Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I purchased a flourescent orange yearling corn a little over a week ago. Right now, she is in a 10-gal glass aquarium, with aspen substrate and two hides (along with some other frivolous stuff). There is an ExoTerra Heat Wave heater attached to the outside-bottom of the enclosure, but if I turn it up (with a dimmer) it seems to get VERY hot on the glass. I am afraid if she goes under the aspen and lays on the glass that she will get burned! Even with it up all the way, it barely gets above 70 degrees (but the glass is blazin')! So, I tried getting a red bulb that I placed on top of the screen, and it seemed to bring up the temp (80-85), however, I had read that you should not put a heat lamp above a heat pad, because of the risk of fire. So, today I turned off the heat pad before I went to work, and left the red light on her for heat. When I came home, it was barely above 70 in the tank! I even had paper towels on the bottom of the tank, under the aspen - but, she crawls right under them. I am afraid she is going to get burned, or be too cold... and I kinda like her, and would like to keep her around! Please help my adorable little friend! Any response would be appreciated! Thank you.

Well first of all, I think a 10 gallon tank is a little small for a yearling corn and it will definitely be too small for an adult corn. I'm not sure where you are taking the temperature from, but the important place for the correct temperature is near the ground where the snake is. If the glass is hot, then you know it is warm enough. The snake will do fine as long as he has a cool place to retreat to if he gets too hot. In a 10 gallon, there is not much room to get away form the heat if its too hot. I use a heat pad that heats the glass a lot too but my snake never sits on top of it because it is too hot, instead he just goes near it where the temperature is just right. Let me know how it works out.
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1.2 Corns
1.1 Graybanded
2.1 Banana Cal Kings
0.3 Solomon Island Ground Boas

I have 2 corns. Each one is housed in a 20 gal long glass tank with UTH (under the tank heaters). I had that fear too of the snakes setting right on the glass and getting burnt. I put a piece of that green carpet stuff over the heating area then my substrate and it works well. They can still feel the heat but not get burned. With my python I just put a couple pieces of newspaper then the substrate and it works fine too since I didn't have any more of the green carpet stuff. Each one also has a light for the day to help keep their tanks warm but they go off at night. The UTH is on all the time. You want a little cool down at night. Also a 10 gallon is too small to provide a proper hot/cold sides. I have a 5 month old milk in a 10 gallon and I think he is getting restless so I'm going to move him to a 20 gallon.

Thank you both for your responses... they are greatly appreciated! We are planning to move her into a bigger enclosure, as soon as we make the decision of building or buying. And then it will be a whole NEW heating situation, because I think we are going to go with some type of wooden enclosure. My husband is ready to divorce me, because I am totally obsessing over this snake (her name is Flo, by the way)... I'd post a pic, but I don't know how.
So, is it ok to have a heat lamp directly over the heat pad? Thanks!

putting both heat lamp and uth might be a bit too much. Using one or the other would do fine. Since its a 10 gallon it would be better IMO to just use the UTH. that way you can still have a cool side.
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1.1 Leos
1.1 Corn snakes (1 Lav & 1 Ghost)
0.1 Banan California King
0.0.1 Childrens python
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow boa
1.0 Rat (as pet not food)
1.0 Cat
"whats with you and all those dang reptiles?"

Thanks, I'll just try the uth and hope that I can get it to the correct temp. I've read info on different sites saying the ambient temp should be 80 degrees, and there is no way my uth is going to do that!
I thank you all for dealing with my naiive questions! I'm just learning...

i have a 10 gallon for my 2 month old corn, and am using a UTH and a lamp above on the same side. the temp doesn't seem to go too high, and on the opposite side of the tank its quite cool. the glass and the water on that side is cool to the touch and i think it works well. the UTH i'm using may not be quite as hot as yours sounds like it is though. my corn seems to stay towards the middle but wanders over to the warmer side during midday when the light is on and at night when i turn the light off so i've made three little hides for him. he seems to like it. it didn't quite seem warm enough with just the UTH when i got it, but maybe its just the kind that i got.
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-ryan
fancher@email.com

I hope you were joking about your husband divording you. Snakes should never come between husband and wife. But be careful about having the heat lamp directly over the heat pad. It should be fine as long as it doesn't get too hot and always make sure the snake has a place to escape from the heat.
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1.2 Corns
1.1 Graybanded
2.1 Banana Cal Kings
0.3 Solomon Island Ground Boas

Yes, I'm definately joking about the divorce
I appreciate all of your help. It is nice to have a place to ask questions and get serious answers. Flo is now warm and satisfied (with a full-belly), and I feel a lot better too!