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Heat on 24/7?

P

proileri

New member
I acquired a 6-mo cornie a week ago, and I was wondering, she seems to be a bit shy during the daytime, and prefers her hide at the cool end. I haven't seen her at the warm end during the day. I have kept heating pad on during the daylight hours, 75F at cool and 85F at warm end, 8am to 8pm or so. Night temps are stable around 75F.

She becomes active around 9 pm after heating and lights have gone off and roams the whole box, stays in the open, isn't shy with me next to the box or when I open the lid. I tried turning the heat on after she comes out, she doesn't seem to avoid the warm end during the night.

So I've tried to change the situation a bit today, I added a "tunnel hide" that covers the whole back of the box, so she can pick her resting spot without coming out. I also adjusted the timer, so that there's only 8 cool hours, 24pm-8am. Let's see where she starts to hang out.

But anyways, I'd like to ask you, do you prefer to keep your temp gradient (75->85) on 24/7, or do you turn the heating off for the night, allowing the whole box to settle at 75?
 
You should only have about half the tank heated. On the heated side keep it 80 - 85 f 24/7. I let the cool side come to whatever the ambient in my house is. Need to make sure that the 80 to 85 F on the heated side is measured on the glass directly above the heat pad and NOT the the top of the substrate.
 
Nah, leave it on 24/7 that's why you have the gradient.

Her behavior sounds 100% normal. They are nocturnal, so you will see them more at night anyway.

Also, what are you using to check the temps. Just curious and want to make sure you are measuring the temps at the tank floor.
 
Thanks. I'm using a basic digital indoor/outdoor unit, with a wired probe bit. Not the most reliable, but I checked it with a couple of analog models that they all give roughly the same readouts. The probe-bit sits on the tank bottom below the substrate in the warm hide (rear left), the unit sits on the tank floor at the opposite corner (front right).
 
They don't need lights as long as the room they're in has some natural sunlight.

In the wild, they're most active at times of low or no sunlight (dawn, dusk overnight) and avoid direct bright light. You could try switching the lights off and see if she gets out a bit more during the day. She could actually be hiding away more than usual.

But yes, the warm side (usually a third rather than a half of the floor surface, but it's not an exact science) needs to be in the mid-80s, 24 hours a day.
 
Its normal for corns to come out at night, because they are nocturnal. I wouldn't turn off the heat at night. Corns don't need a temperature drop at night. They especially don't need a temperature drop right after they've eaten, because the warmth helps them to digest their meal. The reason she is using her cool side hide all the time might be becasue her favorite hide is over there. Mine always uses the same hide, no matter where I put it.
 
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