• Hello!

    Either you have not registered on this site yet, or you are registered but have not logged in. In either case, you will not be able to use the full functionality of this site until you have registered, and then logged in after your registration has been approved.

    Registration is FREE, so please register so you can participate instead of remaining a lurker....

    Please be certain that the location field is correctly filled out when you register. All registrations that appear to be bogus will be rejected. Which means that if your location field does NOT match the actual location of your registration IP address, then your registration will be rejected.

    Sorry about the strictness of this requirement, but it is necessary to block spammers and scammers at the door as much as possible.

New here and to Snakes!

Risika57

Risika57

Exotic Animal Rescuer
Hiya! I'm hailing in from Dayton, OH! I am the Ohio Coordinator for the rescue Exotic Animal Rescue and Pet Sanctuary.

I was setting up a booth, in February, at a local rescue event, and our main location sent me some animals to showcase what we rescue, and they sent me Tetris the gorgeous corn snake. I've never dealt with a snake before, and thought I wouldn't like them (I don't hate, but didn't think I'd have any actual interest seeing as how my main rescue animal are rats) but I fell in love with Tetris!

She did so wonderful at the event. Allowing others to hold her, and touch her, and coo at her. She'd cling on to me, and try to get out of her container when I'd go put her back for a break lol! She seemed to love the attention! I decided to permanently foster her, and use her as an educational animal at our events!

She was surrendered to us with a untreated respiratory infection, causing her to have some permanent resp, scarrage. (We got it treated, she's all healed up, but now has some quirks ^_^) She open mouth breaths about 15 times or more a day, and she sometimes has a raspy exhale.

Since she open mouth breaths, I don't feel comfortable with her on loose type bedding just in case some gets in her mouth. So I use fleece covered terry cloth towels (the towels to soak up any spilled liquids or moisture build up from humidity, and the fleece to wick the moisture down so she's on a dry substrate. So far, so great! It also gives a very pretty coloring to her tank! (I change the towels out every other day, and the fleece as needed)

She is full grown at 55in long, we don't really know how old she is. She got her name from the markings on her belly which look like Tetris pieces ^_^. I have her housed in a 20 gallon Long with a heat lamp (ceramic bulb) on one side. I've read about the under tank mats, and am contemplating getting one, but the heat lamp was donated to the rescue, and we use what is donated when we can (as long as its safe and healthy)

She is fed f/t large mice once a week. A very good eater.

Anyways, I talk waaaay too much. Here are some photos of my girl, and her set up. (I don't know what her morph is called.)

1900122_10152317586381081_1990261849_n.jpg

1965078_10152317586536081_1583527670_n.jpg

1488988_10152317586591081_838936106_n.jpg

1797971_10152317587086081_1595924355_n.jpg

1964830_10152317587341081_105648598_n.jpg

1970708_10152317586371081_169955480_n.jpg
 
She's a beauty! She is an Okeetee, one corn I have wanted for a while. Good for you on saving her. I "rescue" corns too, and they really are a fantastic pet.

Definitely get the UTH, you will want one that covers about 1/3 of the bottom of the viv, the heat lamp is too drying and the UTH provides belly heat which they need to aid in digestion. Put the UTH underneath the viv on one end, have a probe thermometer glued to the bottom on the inside of the viv right above the middle of the UTH. Then use a thermostat to adjust the temp of the UTH to 85°. The lamps are okay, but they break too easily, dry out the ambient air and can cause bad sheds if it is too dry.

Congrats, you did good by her!!!
 
I'm working on getting her a larger tank (a 55 i believe) . I had a few people "yell" at me on another group about using the fabric in her cage. I'm not sure why its seen as bad? Its easy to replace, easier to clean than carpet, and I can't have her on loose bedding since she open mouth breathes a lot! I thought the fabric was a decent choice, and its reusable.
 
Welcome to the group and good for you on fostering Tetris. She is a beauty. While the towels would not be a first choice, I don't see it being bad and given her open mouth breathing I agree with your choice. When she goes to shed though you might want to provide a container with moist peat moss or something since the tank is probably at 0 humidity. Keep at eye to make sure she isn't catching scales on the fabric either. I'm glad you are considering a larger tank as well as I'm sure she will benefit from the extra space.
 
If you go with the under tank heater you should leave that space towel free, maybe put a slab of tile there instead. Easy to clean If she poops on it. I'd worry about how the towels and fleece will conduct that heat.
 
dreamwallaby said:
Welcome to the group and good for you on fostering Tetris. She is a beauty. While the towels would not be a first choice, I don't see it being bad and given her open mouth breathing I agree with your choice. When she goes to shed though you might want to provide a container with moist peat moss or something since the tank is probably at 0 humidity. Keep at eye to make sure she isn't catching scales on the fabric either. I'm glad you are considering a larger tank as well as I'm sure she will benefit from the extra space.
Click to expand...

I have her on the fleece, the towels are under that, so there's nothing she can catch on (fleece is very soft) as for the humidity issues, the humidity is around 20/30 percent most days, and I put a wet towel in her hut to make that more humid during her shedding times.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top