Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Alright, I just got a Baby Cornsnake today, i have a heating pad under his Hidebox, and a day light on for about 12 hours in the day, but his temperature seems to stay in the low 80's when i know it should be higher. I use a lamp clamped the the side of his tank, but i can't find a way to get it hotter, should i wait for the heating pad to get hotter?, or should i place teh lamp ontop of the cage? (but then it gets to 90 and above). Help me! i don't want him to die!

Temps in the 80's are fine. My corns rarely even use their warm hides during the summer months, even after eating. Most snakes find a spot that suits them best.

What's most important for most snakes is to try and produce a temperature gradiant in the enclosure so one side is cooler than the other. Make sure to have a hide spot on both the warm and cool sides so your snake can "decide" what temp is best, i.e. many choose the warmer hide while digesting but move to the cooler hide at other times.

Good luck with the new baby. What color/morph?

Ken

thank you! ok that makes me feel a lot better, he's a striped corn. Not sure how old, but about a foot long, peach in color, red eyes, with dark dorsal stripes, 2.

Are you measuring the temps at the bottom of the enclosure? You really dont need two heat sources. Depending on what the temp is in your house you may not need any heat source at all. Many people just keep them at room temperature and they do fine. Enjoy your snake.

EP
-----
Occupants not paying rent:
16 eggs incubating
7 balls
2.2 corns(candy cane, creamsicle, ghost, normal)
1 pueblan milk
1 everglades rat
1 cal. king
1 gray band king
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
2 fish
1 rat
1 mouse
5 cats

Well I have a thermometer on one of his rocks, that he dosn't seem to mind, it's been on 87 for now. BUt another thing is, he's been Underground a lot, nd i know thats a sign of not enough heating, is that a 'favorite thing to do?', or a sign of, 'it's to cold'?

my corns like to burrow A LOT!!! i don't think that burrowing in the bedding is a sign of it bing too cold, they'd have no reason to because they have no heat themselves therefore the insulation value of the substrate is pretty much useless. i think he is just being a good corn and hideing from you i rarely get to see mine and have to dig their tank apart to get them. good luck
Demon

alright cool, thank you so much for your help!