Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well I am looking to get my first cornsnake.Well actually it will be my first snake!So what I need is some help with doing my research phase.First off I am looking to get a baby cornsnake so I am going to have a 10 gallon tank.I would like to use "Habi Chip bedding" from LLLReptile it looks great and I was wondering if anyone has heard anything about it and also how much do you think I need enough for the 10 gallon tank(4 quarts enough?).

I think I might use a heat lamp becuase he seems to be better and make more sense to use so what wattage bulb do you think i need to reach 85 or so?Then I am going to use ProExotic.com`s idea for hides,taking the base or plate from where you sit a pot on(not the bottom of the pot)and just chip a peice off and use that.You can check out the site and look in the FAQ`s I suggest you do that ists a great site and can save time and moeny.

Then I would like to eventually use CRToon83`s (on reptilerooms.com) idea for PVC pipe (YOU GET THE CREDIT LOL).I am still wondering about the water bowl i might just take a dog water bowl and use that and also cut and opening in the fton for a 2nd hide any suggestions for this would be great!ALso feeding....inside the tank or outside i see some people do it in the indise which seems to be fine.Thats abotu it I think that will be my set up besides cage lid locks thats it of course I do think I am forgetting some things but feel free to remind me.

Now besides changing the water,spot cleaning,and fedding ,and a little handeling is there really anything else needed to do?I also need to know if mice can get freezer brunt and if they go sort of go bad in the freezer if not seeled up or in a seprate bag becuase you are going to have to take them out of the airtight bag to open it and put them in a siploc or something right?

OH! AND PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE FEEL FREE TO POST PICTURES OF YOUR ENCLOSURES THE MORE PICTURES THE BETTER I CANT TELL HOW MUCH THIS HELPS ME OUT WITH MY OTHER HERPS PLEASE!THANKS

LET ME KNOW THANKS!

-Chris
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0.2.0 Leo Geckos

1.0.0 Collard Lizard

For bedding, just in general i'd reccomend shredded aspen. It's going to control odors, lets them burrow, readily available, and cheap. just get a small bag, that'll be plenty for a 10 gallon.

On my glass tanks I use light heating. I know a lot of people who say they don't last, but i'm trying to figure out why they're not lasting. I have one bulb thats been burning 8 months 24/7 and still going strong. Those ceramic pot saucers are actually great hides. Corns want something that will touch their back - thats where they get the sense of security. These are low enough to allow that.

I know of people who use the water bowls to double as a hide, but let's figure this... a water bowl like that is expensive. ceramic plant saucers are about 79 cents. Get two of those and a cheapo water bowl. plastic, of course.

Feeding in or out of the tank is always going to be a highly debated topic. Personally, I put a sheet of computer paper on the substrate and put the mouse/rat in the very center of the paper. This will nearly prevent ingestion of the substrate (i also keep a close eye on 'em.) Some people say that the snakes will learn that when you open the cage its feeding time, but I handle mine enough for them to realize that if I open the cage with a piece of paper then its food, if i just open the cage and put my hand in i never have a problem. It's amazing what they notice
Make sure you get those locks. Don't use a book. 95% of the escapes you see on here are because people are too cheap to spend $3 on a set of lid locks.

Pinkies will be fine in a ziploc freezer bag for about 6 months. by then you should be moving up to the next size anyway.

About the pVC pipe. I didn't come up with that design. That's a trick thats been circulating the cage building community for years, but thanks for the thought And BTW... are you talking about reptileforums.com? I don't post on reptilerooms....

In a glass aquairum, I don't use burnt pvc. I use wooden dowels held together with mini zip ties. This picture is of my 29 gallon, but I set up all my glass tanks of all sizes nearly identical to this (as far as whats in it.)

The substrate is aspen, I have ceramic hides, or the flower pot saucer hides. The background is a sheet of cork shelf liner you can get at Home Depot. Self adhesive, inside the tnak. Gives them something to grab onto.

I now have added many more leaves for security to the tank since this picture was taken, they're just cheapo leaves I got at Micheal's.

Water bowl is one I got from walmart for about $1.99

Also, i'd read my care sheet on the bottom here. It'll probably answer a lto of your questions.

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-Chris

0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat
1.0 Black Rat
0.1 Vietnamese Blue Beauty
1.0 Green Tree Python
0.1 Texas Bairds Rat

The educated are the few. The uneducated are the masses.

North American Rat / Corn Snake Care Sheet

This is my tank setup. There is a 5 gallon uth in the bottom right corner.