Corn Snake Confusion

Reaper of Mind

Got a baby corn snake on Thursday. Seems to be settling in grand, ate yesterday etc. Got home today though and couldn't find her.

I was worried she had escaped but found her buried down underneath the heat pad below the substrate.

I know I am not meant to disturb snakes when they have eaten recently but is it safe for her to be down there? Is this normal behaviour etc?

Wolfsberg

Yes it is normal. Snakes aren't very active, especially after a feed. But you should never have the heatpad inside the viv! It goes under the viv where there is no risk of it burning the snake or getting it wet.

lrushe

I've never had a corn snake but I did have an Indian Trinket Snake which are similar. It spent 90% of its time hiding especially after eating and before and during shedding. As you only have him 4 days I wouldn't be too worried. As mentioned put the heat pad outside the tank and use a lamp for additional heat, just make sure there is a warm side and a cool side to the viv so the snake can regulate its body temperature.

Reaper of Mind

I took the heatpad out and put it underneath the viv. She went back into the hiding spot now and seems fine.

Thanks.

aboutimeilogin!

small heat pads are fine inside the tank especially if made of wood. never use lamps to heat a snake as they can overheat a tank in no time at all. they call kill a snake in a matter of hours, warm day etc or if the snake wraps around the bulb.

Reaper of Mind

Yeah, Ben from Reptile Haven was telling me that it is really easy to over heat a baby snake, so in the starter pack I got a small laminate heat pad that I now have under the viv on one side.

He said that when they are older they can use a single spot light to heat them alng with this but not until I get a larger tank and that. Going to see how she gets on.

scottie pippen

You can keep heat mats inside your vivarium or tub if you are using a thermostat to regulate their temps. These are no use outside of a wooden vivarium.


there are a few types, but the cheapest is a microclimate mat stat (30ish)
these are a must have item in my opinion (these will click of when they reach your desired temperature, and then click back on when the it drops by a few degrees)

sounds like normal behaviour - your snake would still be settling in if you got recently.