Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My dad pretty much agreed to let me have a corn, but i've gotta wait about a month until my birthday because he doesn't wanna bother to go with me to the store to get it. So, August 27th that will be my birthday present to myself.
Anyway, i've moved my bearded dragon along to his big cage, and since I have no better place to put the tank he was in, I cleaned it up and I am getting it ready to go again.
The tank is a 20 long. I don't have the right size screen top right now because I got the tank from a friend and she had the wrong size. Dragons aren't really too apt to escaping so I just used the wrong size top. I'm going to get a 20l top and 4 clamps before getting the snake.
As for the heating, I am not entirely sure yet what I want to do with that. I am definetly putting a light on the tank. To do this requires I lift up the shelf above it, and it will be an extra way to prevent escape. I have a heat pad which I think is for a 5-10 gallon tank. I could also buy another heat pad for the 20. If I have the light, do I need to put the heat pad there? Maybe to keep it slightly warm at night I would, but is there a good reason to spend money on a new heat pad?
I have paper towels as substrate. I got a little bored and also shredded a bunch up. Would it be good to shred more for the snake to burrow in. If it would run through a paper shredder, could I do that? Is that totally not worth bothering with?
As for the furniture, I have 2 logs running across the tank, 1 on each side. On the warm side I have a paper towel roll that I cut apart and smashed out wider for the hide. In the center I made a humid hide. It is a chinese food soup container. I cut a hole in it, losely filled it with paper towels, and i'll mist it every day or two. Is it alright to put the hole on the top so the towels stay in? On the cool side I have a half log hide. I do realize my hides will have to be replaced as the snake grows, and i'll do that when I see it's necessary. The water dish is a plastic container. Is it likely the snake will tip it, and should I put a small rock in to prevent this?
Ok, I think i've covered all the issues i've run in to so far. I'm sure i'll be back many more times with more questions for you all. Thanks for reading and answering.

Your set up sounds a bit scatty. If there is a single gap for the snake to escape from, it will escape! Lighting isn't necessary, but it will help you see your snake - you'll have to get a timer switch for the light. I suggest you get a small ceramic dog drinking bowl for the snake instead of a plastic one which it would tip over. You can just lay down some newspaper as substrate for the snake, I prefer to use shredded hemp as it looks nicer and allows my cornsnake to burrow a bit.

I think you should buy a book on cornsnakes first and read it thoroughly. I think you should get a proper vivarium too. Is your tank made of glass? You might want to get 2 thermometers that can be stuck onto the back of each end of the tank, so that you can check he's being kept at a comfortable temperature range IE: 70 degrees - 85 degrees farenheit. You should get a heat mat that covers between a third or half of the ground space and a thermostat to regulate the temperature. A paper towel roll will be knocked over!

Read the care sheet: http://www.kingsnake.com/rockymountain/RMHPages/RMHnewpage11.htm

Yet another post that makes me wonder why I come to kingsnake. That's actually the most important question I have.
I do know that I need the proper sized top. I will get that before I get the snake. I work in a petstore, and we have 3 other petstores within 5 minutes, so I have plenty of access to what I need. A papertowel roll will not fall if it is placed on the floor of the tank. I know that I must use thermometers to establish the proper temperature in my tanks. Before I put an animal into a new setup, I always run at least a 48 hour check of the temps to be sure that it will be safe for the animal. If I need to make adjustments to get the proper temperature, the 48 hours is restarted. I know that the hides and dish I am using will need to be replaced as the snake grows. I plan to do that. I know the dish may get tipped, and when it gets tipped i'll replace it with a heavier ceramic dish. The plastic container will be outgrown and need to be replaced anyway. I have lots of wood I could use to make things as I have a fireplace. If I need something really quick I can very easily take a piece of that. Oh, yeah, I do know I need to disinfect anything from outside. I did bleach out my tank and wood yesterday, then I put the wood in the oven to dry it. If I have the light on top to provide the proper heat, is it necessary to run a heat pad on the bottom. At night the temperature in the tank stayed from 70-75. If I need it I have no problem with buying it.

???I don't post very often anymore...but why do you question coming to kingsnake? I agree with the previous post about your setup sounding scatty...whatever that might mean. If you work in a pet store, I would assume you would treat your own animal the same way you treat the ones at the store, so what's with all the questions? If you haven't done so, read Kathy Love's book. I have my snakes in aquariums with lids..they have hides..they have drinking/soaking bowls..I use a heat mat ONLY and I only use it for the few days after feeding. My snakes are very healthy, they exercise outside and I take them for an occasional swim in the tub. This isn't an exact science...If the snake is healthy and happy, then your setup is fine. If they spend all their time on the cool side, it's too hot..If they always stay on the hot side, it's too cold..Right? Maybe I have the most worry free corns in the world, and that's why I don't have problems...Or maybe they are rugged animals that can be healthy and happy with a wide range of heat/humidity conditions, making them the best snakes for beginners and the most hassle free for veterans. I'm sure I'll get roasted for this, but if you're not happy with the responses, or lack there of since you've posted your setup on several occasions, maybe you should ask somewhere else. Regards

don't fret it,like the one gentleman said corn snakes are usally recomended as a beginner snake for many reasons. above all else these guys are very harty,you just have to look at their natural range. i use a heat pad for a total of 7 hrs a week(right after feeding) my room temp at night is 70-72, daytime it runs 80-82.a far as your set up goes, do what you can afford.there are people out there that use plastic totes with very little inside.the one thing that is very important is the screen lid,you give these gut an inch & they will take a mile
hope this helps
chris
p.s. don't fret it

Thanks. I did say I would get the right lid. I just didn't with the dragons because then it didn't make a difference. The light on top was enough to hold them in. I want to put the light on just as one more way to secure the lid. I was looking at an adult, but I decided not to get it. There was only a 48 hour guarantee on it, and I don't think that's enough from this particular store. Had I chosen the bigger snake, I know I couldn't use some of what I am using because it would get knocked over. I know that as my snake grows i'll have to replacee somethings. However, I also looked at hatchlings and from the size, it doesn't seem that such a tiny snake could knock over what I have in there. I asked about the light and heat pad because I wasn't sure if it was necessary to have the heat pad if I had the light as heat. If I need it, then I need it and it will be bought. The only issue with money is just preventing getting ripped off. I don't have a problem with spending the money, but at the same time I don't mind shopping around when I have the time to do that.