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Vivarium and Equipment...

EmmyGee

EmmyGee

Tree Hugger
As some of you know, I'm going to get my first corn snake soon. My friend just gave me some of her lizards equipment as she doesnt need it. I was wondering what i should use for my future corn!

She gave me:
A wooden vivarium, 2ft in width and 1ft in height
A heat mat, about 1/3 the size of the vivarium (which has been positioned inside the vivarium, but without a snake escaping

There are more, but I want to focus on these first. Firstly, would the vivarium be too big for a baby corn, since they are agrophobic, and i wouldnt want the little guy to be stressed out, especially when he first arrives to his new home! Secondly, should the heat mat be placed inside the vivarium? It is wooden, so the vivarium would insulate the heat from the mat if it was placed underneath it, but i wouldnt want it to overheat if the mat was placed inside, either.

She also gave me:

A bag of beech chips *
A water bowl
A mealworm bowl *
A poop scooper
Reptile disinfectant
Aloe vera hand sanitizer *
Electric thermostat (with probe)
The ones with *s next to them I need advice for.
(Sorry this is so long!)

The bag of beech chips
When I first get him, I will use paper towels due to quarantine, but after that i want to use aspen, but at the same time i dont want to waste the chips. What should i use?

The mealworm bowl
Of course im not going to use it for mealworms! :D i was thinking i could use it as a shallow hide, but a baby might get stuck in it. Maybe i should keep it as a spare water bowl?

Aloe vera hand sanitizer
I dont think my friend has used this, but she told me i should have it to keep my hands clean after handling, etc. It includes aloe vera, is that ok for snakes?

Thanks so much, please feel free to answer any of these questions. I can also include photos if anyone wants more details. ;)
 
As far as the hand cleaning goes, I have found that if I use anything but unscented Neutrogena soap Scarlett goes nuts, she hates the smell of anything perfum-y. Just wash your hands well before and after handling, don't forget to get in between your fingers and up your arms.

Beech substrate is perfect, it is what most of us use.

Get the temps figured out before you get your snake. Make sure it is at the right temps on the warm and cold sides, I make sure my middle is around 75 and she moves back and forth as she wants.

Good luck!
 
You said the UTH is inside the viv, which is a definite no-no as the snake can easily get burned on the belly (see the current Pink Belly thread for more on this) - you will want to relocate that to the outside bottom of the tank.

As far as size goes, how deep is the tank? With that dimension I can calculate the volume in gallons. If it is a foot deep as well, the volume is about 15 gallons (calculate volume in cubic inches, then divide by 231 to convert to gallons). This is good size for a baby (as long as you have hides) and will be good for a year to a year and a half or so, depending on your snake's growth rate.
 
Since the viv is wooden, you are correct that putting the UTH on the outside would be ineffective. You can place a thin piece of tile over it in the viv and then put your thermometer and thermostat probes on top of the tile to get your readings.

You said how wide and tall the viv is but didn't specify how long it is. You could hot glue a divider in it to make it smaller for a baby. If it isn't to huge you could just add a bunch of vines and flowers and 4-5 hides scattered throughout, basically lots of hiding spots so your baby will feel comfortable moving around. Remember though the more stuff you have in the viv the harder it will be to find your friend at feeding and playtime and you will also have more to wash ;)

I'm not sure how a baby corn could get stuck in a mealworm bowl?? Maybe post a picture of it.

Hand sanitizer is fine for quick cleanups, but it's really not very effective. Good old soap and warm water is a much better option.
 
Thanks guys :) i think i'll ditch the sanitizer then, and im gonna keep the beech chips. The heat mat is going to be used underneath the vivarium
 
Alicia P said:
Since the viv is wooden, you are correct that putting the UTH on the outside would be ineffective. You can place a thin piece of tile over it in the viv and then put your thermometer and thermostat probes on top of the tile to get your readings.

You said how wide and tall the viv is but didn't specify how long it is. You could hot glue a divider in it to make it smaller for a baby. If it isn't to huge you could just add a bunch of vines and flowers and 4-5 hides scattered throughout, basically lots of hiding spots so your baby will feel comfortable moving around. Remember though the more stuff you have in the viv the harder it will be to find your friend at feeding and playtime and you will also have more to wash ;)

I'm not sure how a baby corn could get stuck in a mealworm bowl?? Maybe post a picture of it.

Hand sanitizer is fine for quick cleanups, but it's really not very effective. Good old soap and warm water is a much better option.
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I will put something over the mat :) i wondered about that, thanks
I have attached a picture of the bowl
 

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Sorry if its not very clear. Here are some clearer ones
 

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I was thinking that's what you were talking about when you said mealworm dish. No way for a corn to get stuck in it. If you are crafty you could hot glue some dollar store flowers/leaves to the top portion to make it more hide worthy or just ditch the curved top piece altogether and use it for a small water bowl.
 
Alicia P said:
I was thinking that's what you were talking about when you said mealworm dish. No way for a corn to get stuck in it. If you are crafty you could hot glue some dollar store flowers/leaves to the top portion to make it more hide worthy or just ditch the curved top piece altogether and use it for a small water bowl.
Click to expand...

Good idea! I might do that :)
 
Emmygee, I think you are going to be a great corn parent! I am glad you aren't afraid to ask questions and take suggestions, that is what makes a good owner and board member. Welcome!
 
smigon said:
Emmygee, I think you are going to be a great corn parent! I am glad you aren't afraid to ask questions and take suggestions, that is what makes a good owner and board member. Welcome!
Click to expand...

Thankyou!!! :) im doing the best that i can so my little corn baby can thrive! :spinner: :crazy02:
 
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