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Issues with the temperature in the cage.

anthony1991

anthony1991

New member
I bought a baby corn snake yesterday :cheers: but I have a question about the temperature. I am currently using an under the tank heat pad and a one hundred watt heat bulb. The temperature in the cage is only at 72 degrees faranheit (spelling???). Is there another way I can increase the temperature of his cage? My house normally isn't this cold but the weather has been miserable the past few days.
 
Are you using a thermometer with a probe or just measuring the ambient air? You really shouldn't need a heat bulb AND a UTH. Is your UTH hooked up to a thermostat to regulate it?
 
Are you monitoring temps of both sides of the tank. If you aren't, it may be 72F on one side only. You should use a thermostats. Also, what size tank do you have?

Just a thought,

Wayne
 
How are you measuring the temperature? Typically, an probe thermometer will give you the best and accurate readings. Also, be sure that the probe end is UNDER the substrate over the UTH. The temperatute of the substrate and ambient temps in the viv can be very different.
 
I am measuring the ambient air on the cool side of the tank. My UTH does not have a thermostat to regulate it. I didn't know they had those. I will keep an eye out for one.
 
You'll definetly need to get that regulated or the UTH will get way too hot! We keep our cool sides between 72-74F so that sounds fine. Our warm sides sit at about 82-84F. You can pick up thermostats at pretty much any petstore or there's a thread around here somewhere that shows you how to make them yourself. That's what we did.
 
Turn the light off - your snake doesn't need it. Measure the temperature at the warm end, at floor level, immediately above the UTH - it's the high temperatures that will harm your snake not the cool ones.

If you're not using a thermostat, your UTH will get well over 100 degrees, which is dangerous. The warm side should be 88 degrees max at floor level, which is where the snake will be. There's no point measuring ambient air temps - your snake can't levitate and won't spend any time up in the air!

You also need to make sure that you're not using a dial or strip-type thermometer as these can be very inaccurate.
 
I think you can get a probe thermo at petsmart for like $9.99.. Works wonders..

Not trying to thread jack, but when you probe do you actually put the probe ON the glass above the UTH or maybe a little but under the bedding like where the snake will burrow? Because if i have it directly on the glass its 90*F when i raise it a little and in the bedding it drops to 84*F? is this ok? I plan on picking up a themrostat though just to be safe.
 
Go to Walmart and pick an Acu-rite Digital Thermometer/Hygrometer. This will measure the cool side and humidity, and has a probe that you will place ON THE GLASS on the WARM side to measure the warm side temp. Even if you never see your little Corn burrow all the way to the glass, he has the ability and may at some time, that is why you need the temp on the glass. The unit I mentioned cost me $11 at Walmart.
00891A1.jpg

Here is the link to the do-it-yourself rheostat. It is a dial that will allow you to manually control the temps of your heatpad. Work with the dial, figure out where you need it. Took me 15 min. to build (and I'm not the brightest crayon) and only $7. All the supplies needed are bought at Walmart as well. http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19168

Hope this helped,
-Josh
 
Not IF...but WHEN you accumulate more, and more.....AND MORE Corn Snakes, you may invest in a thermostat...but the good ones are pricier...and I think for now since you just have one...you will be just fine with the rheostat that I suggested above...

Remember, this is an addiction :)
 
Wow.. i think im going to pick up the supplies on my lunch to make that, thanks alot for that link! i thought it was too hot on the "hot" side. hes been hiding in the cool side alot..
 
No problem...I just built mine maybe 2 weeks ago...and I love having it...
When I get more...which is soon, I will save up for a nice thermostat...but they can be pricey...like over $100 for the ones that alot of people use. But if you are going to have quite a few, it is a good investment...
 
HoosierHerper said:
No problem...I just built mine maybe 2 weeks ago...and I love having it...
When I get more...which is soon, I will save up for a nice thermostat...but they can be pricey...like over $100 for the ones that alot of people use. But if you are going to have quite a few, it is a good investment...
Click to expand...

Ive seen a few at petsmart when i was getting dog food. Heh it was a big battle alone talking the woman into letting me get the snakey, shes so scared of it, But she actually came up and looked at it. I dont understand how someone can be scared of something so pretty.

When i build mine tonight i will post up and let you know how it worked... I assume it took a good few minutes to get the right adjustment on the knob, i think when i find the perfect spot ill mark it with a sharpie lol.
 
Make sure to unplug your UTH for now... It will do more damage than good if it is still one without a thermostat/rheostat.
 
Just picked up all the supplies and it was $7.80 right on the money haha..I wish i had the tools to do this while im sitting at work lol... But i figure it will give me a lil project when i get home from work.
 
There is no way you are using a UTH and heat lamp and its only 72 dregrees. You are using a stick on thermometer measuring the air.

The aspen is probably over 100 degrees.
 
The homemade rheostat is great, but don't forget that thermostat I pictured too...rheostat is useless w/out a good way to measure the temps :)
 
HoosierHerper said:
The homemade rheostat is great, but don't forget that thermostat I pictured too...rheostat is useless w/out a good way to measure the temps :)
Click to expand...

I have one similar to the one you pictured, just dont monitor the humidity. But it has the probe and ill be sure to put it directly on the glass above the UTH. I know they can get hot. Im OCD about keeping and eye on the temp in there. i check it more than i look at Slurms (snakes name) haha.
 
Lol..that is good...in one of my tanks, i do have one that measures temps on both sides (one side with a probe) and then just a stick-on hygrometer that I had leftover from another tank....they seem to work well enough with Cornsnakes where humidity is less important* than temp.


*LESS IMPORTANT, NOT UNIMPORTANT
(For anyone about to give me some lashings for that comment:) )
-Josh
 
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