noob here -- right habitat?

[mariaahpls]

Hello all, I'm on the hunt for a terrarium. My snake will probably still be a hatchling when it arrives at my doorstep (or not literally, but you know. once i get it), but I'm looking at 20L.

So my question is, between these two, which would you all consider the best option?
THIS is a 20 gallon tank by itself, but i'm suspicious as to why it's only $70.
THIS is Petsmart's "deluxe snake kit," but I'm wondering if the stuff it comes with is what I need.

Are there any specific kinds/brands of thermostats/thermometers/humidity gauges you would recommend?

I appreciate any help since I'd be traumatized if something happened to my baby because of my mistake with its terrarium setup.

Thanks!

 

[promethear]

As far as the kit goes, you will not need the lights. An under tank heater would work better. Also the thermometer that comes with it will need to be replaced with one that has a probe. That being the case, I would go with something dofferent.

As far as why the other one is ONLY $70...if it was a fish tank, it would be cheaper (depending on brand and where you get it).

 

[bitsy]

I think the Zilla kit is probably a better starting point for a basking reptile than a Corn. I agree that overhead lights aren't ideal for a Corn and that a UTH + thermostat would be a better investment.

Might be better to put your own setup together for that sort of money.

- Fish tank with escape-proof lid designed for reptiles or a custom-made reptile vivarium
- UTH - Should be big enough to cover one-third of the tank's floor area.
- Thermostat - A UTH will get well over a Corn's safe maximum temp (90 degrees) as they're designed for a range of reptiles. To keep it at a safe level, use a thermostat.
- Digital thermometer - You'll need it to monitor the temp on the floor of the tank, immediately above the UTH, so you know how to set the thermostat. Most kits come with cheaper cardboard strip or plastic dial-type thermometers, but these can be dangerously inaccurate.
- Hides - Can be posh bought ones, sections of cork bark or just old cardboard boxes or tubes cut in half lengthwise. You need at least two - one at the warm end and one at the cool end. But I usually put as many in as I can fit, along with ground cover like plastic foliage (makes the snake feel more secure and looks great).
- Water bowl - Again, doesn't have to be anything flashy. You just need something stable that doesn't tip easily.
- Substrate - Aspen seems to be the most common one in the US, although folks tend to use kitchen paper for hatchlings and adults can be kept on newspaper (just doesn't look as good).

Think those are the basics. Corns don't need artificial light as long as they're kept in a room with natural light (don't put the tank in direct sunlight, as this can cause overheating).

Ignore any well-meaning shop that tells you Corns need UV light - they don't because they're not a basking species. It seems to be a common catch-all piece of advice, as some reptiles will have serious health problems without UV. Rest assured that Corns aren't one of these.

 

[Karoni]

I bought the 20L Zilla Critter Cage for Sienna. I choose this because I liked the sliding screen top. It made me feel secure that she would not be able to get out. I purchased the other items Bitsy mentioned separately. I thought $70 was kind of expensive; it would have been cheaper for me to go with a 20L aquarium, a screen top and the large clips they sell separately. I don't like that option, though, because I've used it before and the clips are a pain in the patootie. I'm very happy with the critter cage.

 

[mariaahpls]

I agree that overhead lights aren't ideal for a Corn and that a UTH + thermostat would be a better investment.

I've read a bunch of places saying that the UTH isn't really necessary if you live in a moderate climate... and I'm in the warmest part of Florida, so should I still go with the UTH? the FAQ said a "red light" would be alright... what do you guys think?

As for te tank, the $70 one is the only one I've seen from less than $150 so I thought it was supercheap. But I'm gonna go with that one since it's a zilla critter cage. I guess I should provide more hides since my snake will be around 18in most likely...

Thanks so much! I'll check back with pics when she gets here

 

[Duff]

You probably won't need a UTH being in southern Florida. Not sure how cool winter nights get, though, so can't say for sure. Of course it also depends how cool the house is kept. I don't use any heat for my corns all summer, and they're all perfectly healthy with no eating or digesting issues.

 

[Urban_M86]

you can also try this
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog...-habitats/-/creative-habitat-15bt-glass-cage/

or this

http://www.reptilebasics.com/2x2-cages/

 

[bitsy]

I've read a bunch of places saying that the UTH isn't really necessary if you live in a moderate climate... and I'm in the warmest part of Florida, so should I still go with the UTH? the FAQ said a "red light" would be alright... what do you guys think?

That could work as long as you don't keep them in a room with aircon. If you have aircon, then you'll need some form of heat.

Personally, I'd get the UTH anyway. In the wild, the snakes are fine in your climate because they can move around freely to find their preferred temperature. In captivity, they only have the temperature range that we provide. Outside, if they cool down at night, they can burrow into piles of rotting vegetation to find a warmer place - they won't have that option in your tank. At least with a UTH+thermostat, you'll be sure that they will always have a warm spot at the correct temp for digestion. The joy of the thermostat is that if heat isn't needed, it will just keep the UTH switched off and you aren't constantly checking to see whether you should switch it back on.

If you decide to have a backup heat source, then you'll be choosing between a UTH+thermostat or a red light+thermostat. As belly heat is preferred rather than overhead, I'd still go with the UTH.

Even a red light will need some sort of regulation - as you say, you're in a wamer part of the country so an unregulated light will give just the same risk of overheating in the tank as an unregulated UTH.

 

[Dragon666]

I use rubs for hatchlings with heat mats and stats the on/off type are alright for mats then either a digi thermometer or a ir heat gun is just as good i have both so soon know if any go wrong next 2 hides and a water dish last substrate i just use newspaper my adults are kept in the rubs as well so just a bigger version of the above if keeping adults in vivs instead of mats use either a ceramic heater or ir bulb which is a hell of alot easyer to get ambient temps right and stated of course the stats i use are habistat and microclimate not sure if you have these over there

 

[Jessicat]

Consitering that an animal plastics economy rack is around $100-$200, $70 for one enclosure is pretty steep. That said, Zilla is worth it. They're the best glass enclosure product that can be found in pet stores, imo. I would NOT pay $100+ for the set up listed in your second link.

If you're looking for a nice display cage, Zilla is #1 in my book. I don't think I've ever had an escapee from their 20g longs, due to the awesome sliding and locking tops. They are pretty expensive, but if that's what you 're going for, it's worth it.

If you're planning on more than one snake though, a rack is most likley the most effective method of housing, and Animal Plastics is a great place to shop around. Their racks are suburb, and used by many members here, including myself. They also come with your choice of heat, so that is not something you need to worry about.


With the Zilla tank you'll need:
A heating pad (with no automatic shut off) - they work just as well as reptile mats, and I think are actually better because the heat can be adjusted.
Aspen
Water Bowl
As many hides / decorations as you want. At LEAST two, but in a 20gal with a hatchling... load that place up with fun hides.

Corn snakes are pretty simple.. and.. addicting! :dancer:

Welcome! :wavey: