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Handling New Snake

L

LittlePrince

New member
I just got my baby corn snake last weekend. I fed it on Monday and did not handle it at all on Tuesday. I have handled the snake just about every day except the day I got it and the day after feeding it. It seems to like curling up in my lap to sleep and stretching out, off of my hand, to inspect my face. The little thing is adorable. I'm reading on here, though, that snakes need a resting period of no handling when you first get them and should not be handled for at least two days after feeding. My snake didn't seem to mind being handled but I did wait until the lump in it's body was gone after feeding it before I picked it up again. If I stop handling it for a few days now will that be weird for the snake? My snake really doesn't seem to mind being held. On the other hand, though, when it is in the tank it does nothing but hide and will stay in the same spot all day if I don't bother it. Is there anything that i can do to make my snake more mobile in the tank?

Some specs about the tank: It is a ten gallon with a 60 watt light bulb on one side that heats that side to about 82. My snake stays on the opposite side of the tank, though, where it is cooler. I keep the humidity at about 60 because the snake should be shedding soon, or so the breeder told me that because the other snakes of the same litter were all starting to shed. There are two small cardboard box hides on either side of the tank and a ceramic water dish on the cool side, which my snake is currently hiding behind.
 
Waiting for about 48 hours after feeding is something that is strongly recommended. It may be a bit more time than the snake actually needs, but a regurge is something that is way better to be safe than sorry. Did you get the snake local? The week long no handle period is primarily for snakes that have been shipped, since that is very stressful. If it just had a short car ride & you've already been handling it, handling it for 15 to 30 min. for the next week or two is probably alright, IMO. It has the new tank & all the sights & smells of it's new home to get used to for now. Usually, once they've become accustomed to their new surroundings, they will start moving around while you are there.
 
I think that it's hard to say what a snake does or doesn't mind, so it would be hard to say one way or the other if he minds being held. It is better to give them more time to settle in and I personally wait at least 2 meals to do any significant amount of handling. It is totally and completely normal for your snake to do nothing and sit in one spot all day; it's a snake thing. ;) Corns are nocturnal, so he does most of his moving around at night when you're sleeping. You can increase the chances of him becoming comfortable enough to explore by having lots of cover (2" of aspen and some fake leaves, for instance) and places to hide. By having a light on the tank, you are really cutting down on the chance of seeing him out; they don't like bright direct light. If you get an undertank heater, you won't need a light. You may never really see him out and about much during the day, except that some will become more active and go cruising when it's getting close to feeding time.
 
It sounds like you're doing okay, but most people say to give them 3-7 days to rest before feeding, then waiting 2-3 days after that to handle.

One thing to do to get the corn exploring is to add lots of hides and fake plants. You think you'd see them less, but you'd be wrong then. :D
 
I just went scavenging around my local beach/park for some nice branches to arrange in the tank. I scrubbed them in a bleach solution and thoroughly rinsed them before putting them in the tank. I figured I'd wrap some fake plants around the branches. I also got this awesome rock hide that has a sort of tunnel system inside and is cut in half so that half of it is in the tank and the other half is magnetically attached to the outside of the tank, this way, when the snake burrows into it, you can pull the front of the rock off to look at the snake without disturbing it. Pretty cool. I also bought some aspen bedding to switch out the repti-bark next month when I change the substrate. I figured my corn would like the better because it would be easier to burrow in. All of the rearranging in the tank today, though, I think made my snake a little mad so I'm going to leave it alone until I feed it tomorrow.
 
Also you should get some type of UTH(undertank heater). They use bellyheat to digest their food. Also if you do decide to go the UTH route, a rheostat or thermostat is required. And I dont know if you said your temp was 82, is that measured using a thermometer with a probe or a stick on one? The stick on ones are pretty inaccurate.
 
I have never seen any type of thermometer at any local pet stores except the stick on ones. I have a stick on one that sits directly on the glass, touching the substrate.
 
Some pet stores have the probe type thermometers too, but you should definitely be able to find one at Walmart or similar store. It will be called an indoor/outdoor thermometer. It is meant that the unit sits inside the house and you run the wire outside so the probe sits outside to measure outside temps. In the case of snakes, you can place the main unit on the cooler side and run the wire with the probe to the warm side to measure both places at once.
 
I found a digital probe thermometer at Petsmart for 10.99. Can I get a similar item cheaper elsewhere? Would it be in the garden or hardware sections? I mean, where would I find a thermometer like that at Walmart or somewhere else?
 
It should be in the electrical/lighting type aisles (my Walmart isn't very big, so this is one aisle in mine LOL).
 
LittlePrince said:
I found a digital probe thermometer at Petsmart for 10.99. Can I get a similar item cheaper elsewhere? Would it be in the garden or hardware sections? I mean, where would I find a thermometer like that at Walmart or somewhere else?
Click to expand...

That sounds about right. I pay the same thing here. There's no walmart near me(I know weird), so I just buy the accurite thermometers with the probe. A little expensive for a themometer but I dont want my snakes getting :flames:
 
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