Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm raising my first corn and have her in a 20 gal vivarium with a locking screen top, aspen bedding, fake rock water dish, a fake log hide on one side, fake branch, and a shoebox on the other. She seems to enjoy hiding in the shoebox more than anything else and that's what got me thinking...
I was thinking about getting another corn and I was wondering if it's actually worth buying all the "standard" equipment or if it's just as good to go with Rubbermaid storage containers, newspaper, shoeboxes, and dog/cat water dishes. The accessories from pet stores seem overpriced and unnecessary (aside from making the vivarium look pretty). Also, if you do use Rubbermaid containers, is there any danger of the bottom melting if you use an undertank heating pad on it? Also, how do you make it escape-proof?

Curious as to what type of luck others have had with this type of setup... THanks!

Ralph

0.1 Motley Ghost Corn

That corn will love to hide in a shoe box just as musch as a $10.00 pet store hide. I use all cat/dog bowls that are dual purpose water source/hide on the cool side, and clay pots on the warm side. I use newspaper for most of my snakes, and aspen for a few others. There's no limit on what you can find and use as cheap hides. Below is a pic of some of the items I use.

Steve

>>I was thinking about getting another corn and I was wondering if it's actually worth buying all the "standard" equipment or if it's just as good to go with Rubbermaid storage containers, newspaper, shoeboxes, and dog/cat water dishes

What's the best way to enlarge the holes in those clay pots? I'm planning on using a screwdriver and hammer to break off pieces and then sand it down somehow. Is there a better way for someone with no power tools to do it? And what's best for sanding? Thanks!

Kimberly

Hey Kimberly, on some of my pots I do use a power drill with a masonary drill bit. I use a drill if I have a pot where there is no existing hole. Most of the clay pots already come with a small hole. With those, you can pretty much just take a hammer and regular screwdriver, and "tap" around the hole. Chiseling it to the size that you want. Sometimes I'll sand the area with medium grit sandpaper. Most of the time I don't even need to sand it down. If I feel the edges may be a bit rough, I'll take a flathead screw driver and smooth the opening with the edge of the screwdriver. That does the job 90 percent of the time.
Steve

>>What's the best way to enlarge the holes in those clay pots? I'm planning on using a screwdriver and hammer to break off pieces and then sand it down somehow. Is there a better way for someone with no power tools to do it? And what's best for sanding? Thanks!
Kimberly

Rubbermaids don't look as pretty but they work very well..
Especially when you have alot of animals to feed & clean up after!!!

I use heat pads under each box & have never had a melting problem but i do use a Helix to control temps.

I have a lidless rack system for my hatchlings & small sub-adults & i use this type of home made rack (pictured below) with lids and binder clips to house my adults.

~ Mike Russo

Coconuts make an excellent hide.
The best way to deal with them is to buy a couple. Store them for a few weeks until the insides dry up (give them a shake, you shouldnt hear any liquid.)

Then you can either cut them open with a saw or crack them.
They normally crack fairly well.

Brilliant for yearlings and cheap.
In the uk they cost around 50p each coconut which gives you two hides.