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First corn snake... newbie looking for advice

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PinkiePie

New member
Hi all! I've never had a corn snake before (or even a snake) but I always wanted one. When I finally got the money, I went to my new Petsmart yesterday and picked up Pinkie Pie, an albino corn:
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Everything seems to be going very well, but I still have a bunch of concerns.

First, they didn't have a feeding schedule, but there was a very smart worker who told me to feed her today since they had just received her the day I got her (2 new homes in one day, poor Pinkie Pie)

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After getting her cage set up, I held the cup I got her in close to the ground and she crawled out, looked around the perimeter, and then found a cozy spot behind the cow skull where she stayed most of the day. Around 8 PM, she got out, looked around, then went to the warm side under the water/hide. She stayed there, poking her head in and out for awhile before curling up. Around 1 I went to sleep.

This morning I looked under the hide and I let her smell my hand so she wouldn't be as scared of me, but she's still pretty skittish (I accidentily touched her lower back and she did whip around but didn't bite). So I used the hook and gently put her in a large tin where the defrosted pinkie was. She had a little trouble and ended up eating the pinkie backwards (hind legs first). However, she seems fine like she probably won't regurgitate and she seemed pretty hungry. After a few minutes when she had digested a bit I gently let her crawl back into the cage.
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I felt bad because I had forgotten to change the water and disturbed her sleep again, but she is curled up in the substrate right now behind it, on the warm side. I turned the light on to see if maybe that would make it a little warmer since it's been around 75, and it went to 79 degrees.

As you can see, the thermometer on the right is a little above ground level. I'm assuming it's a bit warmer below. What's a good temp to keep it at?

My main concern is I am using a heating pad (applied outside the tank, on the bottom). I worry about her getting too hot or a burn because she likes to burrow.
Will she move if she gets too warm?
Also, are heating pads safe? I live in an apartment and sometimes no one is here overnight or for two days tops. I am very worried about leaving my corn, much less the cage, alone.

When will it be alright to try handling her? I've read anywhere from a week to a month. I want to slowly introduce myself to her, since she seems shy.

Thank you all so much. I've been a lurker here since I've started looking for a snake and I'm glad to finally join!
 
Welcome. It is advice to use a thermostat or rheostate along with the heating pad to control the temps. It can get hot enough to burn your scalebaby. Provide two hides on for the hot side and one for the cold side. It is also advised to get a digital thermometer and put in directly on the glass above the heat pad to watch temps. Hot side should be 80-85 and cold side about 75.

It is also advised to let her settle into her new viv for about a week and no handling after feeding for 48hours.

Your baby is beautiful. I do believe she looks like a snow corn but others who are more fimilar with morphs could chime in!

There are a lot of good books as well that can help you will your new scalebaby

Corn Snakes: The Comprehensive Owner's Guide by Kathy and Bill Love

Corn Snakes in Captivity by Don Soderberg ( I had my son read this book for 2 months before we ever bought him a snake LOL) before I even joined this site.
 
I'll definetly look into a thermostat.

I had the half log in the middle for a gradient hide, should I just move it more towards the warm side?

I already have the first book you mentioned :) It's been very helpful and was the first thing I got before anything else.

Any advice on where to get a thermostat and how to use? What temp would be ideal for the bottom of the cage?

Thanks :)
 
I also wanted to add that it's been sort of cold here (outside temp is around 60 degrees, very humid climate) but inside it's closer to 70-75.
 
Sorry for the triple post (couldn't find a way to edit). I looked up the thermostat and I'll try to pick one up today along w/the digital therm. Just need to know about what temp it should be. ^^
 
Your warm side is to be 85 but that is on top of the heat mat, not the air temps. I noticed that you had those dial thermometers and I am sorry but most the time those are junk. They can easily be 20 degrees off plus you want to check the temps down in the bedding where the snake is not up in the air. So I would get a digital thermometer and something to regulate the mat soon. You can even get a cheap dimmer switch from homedepot. I would not turn on the lamp until you are able to tell what the temps are for sure. The mat very well could be to hot as well.

And beautifullywild77 is right you have a snow corn snake. :) Congrats on your new baby!
 
Yup its a snow corn, probably should have waited a couple of days before you fed it but oh well :p Just dont touch her for a week or so and you should be fine.

I got my thermostat online, I had it within a week of ordering it. Get one with a probe so that you can place the probe right over the heat mat.
 
Log hides aren't very good "hides" if your snake can be seen under it ;). I know it doesn't look visually appealing but burying the log in the aspen so you can just see the top turns a log ornament into a log "hide" :*).
 
Thanks everyone. I picked up a Rept Temp rheometer because it was the only one there and only one left. :( I read some reviews but they were pretty split. I'm going to try it on low with the probe and if it stays too hot I'll return it (petsmart said that was okay).
 
Also I don't leave the lamp running. I only use it when I need to see since it's kinda dark in that corner of our livingroom.
 
I went to the Dollar Tree and bought a four pack of small thin plastic bowls and cut an opening in it. My babies love them and they are a dollar a pack. I also use food boxes. My yearling snow loves his spegetti box. And toliet paper rolls... they seem to absolutely love thoses.

Pet mountain has some thermastat or rheostats that are fairly cheep but not sure how long they take to ship. You can probably get a rheostate for about 25 bucks from petsmart that will get you through.
 
All I could find was the Rept Temp rheostat and a food probe thermometer. The temperature on the cool side was 80 originally (after adding a towel, it was 78). On the warm side it's reading at 86ish, maybe a bit higher. I've only had the rheostat set on low, attatched for about 15 minutes.

Are these numbers too high or about what I should be looking for? She's still in the hide on the warm side, on top of the substrate.
 
I buried the log so that it's in the substrate. I also moved the little temperature thing from off the wall to the floor near the hide so I can get a better reading.
 
So are my temps okay? They've been at 70ish on the cool and 91 on the warm.

She's spending alot of time inside the hide, on top of the substrate (as opposed to borrowing in the substrate).
 
No beautifullywild is correct your high side needs to come down. That is probably why your snake is not burrowing as well. It is just to darn hot for it to.
 
If you have a lowes or a home depot around, I'd go and pick up a digital thermometer (the food ones won't do very well! It's probably even hotter than 91). I use one that is similar to this http://www.wayfair.com/La-Crosse-Te...nd-Digital-Clock-WS-9117U-IT-CBP-LCT1156.html that I picked up at Lowes for $12. I like it because it has the probe (which you'll tape with a TINY amount of painters tape to the warm side, under the bedding, over the center of the under tank heater) and then you can set the unit on the cold side. The face shows both temperatures, which is super convenient! I would also recommend a thermostat in place of the rheostat (i'd just go return the rheostat if I were you). This way you can set an exact temperature. One that is cheap and has good reviews is this one http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPRTC-Digital-Thermostat-Heat/dp/B000NZZG3S . When you get the thermostat, place its probe directly next to your thermometer probe.
Don't worry that we all sound like we're bashing what you are doing! We all started out with dials and unregulated heat mats and lights at one time! Welcome to the addiction btw :)
 
Well, I'll return the rheo tomorrow then :) I'll order the other one tonight from Amazon and check Home Depot for a better digital thermometer. I'll let you guys know how it turns out.

In the meantime, she's still staying in the same place on the warm side. Should I worry?
 
I'm really worried about waiting the 3-5 days for the thermostat to ship... What should I do until it arrives? (I'm guessing it will arrive Monday...) Should I turn off the heating pad? She just ate this morning so it's a major concern, especially since she's been on that side so much. Should I try moving the hide to the center or cool side? Maybe she's just preferring that hide to the others.
 
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