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2 snakes, 1 cage- Seperated down the middle and two UTHs?

BlueDemon

BlueDemon

Consciously Unaware
Hello all. This is my first post in the Husbandry and Basic Care forum. I'm an avid car nut, and once was a proud owner of two corn snakes (years ago). Don't ask me about them as my parents traumatized me when I went on a trip and came back to find no snakes... :cry:

Anyway, I'm all grown up now, a firefighter and ready to take on the burden of owning corn snakes again.

I purchased a 30 gallon Aquarium, 2 12x6 UTHs, Aspen Substrate and I've yet to get hides, as I haven't received my two Okeetee corns yet (1.1). My main question is.... do any of you foresee any problems with separating the 30 gallon tank with a divider (blacked out and as tall as the cage) with a UTH on each end for each snake? I have though of all the pros and cons I've read about on all the threads I could find regarding housing two snakes together, and theoretically, I'm basically converting a 30 gallon tank into two 15 gallon tanks. These are 05 hatchlings, BTW. So once they grow up to be sub adults, I'll obviously take one out and house the other in a similarly sized tank.

Thank you for reading. Oh, and I've read that anything over 83-85 degrees F. can be damaging to the corn snake, regarding UTHs. So my question is, what is the lowest acceptable temperature for the corns?

Thanks again. I can't wait to receive my snakes.

Blue
 
I think that will work just fine, and you could probably get away with using one UTH, right in the middle where you have the aquarium divided...

Hatchlings can take a degree or two more than that, but those temps are fine. You should probably use a thermostat or rheostat in conjunction with the UTH, since one flush against the glass can cause the glass to get real hot, and corns, being pretty dumb, can burrow down, lie on the glass and get burned. http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19168 here's alink to show how to build a cheap rheostat.

Good luck, and welcome to CS too, btw :*)
 
cka said:
I think that will work just fine, and you could probably get away with using one UTH, right in the middle where you have the aquarium divided...

Hatchlings can take a degree or two more than that, but those temps are fine. You should probably use a thermostat or rheostat in conjunction with the UTH, since one flush against the glass can cause the glass to get real hot, and corns, being pretty dumb, can burrow down, lie on the glass and get burned. http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19168 here's alink to show how to build a cheap rheostat.

Good luck, and welcome to CS too, btw :*)
Click to expand...

Thank you for the welcome. Oh, I'm sorry I forgot to mention I bought the "light dimmer" from walmart for both my UTHs so I have the "ghetto" style rheostat. I'm still experimenting with the temps before I get my corns so I have an optimal temp.

I never thought about just putting one uth in the middle where it divides..... that's a good idea and would have saved me money... oh well, maybe on my next setup I'll choose to do that.

The whole burrowing thing gets me though...... I suppose you're supposed to set up the temp for the substrate, correct? Well you need a higher temp on the bottom to yield the correct temp on the top... how do you get around achieving the correct temp on the top, but not burning your snakes on the bottom, if they did burrow down??

Blue
 
BlueDemon said:
. I never thought about just putting one uth in the middle where it divides..... that's a good idea and would have saved me money... oh well, maybe on my next setup I'll choose to do that.


The whole burrowing thing gets me though...... I suppose you're supposed to set up the temp for the substrate, correct? Well you need a higher temp on the bottom to yield the correct temp on the top... how do you get around achieving the correct temp on the top, but not burning your snakes on the bottom, if they did burrow down??
Blue
Click to expand...
This is how I have a 55 gal divided, with a uth in the middle and it works great. You may want to experiment for a few days since you don't have the snakes yet to see which will work better. I might be concerned with a 6X12 uth at both ends. You may be covering too much of the bottom providing too much heat.

I have my temp probe right on the glass, under the substrate, under the hide. I keep it at around 85. The cool side usually reads arounds 73-76. I assume this temp gradient is more that adequate since the snakes make use of both sides and middle of the vivs.

Good luck!
 
Blue,

Here's the pictures of how mine is set up. I used silicone to adhere the bottom and both sides of the plexiglass to the viv. Again, measure from the floor to the top of the screen lid so you don't allow any space for them to come together again. The last pic, I folded back the repti-carpet (great substrate while they're small; take one out and replace with a clean one) to show how I have my uth attached to ceramic tile and directly on the glass. Hope this helps.
 

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this looks great dwyn127
chirolp_hello2.gif
 
Awesome, thank you very much for the pics and the great advice. I'll ge doing this very soon.

Cheers!

Blue
 
I find that right about 90F or above is when I have seen problems with cornsnakes regurging and not eating, listless, etc. Below that (or when the can escape it) they seem to have little problem.

I did not notice any particulars about the divider (might have missed it). They are REALLY good at getting through them. DO NOT use tape - no matter how well you seal it down, they seem to manage to get stuck to some part of it - a real mess to get off! (Use vegetable oil, but not easy to do without damaging them).

Good luck!
 
Thank you for your helpful advice. It was a cardboard divider which I used medical tape to seal down. Thank you for the warning on the tape, btw :eek1: I took care of that quickly.

Anyway, after reading the advice on the divider, I actually went out and found a 55 gallon tank for $49 on clearance! Couldn't believe my luck. Then went and got the supplies to make my divider. I'm a novice on silicone caulking, but I think I did a fairly decent job on my first attempt.

Here's a photo for you. I've gotta let it cure for 12 hours before I set my snakes up in it.

Blue

169127455gallonSplit.JPG
 
Looks good Blue, I think you made a wise choice.

Hmmm...if I bought a giant viv.... I wonder how many snakes I could feasibly fit in there by using this method.... *cogs turning*
 
Here's the finished 55 gallon tank split down the middle.

1691887NewViv.JPG


Thank you everyone for all your help regarding this project.

Blue
 
Thank you, it was fairly easy to do.

And on a side note: Awesome Avatar, which comes from an AWESOME movie.

Blue
 
Congrats on the finished tank, it looks great! BTW - good luck fishing through the aspen to find the little guys. I always have a panic attack when I have to sift through the entire bedding to finally find my smallest curled up in a teeny ball. :eek: :)
 
Bubbles said:
whow nice idea nice finish well done.
Click to expand...

Thankyou, though it wasn't my idea. I just copied what other's have done, and it turned out brilliantly. Now the little buggers have NO chance to escape to the other's side. My only daunting task now is to figure out which is which now :sobstory:

Blue
 
wendyhoo9 said:
Congrats on the finished tank, it looks great! BTW - good luck fishing through the aspen to find the little guys. I always have a panic attack when I have to sift through the entire bedding to finally find my smallest curled up in a teeny ball. :eek: :)
Click to expand...

And yes, I have had a fright or two with that aspen... but, what can I do :shrugs: They like to burrow, and who am I to stop them from doing so :twoguns: I'm just glad they're doing well, and now in a permanent home which they can stay in for life, if need be (as each side is large enough to house an adult).

Blue
 
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