Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am getting a corn and am housing him/her in a plastic shoe box. I have some questions:

1. can an undertank heater be used? WIll it melt it?
2. and can a regular reptile light be used on the plastic lid?

Suggestions greatly apprectiated!

what are the temperatures in your home? I dont use any heat at all in the caging system i have

The temperatures right now is 80 F., and that's at night. During the day it's about 85-90 F., so i think i might be okay, ya know.

Thanks

And what about UVB & UVA if i wanted to use it? I mean i don't need to but let's just say i did? Can anything be done about that?

If these are the temps inside your house, then it may get too warm during the day when in the upper 80s to 90 degrees!!! Corns can do well at consistent temps around upper 70s to low 80s. If your house stays around these temps, then no supplemental heat may be needed. If your house/where you are going to keep the corn stays more in the mid to low 70s with A/C, then you may want to add a heat source under about 1/3 of the cage. A regular heating pad set on low to medium works well and shouldn't melt the plastic box. Remember, the heated area needs to feel warm. You should be able to keep your hand on top of the heat source and not feel discomfort, just gentle warmth. I would totally skip the uvb light set up.

Sorry about the 90 degrees, that's what it is outside during the day. It's 80-85 degrees inside during the day. Whereever he/she will be, I'll be monitoring how the sun is coming through the windows and will make sure there's usually an equal amount of sun/shade. So in all, i think 80-85 degrees will be fine as long as I can monitor the box and make sure if it does get too hot then I can easily move him/her in a cooler spot. -There's usually a nice cool place somewhere in the house!

Thanks for your help!

Keep in as close to or a bit under 80 degrees as much as possible. DO NOT place the cage directly by a window which receives sun as it may overheat the cage QUICKLY!!! Snakes are generally secretive and only bask to warm up. If at an adequate temperature, they stay hidden until hungry and dont necessarily need the UV rays like lizards and turtles do. Thats the beauty of keeping snakes as opposed to lizards and turtles, no special lightning needed.

Good Luck!!

Thanks for your help!! (P.S. I'll be getting him/her at the Northern Berks Reptile Show, not from a pet store)

Pine is an okay substrate for corns, right? Because I've used pine for my ball python and she was okay.

Pine should be OK and I have used pine before. Probably aspen is better because it has NO aromatic oils that may potentially be toxic to the snake.