Reptile & Amphibian Forums

which one is better for hatchlings? asphen, reptibark? or newspaper? lol OH YAH.....just wondering, is Reptile Den good for corn snakes?

>>which one is better for hatchlings? asphen, reptibark? or newspaper? lol OH YAH.....just wondering, is Reptile Den good for corn snakes?
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I don't use loose substrate on any of my herps. But especially not babies. If any is ingested, it's more likely for a baby to have trouble passing it. If I were you, I'de at least start with paper towels or B&W newspaper.

I hate reptibark (or any bark at all). Not that it isn't a fine product, I just personally have found it abrasive, hard to clean, and sometimes it holds in a lot of moisture which leads to problems.

Shredded aspen is fine (though again, I don't like it for hatchlings). But I use paper towels for all my snakes, now. For my BRB (rainbow boa) I use "Puppy pee pads" because they require high humidity and these are more absorbant. And in all the hide boxes I use baby diapers. Super absorbant, so they increase humidity - but stay dry, so no blisters or other skin problems.

Make sure you always feed in a separate container. Especially if you use a loose substrate.
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...So many snakes, so little time...
Don't litter ~ Please spay and neuter your cats and dogs!

Well, I've never had one of these. But to me, if the back is open and the snake is in full view, then what is the point of having a hide area?

JMO
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...So many snakes, so little time...
Don't litter ~ Please spay and neuter your cats and dogs!

lol, do baby's diapers inside their dens really help them? how should i make my corn snake den? should i buy one or like make one? what could i make it out of

>>lol, do baby's diapers inside their dens really help them? how should i make my corn snake den? should i buy one or like make one? what could i make it out of

Well, regular hide boxes can be bought at any pet store. I like the ones that are lightweight caves. Made by many, many brands in all sizes. get one that fits your snake securely. He won't use it if it's too big.
I use 2 hide boxes in all my cages. One on the hot side, the other on the cool side. Then a third, which is a humid hide.

For humid hides, I take a Tupperware/Rubbermaid type container, and drill some holes along the side (small enough so that the snake can't get through) for ventilation. Then I cut a large entrance hole in one end. If you don't have a drill that makes a nice smooth hole, then line the entrance with duct tape once it's cut out to cover any sharp edges.

This is the hide which I line with diapers. They hold in moisture (you have to mist this hide often to keep it damp) which aids in proper shedding. For humidity lovers, I keep these hides in all the time. But for corns, you only really need it in the cage at shedding time.
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...So many snakes, so little time...
Don't litter ~ Please spay and neuter your cats and dogs!

I've used this stuff for more than two years now and my snakes love it. They never miss a shed and I absolutely never have had humidity problems. Just don't spray the stuff down all the time and you'll be fine. PLUS I wanted to create more real looking environments for the tanks and I can't remember the last time I walked through the woods on aspen shavings...

My corns really enjoy repti-den, it's a good hiding place with two different temperature level. And i open it only few seconds a day, so i can see my snakes and i don't disturb them.

np
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Occupants not paying rent:
7 balls
2 corns(normal, candy cane)
1 pueblan milk
1 everglades rat
1 cal. king
1 gray band king
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
2 leopard geckos
2 fish, 1 snail
1 pac man frog
1 rat
5 cats

Yes... i have had a little problem with my fogger!!!

wow that's really nice, hey which size of repti den did u use? small medium or large? do u think i could just buy the large one and use it for my snake from a baby till he grows big? becoz somehow i have a feeling that this snake would enjoy the darkness in it......oh yeah is dat "frog moss" on the inside of ur repti-den? what is dat? hehe thanx

mark

Hehe, I use the small one but, i will get the medium soon because one of my snake is becoming a little bit too big for the hide!!
You could use the large one if you have a big tank! It is very big, if you corn are young i suggest you buy the smaller and then buy the other one later, like me! I prefer to do that, and when i will get the other repti-den, i will use this one for geckos or other reptiles.
Yes that is spagnum moss, i put it there to do a little bit of humidity but it had dried very fast so for now i removed it and there is much room for my snakes!

Karine

oh cool thanx....hey have u seen the repti-den large size? like have u looked inside it? is it really big? but just wondering, even though its big, wouldnt the corn snake stay at a corner inside it since its like dark? i have a feeling that he would like it still =) do u think that the large reptiden will fit an adult corn snake? lol thnx

I've seen it and he's not similar to the small, the tunnels are not in the same position, that'a also why i prefer the smaller, it is more cute! And i unfortunatly think that an adult corn won't fit in the repti-den... but it is my opinion, maybe if he is a small adult corn, then he could fit but... i still have doubts.

For the substrat, i use coconut bark for the top and coconut earth for the bottom, it smell good the first day and give a natural look to the tank!
You must put the coconut earth in water before to put it in the tank because it is compressed, so you put it in a water bowl for about 15 minutes and it becomes earth. After you must dry it before to use it, i personally prefer to keep it a little bit wet, so i dry it with my hands, i mean i take a little bit of very wet coconut earth in my two hands and i apply a good pressure on it, so the water leave the earth and it is just a very little humid, after i put it in the bottom of the tank, everywhere, and then i put the coconut bard on it! so my snakes are not directly on the humid earth, and sometimes they like to dig into the earth to get more humidity, like when the shed, they can pass a week in the earth!

Another advantage with coconut earth is that you can plant your plants directly into it, so you won't bring parasits and insects into your tank, i do it and it works well, my plants grow fast and i never seen insect and others parasits!
I use little pots to be able to give water to my plants without having trouble.