Do corn snakes bask?

[Fleagirl]

Dude at PetSmart told me that corn snakes don't really bask, so they do not need as a high watt lamp on the hot side or a place to bask, like a stump or a rock. Is that true?

[CosmicOwl]

I don't use a heat lamp for my corn, but I do have some 6500k lights to keep his plants growing. He's not extremely active during the day, but he does often relax out in the open under the lights. I don't know if he's basking, though.

Corns aren't diurnal, which is why heat pads are generally considered the standard way to heat their enclosures. They're crepuscular, so the only time they would do much basking would be in the twilight hours.

[eminart]

Snakes generally bask when the temps are cool and they need to warm up. In captivity, the cool side of your enclosure isn't going to be THAT cool. Sure, they'll move from cool to warm side to regulate their body temps, but you won't see prolonged basking under hot lamps (which are a no-no for corn and most other snakes anyway). A low wattage bulb or a UTH is the way to go.

[Aaron_S]

Dude at PetSmart told me that corn snakes don't really bask, so they do not need as a high watt lamp on the hot side or a place to bask, like a stump or a rock. Is that true?

He wasn't entire wrong. Just didn't finish the full statement and I doubt he knew it.

Cornsnakes are native to North America. As far north as New Jersey. They can handle the moderate temperatures present around the USA and thus don't need as much of a "hot spot" as our more exotic species.

They will still bask and use their hot side as they still need external heat to regulate their body temps. It's just needed less.

[knox]

DO they bask? Yes. All Rat snakes do at times. I have seen them on branches and open spots on logs taking in the sun.

[Fleagirl]

So would a uth and like a 50 watt bulb be good for the warm side? Or too much?

[eminart]

So would a uth and like a 50 watt bulb be good for the warm side? Or too much?

Too much.

You just need one heat source. A thermostat or rheostat needs to be connected to that heat source in almost every case to keep the temps regulated.