Reptile & Amphibian Forums

well here it is i pick up my new corn today later this afternnon.
i have everything set up this is a rescued snake. what i need to know is should i have the tank tep regulated BEFORE i bring it home or should i slowly raise it after i introdue this snake to the tank?? it is actually for my daughter but i will be doing most of the care so i can keep proper records on feeding health and all. i will get a pic later after it is home and post but untill i get it home i cant do much . it is at the vets today it went through test this weekend and came back in good health after being in specialised care for the last 6 mo so any help on this is apreciated we have been researching for over a year now lol and it is finaly comming true ? she is sooooooooooo happy i cant rember when i saw a 13 year old girl absoulty nuts it was like it was prom night .lol ]

Seems to me that if the enclosure has a nice temperature gradient, if you have it already heated on the warm side the snake will choose which side it prefers, cool or warm, and go there after exploring the new home. If she wants the warm side and you don't have a warm side she'll be "searching" for it until she actually finds it (until the temperature gets to the right level.

~Sasheena
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~Sasheena

and the kids: Tantilla, Tantillas, Lightning, Kinkee, Maple, Castle, Bishop, Queenie, Jester, Pandora, Phantom, Aphrodite, Athena, Hermes, and Lady

...corns are very temperature tolerant...just being nosy, what specialized care was it undergoing?
Chris

ok here goes first off it was a rescue verry malnurshesd and dehydrated. had ben in same cage for a whil and it had never been cleaned had 4-5 sheds in it a 5 gal tank TOOOOOOOOO small. well vet had it to get it back into shape almost lost it but is now fine. they have had it at the office for 4-6 mo
now ready for it forever home. they treated it for mouth rot and parrisites. was being fed one pinkie a MONTH!! very bad.
now healthy and ready to go
my tank set up is a 20 long undet tank heater on one two hides one on wartm one on coolk side papper towels on botom for now untill i get a feeling for what is norm for this guy.have a fuzzy frozzen waiting to feed after he is used to this set up. heat is at this time will work with what it is best for this one as he gets used to this at 80-85 warm and 70 75 cool if this is not right let me know so i can corect it. i will tell you i am still learniing myself but have a very good mentor who has had snakes for many many years. oh yes and of course the watter dish lol. wil be keeping it just basic for a while then will move on to more elaborate setting and larger tank. thank for the intrest and NO your not being nosey lol just concerned

the only thing I'd be concerned with is attaching the under tank heater directly to the glass bottom of the tank...unless you can adjust the temp of the UTH its going to really heat the glass up, and if your snake lays directly over it it could get burnt...just a suggestion try placing the uth on some kind of tile and slide it under the aquarium (you may need some kind of spacer to lift the aquarium a little bit)...Congrats and y'all enjoy him!

would avoid sticking UTH to glass as well. I bought 2: the first one (Fluker) barely warmed glass and had hot spots where leads went in. After unsticking it from tank went to test and it started smoking. Then bought a Zoo-Med (8 watts), much nicer looking unit BUT left running all day heats the glass to ~150 F. The temp on top of 2 inches of Repti-Bark was 87 F though. Still unsafe if the snake burrows. Must use thermostat.

Pros of attaching: Better heat transfer, tidier, ?
Cons of attaching: Unwieldy cleaning tank, permanent - chance of damaging if removed, too hot.

Good luck with your new pet

never thopught of hot spots with uth heaters but will take caution and i DO have tile we just had new laied in the kitchen lol i was wondering what i saved a few for lol and yes i have a thermoter set up and have been watching it closly he is now home and setteling and more beautiful than i rember will post some pics as soon as i get some uploade to my comp thanks again guys/gals