyrus (can't think of a girl name :p)
Male charcoal - Midnight
Female amel - Lilly
Female CB13 anery 100% het sunkissed - Ariel.
Male CB13 fire 100% het stripe, 50% het hypo, anery and lavender
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 21/03/2013 : 20:08:18
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It sounds as though your probes are in the right positions Paul, even when Zack moves them . I must admit that I don't monitor humidity, a lot of us don't. As you know, corns don't require any increased humidity and what is normal for this country is fine for them.
With regard to the difference in how your boa feels in comparison to Zack, could it be that it is a bigger bodied snake and retains heat better? I don't know , but just wonder.....
Kellog has 'misbehaved' until the end of May and sometimes into June. It differs with all snakes, as with most things to do with them, and from year to year.
I think your snakes are blessed to have an owner who is so perceptive and takes the care you do , so don't worry about being worried about them....and keep asking questions if you are worried!
Xxx
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Jarvo
Egg
United Kingdom
96 Posts |
Posted - 22/03/2013 : 08:05:24
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quote:
Originally posted by Kellog
It sounds as though your probes are in the right positions Paul, even when Zack moves them . I must admit that I don't monitor humidity, a lot of us don't. As you know, corns don't require any increased humidity and what is normal for this country is fine for them.
With regard to the difference in how your boa feels in comparison to Zack, could it be that it is a bigger bodied snake and retains heat better? I don't know , but just wonder.....
Kellog has 'misbehaved' until the end of May and sometimes into June. It differs with all snakes, as with most things to do with them, and from year to year.
I think your snakes are blessed to have an owner who is so perceptive and takes the care you do , so don't worry about being worried about them....and keep asking questions if you are worried!
Xxx
Thanks Kellog,
That is a good point about the Boa,s heat as he is a alot heavier than Zack.
I think that I will wait until June and se how he is and if he is still the same I will rethink about his set up.
Cheers for the nice comments, I just beleive that which ever animal is in our care we have a duty to provide them with the best enviroment that we possibly can.
I will try to stop worrying but I cannot make any promises, I did take my Boa to the vet,s last year because he had an unusual mark around his vent after a shed. I was so embarresed after traveling 25 miles to see a reptile vet for him to tell me that his skin pigment is changing colour with him being an albino, on the plus side he did give him a good check over and only charged me £10 .
Cheers,
Paul. |
1.0.0. Albino Boa (Bailey)
1.0.0. Anery corn (Zack)
1.0.0. Black Labrador (Cody)
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 23/03/2013 : 10:18:08
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quote:
Originally posted by Jarvo
........I think that I will wait until June and se how he is and if he is still the same I will rethink about his set up.
Cheers for the nice comments, I just beleive that which ever animal is in our care we have a duty to provide them with the best enviroment that we possibly can.
I will try to stop worrying but I cannot make any promises, I did take my Boa to the vet,s last year because he had an unusual mark around his vent after a shed. I was so embarresed after traveling 25 miles to see a reptile vet for him to tell me that his skin pigment is changing colour with him being an albino, on the plus side he did give him a good check over and only charged me £10.
Cheers,
Paul.
I think it is a case of watch and wait Paul....and I know you'll be watching very carefully !!
I totally agree with you about it being our responsibility to provide our snakes with the best environments possible. We can't give them exactly what they would have in the wild, but we can get as close as we can. I just wish more owners felt like you do  .
I'm sorry, I did laugh reading about your boa's trip to the vet !! But it is always better to be safe than sorry . I know you're going to worry....I still do, despite having had corns for years. It is a case of if you are worried about something then ASK!! The only silly question is the one you don't ask . Have you joined our boa group, The Rainbow Boa ?? I know it's down as Rainbow boas, but they let all sorts in ....and Bailey would definitely be welcome .
Xxx
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Jarvo
Egg
United Kingdom
96 Posts |
Posted - 23/03/2013 : 13:29:10
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It is now a family joke about the vet trip, when Baileys adult colour started to come through the kids would ask "another trip to the vets dad" bless 'em.
It is a shame that some snakes do not get the care they deserve but I would like to think that these cases are far and few between. It is all to easy nowadays to buy a snake, a work mate wanted a royal for his son so I invited around mine to let him handle Zack and Bailey and talk around set-up,s and feeding(although I,m no expert) I advised him to research until his head burst before buying any snake. I did not want to put him off just give him an insight in to keeping snakes, his son now has a Gerbil.
Thanks for the link Kellog I will join the other forum and introduce myself and Bailey. |
1.0.0. Albino Boa (Bailey)
1.0.0. Anery corn (Zack)
1.0.0. Black Labrador (Cody)
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 24/03/2013 : 08:44:39
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quote:
Originally posted by Jarvo
It is now a family joke about the vet trip, when Baileys adult colour started to come through the kids would ask "another trip to the vets dad" bless 'em.
.......It is all to easy nowadays to buy a snake, a work mate wanted a royal for his son so I invited around mine.......I advised him to research until his head burst before buying any snake. I did not want to put him off just give him an insight in to keeping snakes, his son now has a Gerbil.
Thanks for the link Kellog I will join the other forum and introduce myself and Bailey.
Kids will never let their parents forget anything like that, I talk from experience !!
So true what you say about it being so easy to buy a snake....and the majority of the time people aren't given the right advice when they do buy them. The amount of times snakes are sold with set-ups that don't include thermostats  !! Makes me so cross!!
Well done with what you did with your work mate and his kid. It doesn't matter that you don't have much experience, you have enough to have shown them the basics of snake keeping....and how much is really involved. It sounds as though its right that they got a gerbil instead.
I'm glad you're going to join our sister site , I'm sure you and Bailey will be very welcome.
Xxx
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Jarvo
Egg
United Kingdom
96 Posts |
Posted - 24/03/2013 : 12:58:03
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I bought Zack from a local rep shop and if I had not researched for about 6 months before the purchase I would have also been sold a starter Faun set up with out a stat(the guy at the shop told me that I did not need one, I politly disagreed with him).
For him to sell me the snake I asked if I could see Zack take a pinky at the shop when he was due a feed and also for me to take the set up a couple of days before taking Zack home to make sure his new home was up and running before putting him in.
I have posted a few pics on the other forum.
http://www.therainbowboa.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2019 |
1.0.0. Albino Boa (Bailey)
1.0.0. Anery corn (Zack)
1.0.0. Black Labrador (Cody)
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 25/03/2013 : 09:31:43
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I'm not at all surprised by your experience at the reptile shop when you bought Zack, I'm just so glad that you had done the research before hand and didn't just take what the guy said as gospel  . What's worrying is the fact that this wasn't just any old pet shop, it was a reptile shop that should have known better . And it's worrying the amount of snakes that will have been sold to people who haven't done their research and don't know any better .
So glad you joined The Rainbow Boa. Did have a look, Bailey is stunning . Hard to believe he's grown so much in just 20 months  !
Xxx
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Jarvo
Egg
United Kingdom
96 Posts |
Posted - 25/03/2013 : 17:43:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Kellog
I'm not at all surprised by your experience at the reptile shop when you bought Zack, I'm just so glad that you had done the research before hand and didn't just take what the guy said as gospel . What's worrying is the fact that this wasn't just any old pet shop, it was a reptile shop that should have known better . And it's worrying the amount of snakes that will have been sold to people who haven't done their research and don't know any better .
So glad you joined The Rainbow Boa. Did have a look, Bailey is stunning . Hard to believe he's grown so much in just 20 months !
Xxx
The rep shop that I got zack from is no longer trading which is no surprise, all the guy was interested in was the sale. The rep shop that I use now are very good with a lot of knowledge and the snakes on display are in heavily decorated vivs and are always clean. I have heard them ask questions to potential buyers regarding a snake that they are looking to buy which is nice to see.
I,m pleased that you like Bailey however like most snakes he does look better in the flesh. Before I bought him my wife was a bit concerned about having a large snake in the house so I assured her that he would not get any bigger than 6 foot as she isn,t that keen on big bodied snakes. I kind of knew that he may get bigger than 6 foot(although his dad is only 5 1/2 foot)but as he has grown my wife just accepts his size and handles him fine. When the mother in law comes around she always asks would the snake eat the dog, which is a 32 kilo black labrador lol, I sometimes respond "I hope not because it might be the kids next" which goes down like a lead balloon.
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1.0.0. Albino Boa (Bailey)
1.0.0. Anery corn (Zack)
1.0.0. Black Labrador (Cody)
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What a differance but is it a good thing?
