Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,
I just got a couple of corns. For heat, I am using an undercage heater, the first I have ever used. In the instructions, it says to have enough substrate so the heat will defuse and not burn the animal. However, once I turned on the heater, the corns burrowed down to the bottom. The substrate is a good temperature, but right on the glass in quite hot. I am afraid of leaving the heater on for very long. Do they stay a constant temperature, or continue to rise?
Thanks
Stephanie

I've got a ZooMed UTH and it stays at a constant temp. what are you using for subtrate?? Try packing the subtrate ( be careful if it's a glass bottom, speaking from experience on this one! ) so they can't dig down into it. My friend who has corns had the same problem but she switched to coconut bark subtrate and just packed it really good.

Hi,
The cage has a glass bottom. I am using coconut substrate, but they are still burrowing down. I'll try adding more and packing it.

Make sure you don't make the layer too thick, otherwise the lil guys won't get the heat they need. I think my UTH said not to have the subtrate over 2 inches thick.

I would never suggest using a UTH (or any heating device) without at least a thermometer and rheostat to control the temp. Ideally I'd suggest a good thermostat, which can cost upwards of $100.

>>Hi,
>>I just got a couple of corns. For heat, I am using an undercage heater, the first I have ever used. In the instructions, it says to have enough substrate so the heat will defuse and not burn the animal. However, once I turned on the heater, the corns burrowed down to the bottom. The substrate is a good temperature, but right on the glass in quite hot. I am afraid of leaving the heater on for very long. Do they stay a constant temperature, or continue to rise?
>>Thanks
>>Stephanie

Well, first, I think if they are burrowing down to it then their ambient temps are too low and they are trying to get warm...this is how burns happen. I would add a daylight to bring up the overall temps in the cage. Two, most of the heat pads tend to get to 135-140 degrees if unregulated. Spend $6, buy a dimmer switch, box, cover plate and $1 extension cord. Wire the switch to the extension (a really simple procedure) and plug the pad into that, then you can regulate the pad down some. Get a good thermometer and check the temps WHERE THE SNAKE IS spending it's time, not ambiguously in the cage. Then you can know what you need to add for wattage of daylight bulb. I usually turn my UTH down to 90-95 for my colubrids.
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

Not a big fan of jerry rigging things when it comes to electricty, burning the house down and all, not good!! Fork out the 20 bucks and get a thermostat from ZooMed or other company if you think the heat is too high, Get a laser temp gun ( I cook a lot so I already knew about these before they started being sold in the reptile markets ) they're a lil pricey, but VERY multiuse!! ( think I got mine at a cooking store for like 80-100 bucks, but those that don't know any different end up buying the 200 dollar "reptile safe" version. Umm, yeah, no comment on that ad campaign to try and screw you out of some cash!! IT'S A LASER, and by it's very nature, they all work the same way. So if you want it to say "ReptoLaserMatic" on the side, buy a the cooking version and paint that on the side of it! Sorry for the ramblings of a crazy person up there!!

>>Not a big fan of jerry rigging things when it comes to electricty, burning the house down and all, not good!! Fork out the 20 bucks and get a thermostat from ZooMed or other company if you think the heat is too high, Get a laser temp gun ( I cook a lot so I already knew about these before they started being sold in the reptile markets ) they're a lil pricey, but VERY multiuse!! ( think I got mine at a cooking store for like 80-100 bucks, but those that don't know any different end up buying the 200 dollar "reptile safe" version. Umm, yeah, no comment on that ad campaign to try and screw you out of some cash!! IT'S A LASER, and by it's very nature, they all work the same way. So if you want it to say "ReptoLaserMatic" on the side, buy a the cooking version and paint that on the side of it! Sorry for the ramblings of a crazy person up there!!

Wiring a dimmer switch isn't rigging anything, it is the same as any 'do it yourself'- the same as setting up some flexwatt heat tape, everything used is code and safe. You just put it together. And Zoo Med rheostats have this tendency to die in a couple months, one melted and singed a guys carpet here locally, another fryed a snake...I have seen enough returned to the store that we no longer carry them. So yes, try some other brand thermostat if that is the way you want to go.
I have the $30 radio shack IR thermometer and think it is one of the best investments, even if you have two snakes.
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

Woooh, easy now!! I was joking around. People take things a lil too seriously now a days, every body needs to mellow out!! lol

Oh and I just wanted to say, I'm not a spokes person for ZooMed by any means, I have a Helix and swear by it!! Most people won't fork out that much cash for one, so I was mentioning some of the cheaper ones as mere reference... Thank you

>>Woooh, easy now!! I was joking around. People take things a lil too seriously now a days, every body needs to mellow out!! lol

I wasn't taking you too seriously.
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

I had a similar problem with my corns.

my granny says if you throw a frog in boiling water he will jump out, but if you heat the cool water that he is in to a boiling temp you can boil him alive.

I suggest you turn on the heater and let it get to full heat (like a hour or so) then let them go near if they want, then they might not burrow so deep.

Be sure to put a hide box on the hot side so they still have a way to feel secure while warming up.

It also depends on where you are in the country. I live in Tucson, AZ so it never gets too cold here & I don't use a heater at all. As long as the room they're in is comfortable for a human (say 75-80 degrees), the snakes will be alright. Don't let the snakes lie of anything overly hot, they'll burn their bellies - that's why a lot of places have stopped selling "hot rocks" - snakes will lay on them until they're horribly burned.