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First time owner triple checking some things...

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Daven

New member
I somehow got my girlfriend ok with the idea of having a snake! The babies get her every time, but this feat is one for the books! Lol so I've had my tank set up for a few days now and have the temps set. Today I was able to bring home the baby amel motley I got attached to and finally got it to its new home! Now, I've been keeping leopard geckos for a while now, but other than that I'm new to reptiles in general. The tank I have for now is a 20 gallon tall (24x12" floor) and I have a smaller reptitherm heat pad for this one. It's for 10-20 gallon tanks but pretty small once out of the packaging which I wasn't too impressed to see. But oh well, it should do the job for this small tank until It gets bigger and I can build a larger cage for it and also have it hold the geckos up top as well. I have the prob in the middle of the heat pad taped to the bottom well with electrical tape to prevent it being moved borrowing. I have been regulating the temps with a dimmer on my gecko tank and now this one. I understand temps can fluctuate based on room temp, and have my gecko tank to maintain inside of the recommended temps (outdoor sensor on that tank can keep track of max and min values). For corn snakes I have only been able to find the recommended temp of a solid 85*. Is there an acceptable range to go about this way planning for a possible 4-5* swing worst case? Would it staying in the 83-87 range for example be good for the snake?

Next is feeding... I have spoken with a local breeder which recommends a single mouse 1-1.5x the max girth of the snakes body once a week. The store I got the snake from is usually pretty reputable as well, but recommends 2-3 mice smaller in size again once a week. What's the healthiest way to go about feeding it as it grows? I have a scale coming in the next few days so I will be able to weigh the snake and food if someone has a guide for weight ratios. I have looked a bit into the Munson method and also read the majority of the threads I pull up saying it's pretty aggresive. For an average snake not intended for breedinf purposes, would I be best staying a bit below that schedule? I'm assuming they can overeat as most animals can and will, so I'd assume I can't just go off wether it looks for food again as the store recomended

Thanks for any input and I am really looking forward to this curious little guy!
 
Tape in the viv is a disaster waiting to happen. To affix a probe to the inside bottom of the tank use hot glue. Do this with the snake in a holding container.

Any tape in the viv is likely to get stuck to the snake with dire consequences.
 
your temp range of 83-87 will be fine. You could even go slightly hotter (though not much) or cooler and still be fine. Remember, our critters don't go about saying, hey it's 85 out I think I'll be active. I've road cruised snakes after rain storms in October in New Mexico where the ambient air temp was 62°F.

Agree with Dolly'sMom on the tape. That's asking for trouble. Hot glue will most likely let go over time from constant heating and cooling. It's just not intended for the temp fluxes. A better option is 100% rubberized silicone, aka aquarium silicone. You can generally get small tubes of it at most fish stores.

If you don't want something as permanent as silicone or hot glue, you could also use a suction cup. Hit up a craft/hobby store and look for the various sized suction cups used for holding decorations to glass. These suction cups will have a nub ("nipple" if you will) with a hold in it. You can simply feed the temp probe end into the hole and then place suction cup over heat mat. Just make certain the hole is small enough to only fit the temp probe though it.

Something like this...
http://www.tapplastics.com/uploads/products/Suction_Cups_Giant-xl.jpg
 
Ok thanks guys. I didn't think the tape would become an issue. Do they end up picking at it and pulling it off? After it settles in a bit I'll move it to another container and silicone it. Biggest downside to that is the cure time but I'll have to figure something out.
 
There's a rule of nature. If there is tape near a snake, the snake will get stuck to it. (sometimes with dire consequences)

While long term the silicone will be better, if you have a hot glue gun just do a quick fix with it. Just get the tape out ASAP. Don't worry about settling in either. Snakes have gotten stuck their first day. It's more important to get the tape out.
 
Just think of snakes as permanent toddlers. If there's something sticky, they WILL get it on them. :laugh:
 
I'll have to figure something out. Main concern I have is the curing time for silicone. I don't have another heated and secure place to keep it and I can't just keep it out for hours yet. And where the probe is also happened to be exactly where the snake is garunteed to curl up on lol hmmm decisions decisions.... I definitely appreciate the tip because that would be pretty devestating. I haven't been this excited to get a new pet before lol

Also, I think we are gonna name him Syd (store figures male so far based on its tail but not definate)
 
That's why hot glue for now. It cools in fifteen seconds. Whole operation is 10 minutes tops.

Syd is a great name. Congrats!
 
I don't have anything to hot glue it. But when I take him out to feed I will pull all the tape out and leave it there with a suction cup. And when he's able to come out more I can silicone it or if I notice a temp difference I can just check to see if it moved. My temp has been consistently where I want it so I should be fine for monitoring temps closely anyways
 
I had a snake DIE from tape once. The tape wasn't even in the viv- it was holding styrofoam over the front of the rack at night, to make the thermostat not go crazy from AC. So a baby got out through a thermostat probe hole that was just a little too big, and got stuck in the tape, and died, and I didn't even KNOW, because it was before the first shed, so I wasn't bothering the hatchlings until they shed. I will never forgive myself.
 
I didn't know they'd be able to get it off since its on there pretty good. But since you guys mentioned that I've read about issues with duct tape and etc and that would be pretty horrible. I guess it makes sense since they like to burrow under and through everything so eventually they'll find a way lol

So would you guys say to leave him other than to feed until the second time I feed him (and wait 24-36hr)? Or should I feed him Friday and wait the few days, then try just putting my hand in the tank and not picking him up, but more just lightly touching him with my hand to get him used to me being around him before going right to picking him up? I'm assuming it's best to just leave him alone completely
 
One thing I missed when I replied (I was still waking up) is that you are still waiting to remove the tape until feeding. By all means disturb Syd NOW to get the tape out. Get the tape out immediately. Sorry for being so blunt, but you can't acclimate a dead snake. The brief handling is necessary.

I had to handle a snake before he was acclimated to help with a stuck shed. You do what you have to do.
 
Alrighty, will do tonight. So what about back to the first part where I asked about feeding. How should I go about feeding? Try a more reservist approach to the Munson method where I go weekly instead? And just one mouse that's 1-1.5x of his thickest width? Aside from doing two pinkies before going to fuzzies? I guess the store would feed him 2-3 pinkies, although I have no reference to say if they're larger or smaller than the average
Pinky.
 
Assuming your snake is a baby it doesn't hurt for the first meal to be on the smallish side. I'd do one pinky. Then slowly build up to where he should be over the next few feedings. I feed babies every 5 days, juvies every 6 days, yearlings weekly.

I also stay with smaller prey than Munson. Use Munson as a rough guide but stay on the lean side of things. If you don't have a scale get one. Weighing the snake and prey is very helpful. Also keep feeding records. I keep feeding, weight, and shedding records. I occasionally record length. Some record poop. I once did but don't any longer, but am aware of whether she's gone or not.

One guide as to proper snake weight is that a corn snake should be rounded on top and flat on the sides and bottom -- the so called loaf of bread shape.
 
Hello,
Got a snake for the first time in my life,late in life as well. Any who fell for the pretty corn (baby)snake. Held it trying every day,the lady said feed Sunday so I tried didn't eat. How long should I wait before I try again and how,separate from tank or put a special plate with fuzzy in it?
 
S.Kates55 said:
Hello,
Got a snake for the first time in my life,late in life as well. Any who fell for the pretty corn (baby)snake. Held it trying every day,the lady said feed Sunday so I tried didn't eat. How long should I wait before I try again and how,separate from tank or put a special plate with fuzzy in it?
Click to expand...

Kates...welcome to the forum!

We're going to need some more information...some of your supplied answers will also help with tying into what Daven has been asking, so...

  1. When did you get the snake?
  2. How often and how long have you been holding the snake daily?
  3. When was it last fed BEFORE you obtained it?
  4. What are the details of your setup, i.e., habitat size, are multiple hides provided, substrate used, is there a distinct hot and cold size to the habitat, and what are the temperatures of those locations?

To answer number 2...As a general rule of thumb for novice keepers, if you've recently obtained the snake, you should provide a 1-2 week acclimation period before attempting to handle the new snake. Only accepted handling during this time (again, for new, novice keepers) is for any possible cage cleaning, filling of water bowl, removal of shed skin, feeding, emergency situations. This acclimation period is intended to let you and the snake settle into the new surroundings; with the goal here to minimize as much stress as possible - that is, avoid handling the snake until it has established a comfortable level of eating in its new environment.
 
just attach the probe to the heat pad under the cage. You can use tape or whatever, and no wires in the cage. (I have no wires whatsoever in my cage. And my snake is fine.)

Just keep in mind if you do it this way, you might have to bump the temp up 3 or 4 degrees because of the heat transfer difference through the bottom glass.

I personally follow the Munson Feeding schedule with my snake and so far all is well. I think feeding the proper size would be better than 2 or 3 of a smaller size, however, if you only have smaller mice, there's certainly nothing wrong with feeding several smaller items.

And I agree with the others - never ever put tape of any kind inside a cage with a snake.
 
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Thanks guys. I have it suctioned on the bottom now and the temps have been consistant so I shouldn't have to worry now. One thing in concerned about is the heat not getting through the bedding. I have shredded aspen about 1-1.5" thick. Underneath at the tank glass gets the 84-85*F, but using my temp gun the top stays at pretty much room temp. I understand it will burrow down, but it seemed like it stayed up in the ledge I have behind the vines for the whole day. Unless it moved back and forth without me noticing. I'm sure it will eventually find it, I just don't want it to not know where to get the heat when needed. Maybe I should drop the depth of the bedding a bit over there

And I fed him for the first time yesterday. I wasn't going to because he is looking a bit paler, but it seemed like most say it wouldn't cause any harm feeding before a shed. He ate the one pinky I gave him really fast compared to the videos I've seen lol didn't leave much of a lump either so it looks like I might be doubling up pinkies. This is him after eating and once it reached his midsection

2369cc0e8eb874ce7416b19ea666cbbb.jpg



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