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Corn Snake and heating/appetite

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  • 26-12-2008 3:20pm
    #1
    Kris08
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭


    Hi all,

    I need some guidance here folks.

    I have a corn snake, big enough to move on from the interim tank I first got to a 20 gallon tank now.

    Reading American books on corn snakes, and various online videos by breeders in America, it seems climate there means a heat mat is sufficient for the tank, more so for corn snakes than other species.

    With a temperature drop in winter here should there be supplementary heat? And/or should I use UVB bulbs aside from this?

    My corn snake doesn't seem so active, and doesn't strike at the food - he sniffs around it for five minutes before taking it slowly. He's almost a year and a half old and eats two fuzzies a week, and not fully grown yet. Won't eat anymore than this.

    I am trying Reptoboost for the last few days to increase appetite/metabolism, but no change yet.

    Incidentally, I bought this snake and another one in Whackers, before the new management took over. I had to return the first snake as she refused to eat at all, and got a credit note for her which I have not used yet.

    Thanks for any advice.


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    #2
    cos!!
    Registered Users Posts: 202 ✭✭cos!!


    i have kept cornsnakes for a good few years now, and i'v never needed any aditional heat source, just a heat mat on one side of the tank should be enough. is the substrate to deep to let the mat heat up the tank?also you said you have just moved tank?sometimes small corns can get stressed out in big enclosures?


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    #3
    Kris08
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭Kris08


    Hi there,

    Thanks for the reply. I have not moved him yet, I will be getting the new tank after Christmas holidays as the store is out of stock. His manner of feeding has been like this since I got him.

    Heat aside, I'm just wondering still about the UVB/A - most reptiles need this to produce vitamins in the skin and to increase activity.

    http://www.uvguide.co.uk/whatisuv.htm
    http://www.uvguide.co.uk/whatreptilesneed.htm

    My snake is amelanystic by the way.


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    #4
    tallus
    Registered Users Posts: 6,324 ✭✭✭tallus


    OP: Maybe you can use a supplementary vitamin powder instead of a uvb light. I have never kept corn snakes myself but I thought they were nocturnal ? I don't think they need a uvb bulb.


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    #5
    monty_python
    Registered Users Posts: 1,677 ✭✭✭monty_python


    Kris08 wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I need some guidance here folks.

    I have a corn snake, big enough to move on from the interim tank I first got to a 20 gallon tank now.

    Reading American books on corn snakes, and various online videos by breeders in America, it seems climate there means a heat mat is sufficient for the tank, more so for corn snakes than other species.

    With a temperature drop in winter here should there be supplementary heat? And/or should I use UVB bulbs aside from this?

    My corn snake doesn't seem so active, and doesn't strike at the food - he sniffs around it for five minutes before taking it slowly. He's almost a year and a half old and eats two fuzzies a week, and not fully grown yet. Won't eat anymore than this.

    I am trying Reptoboost for the last few days to increase appetite/metabolism, but no change yet.

    Incidentally, I bought this snake and another one in Whackers, before the new management took over. I had to return the first snake as she refused to eat at all, and got a credit note for her which I have not used yet.

    Thanks for any advice.
    nobody here can give you the answer to that question. you will have to find it out for yourself. there are differant factors that influance what size heat mat/lamp you will need. (tempature outside the tank, type of tank, amount of ventilation etc) personlly i use 2 250 watt ceramics and a large heat mat all of wich are controlled by a stat. set your new tank up with all your heating equipment and check the temps with a temp gun or lcd thermonitor. if the the temps are what they should be and your termal gradiant is fine then you can move the snake in.

    also you should have any heat source controled by a thermostat to prevent over heating in summer and under heating in winter.

    rep direct is a great site for buying equipment and food, they have a great selection and prices are good too http://www.repdirect.reptile-community.com/cubecart/index.php?act=viewCat&catId=14

    also the irish reptile community is great for getting advice from well experianced keepers and experts http://reptile-community.com/smf/index.php#4

    i hope that helps you:D



    p.s dont buy in whackers again. all of their stock is over priced. reptile haven or boardwalk pets are fairly priced or rep direct is even cheaper


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    #6
    Kris08
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭Kris08


    Thanks for the info guys, and those are great sites Monty_Python.

    As it happens, I've just had my snake out of the tank for some excercise and a feed and he decided to poo on the carpet! But I'm concerned as the second part of it was really reddish/pink. I've never seen this before, maybe his last feed didn't digest completely? Or a side effect of the Reptoboost?

    However, he did take his scheduled feed a few minutes later so I will see how he is over the next couple of days.


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    #7
    monty_python
    Registered Users Posts: 1,677 ✭✭✭monty_python


    Kris08 wrote: »
    Thanks for the info guys, and those are great sites Monty_Python.

    As it happens, I've just had my snake out of the tank for some excercise and a feed and he decided to poo on the carpet! But I'm concerned as the second part of it was really reddish/pink. I've never seen this before, maybe his last feed didn't digest completely? Or a side effect of the Reptoboost?

    However, he did take his scheduled feed a few minutes later so I will see how he is over the next couple of days.
    never seen that either mate. maybe ask on the reptile communty site i linked to in my last post. im sure some1 there would have an answer


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    #8
    SCI
    Closed Accounts Posts: 266 ✭✭SCI


    Hi Kris some good advise there from Monty,you might wanna
    get this book too bud it worth is weight in gold.Cornsnakes
    don't need a UV light and you may get away with a heat mat only in
    a warm room but you would be better with a bulb or ceramic heater
    with a guard on a stat.
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Snakes-Comprehensive-Owners-Herpetocultural-Library/dp/1882770706/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230394790&sr=8-9
    These 2 are pretty good too.
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corn-Snakes-Captivity-Professional-Breeders/dp/0976733412/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230394790&sr=8-6
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corn-Snake-Manual-Bill-Love/dp/1882770544/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230394790&sr=8-2


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