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Random new owner questions

I

idloveaguinness

New member
I haven't found answers on these questions in other threads....so here goes:

Do I need rheostat or can I change the temp by 'shimming' the under-tank heater?

The thermometer probe - should it be ON the substrate or under, on the glass? How do you secure it (the probe) safely for the snake? Or should I just take spot temps and not leave it in?

Stocking up on food - I see pinky's pretty cheap on-line, but should I buy the 100 count bag of them or just head to the local reptile store every couple of weeks?

How often should I change out the substrate?

How often does a corn snake shed?

Any other pearls of wisdom for a new guy that you wish YOU had known when you got your first?

BTW - We've got a 10gal Zilla tank with that sliding, double-locking top. Once it's time to move up, we got a nice spot for a 20-30 gal long tank. Anyhow, thanks in advance for any pearls you care to throw my way.
 
Hi and welcome to the forum! :wavey:
Heating: You need a rheostat or dimmer of some sort. You want the probe right on the glass over the UTH. Foil tape works really well to secure it in place.

Mice: Pet stores are expensive but so is shipping so it's hard to say when one snake is involved. I would compare the cost for a 3 or 4 month supply from pet store vs ordering online.

Substrate: I spot clean regularly and change the substrate every month-month and a half depending on how messy they are. For example I have a few that consistantly poo in their water so I go a little longer between changed for them.

Shedding: Starts out around once a month? Something like that. The go longer between sheds as they get older.

Tanks: I have a few tanks set up. I find it's easier to keep the humidity right if you cover up half the screen.

Hope that helps! :)
 
Welcome! Here are my thoughts:

Do I need rheostat or can I change the temp by 'shimming' the under-tank heater?
Click to expand...
You really need a thermostat, designed to work with a UTH. Anything you do manually will only ever be guesswork and an unregulated UTH can easily get hot enough to put your Corn at risk.

The thermometer probe - should it be ON the substrate or under, on the glass? How do you secure it (the probe) safely for the snake? Or should I just take spot temps and not leave it in?
Click to expand...
I'd put it in the hottest spot that the Corn could reach, which would be under the substrate, immediately above the UTH. I don't have a thermometer like that, but I secure the probes for my stats with BluTak - it's sticky enough to hold the probe down but won't stick to the snake if it accidentally comes into contact.

Stocking up on food - I see pinky's pretty cheap on-line, but should I buy the 100 count bag of them or just head to the local reptile store every couple of weeks?
Click to expand...
Really depends on your local store's prices, versus online cost+shipping. I like to support my local reptile shop so I buy there. You can always ask your local store if they'd do a discount for bulk purchases (you never know - if you don't ask, you don't get!)

How often should I change out the substrate?
Click to expand...
I spot-clean whenever they poop - take out the soiled substrate, wipe the floor underneath and anything else that got poopy, then replace with a couple of handfuls of clean. I do a complete shakedown - throw away all substrate and disinfect all fittings - every 6-8 weeks.

How often does a corn snake shed?
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Depends how old they are. Hatchlings usually once a month. My adults shed four times a year.

Pearl of wisdom:
- You'll end up with more than one. Start planning where to put that new tank, now! Saves having to throw out furniture in future...
 
bitsy said:
Pearl of wisdom:
- You'll end up with more than one. Start planning where to put that new tank, now! Saves having to throw out furniture in future...
Click to expand...

That is so true I started with 1 snake a red tail boa now I have 3 of them a rosy boa and 5 corn snakes :rofl:
 
Keep in mind, if you have a really small one, generally people move from 1 extra small pink to 2 per feeding, so if you feed every 5-7 days and feed 1-2 pinkies, you'll get more for your money out of the 100 count bag!

Are there any reptile shows near you? RodentPro comes to mine, and wow, does it save on shipping, making it worth it to get all those pinkies!
 
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