born2slither
New member
From the moment i held my first snake at around 5 years old, i have been fascinated by snakes and have always wanted to have one of my own. No other pet has interested me as much as these creatures.
Anyway, I have been gathering supplies for my first snake, a corn snake. I became interested in these Bioactive Setups after doing much research on many different housing options, the bioactive naturalistic setup seems to be the best option. From what I understand, these types of setups create a better living space for these animals by providing them with a more natural environment.
Not to sound like a complete noob, i have been reading the threads i could find here to try and give myself as much information on the subject as experienced through those who have attempted this setup. However, many of these posts are brief and old. So I was hoping I could get some updated tips from those who have experience in the subject.
I am currently reading through "the art of keeping snakes" as this was the most recommended book in regards to snake care.
Currently I have invested in the substrate terra firma from here
and have purchased the following items:
Zoo Med ReptiTherm® Under Tank Heater, Medium
Exo Terra Reptile Cave, Medium
Zoo Med Economy Analog Dual Thermometer and Humidity Gauge
Zoo Med Reptile Rock Water Dish, Medium
Jump Start MTPRTC, Digital ETL-Certified Heat Mat Thermostat x2
Bag of Aquarium Gravel (drainage layer)
Eco Earth Compressed Coco Fiber(screen)
Zoo Med ReptiTemp Digital Infrared Thermometer
Plan on getting:
20L Zilla Critter Cage
Ceramic Heat Bulb, fixtures, lamp stand (researching this)
Plants(researching this)
Various Decor
Misc. Tools
My budget for this will probably be in the $500-600 range when completed. I plan on running this setup for at least a month before getting the snake, monitoring things like humidity levels and temperature. Also checking for signs of mold, and going through the regular maintenance routines (misting, turning up substrate, etc)
One of my concerns is, when using an UTH, if excess water were to drain to the bottom of the tank, would this cause the glass to crack? I read something like this. I have read that some use the UTH in order to drive humidity from the drainage layer up into the substrate.
My goal is NOT to eliminate the need for maintenance, but rather to provide something more substantial in terms of living arrangements for my corn than a sterile plastic box.
Obviously I am no expert, so any advice would be appreciated.
Anyway, I have been gathering supplies for my first snake, a corn snake. I became interested in these Bioactive Setups after doing much research on many different housing options, the bioactive naturalistic setup seems to be the best option. From what I understand, these types of setups create a better living space for these animals by providing them with a more natural environment.
Not to sound like a complete noob, i have been reading the threads i could find here to try and give myself as much information on the subject as experienced through those who have attempted this setup. However, many of these posts are brief and old. So I was hoping I could get some updated tips from those who have experience in the subject.
I am currently reading through "the art of keeping snakes" as this was the most recommended book in regards to snake care.
Currently I have invested in the substrate terra firma from here
and have purchased the following items:
Zoo Med ReptiTherm® Under Tank Heater, Medium
Exo Terra Reptile Cave, Medium
Zoo Med Economy Analog Dual Thermometer and Humidity Gauge
Zoo Med Reptile Rock Water Dish, Medium
Jump Start MTPRTC, Digital ETL-Certified Heat Mat Thermostat x2
Bag of Aquarium Gravel (drainage layer)
Eco Earth Compressed Coco Fiber(screen)
Zoo Med ReptiTemp Digital Infrared Thermometer
Plan on getting:
20L Zilla Critter Cage
Ceramic Heat Bulb, fixtures, lamp stand (researching this)
Plants(researching this)
Various Decor
Misc. Tools
My budget for this will probably be in the $500-600 range when completed. I plan on running this setup for at least a month before getting the snake, monitoring things like humidity levels and temperature. Also checking for signs of mold, and going through the regular maintenance routines (misting, turning up substrate, etc)
One of my concerns is, when using an UTH, if excess water were to drain to the bottom of the tank, would this cause the glass to crack? I read something like this. I have read that some use the UTH in order to drive humidity from the drainage layer up into the substrate.
My goal is NOT to eliminate the need for maintenance, but rather to provide something more substantial in terms of living arrangements for my corn than a sterile plastic box.
Obviously I am no expert, so any advice would be appreciated.