Any advice??

Frozenflame · 05-31-12, 06:43 PM

hi guys...

Ive been spoiling my snake a lot lately so i take him out of his terrarium ones or twice a day for a few hours...
So now every time i go int my room he comes out and sort of begs me to take him out, so he climbs upand can sustain himself on the top edges of the cage by flattening his tummy scales..
but im worried he will burn himself with the lamp... the cover of the cage is made of steal so it gets super hot ( i touched it once and it burnt my hand) do you guys have any suggestions how i could keep giving him light?

**lady_bug87** · 05-31-12, 06:50 PM

snakes don't actually beg for attention or affection or anything like that. But to answer your question you can give him light with a lower wattage bulb and use a UTH to provide adequate heat to the enclosure also you can take out the fixtures that are directly under the light so the snake can't climb up and burn itself

Frozenflame · 05-31-12, 07:59 PM

Well he does it as soon as i go n the room... maby "her here" equals "me going outside" but no matter where i put the objects he still crawls up onto the sides he is long enough and strong enough to reach the side and crawl along it. i will consider the lower wattage though that is a good idea... or if not i will have to buy a new enclosure that is much deeper. thanks though

USMCgunner11 · 05-31-12, 08:00 PM

He's not begging to get out or seek attention, he's trying to find a way out. Don't take it personally.

If the surface of the top of the tank gets hot enough to cause a burn then you should probably consider another set up. An under the tank heater might be the least expensive and quickest fix. Either that or replace the tank's top so that there isn't a metal surface underneath your heat source.

alessia55 · 05-31-12, 08:18 PM

Switch to a UTH (a heat mat) on a thermostat.

StudentoReptile · 05-31-12, 08:23 PM

I concur with everyone else.

1.) Snakes are not capable of affection. What you are witnessing in your snake is not begging for attention, or whatever. He doesn't love you or like you, because he has no comprehension of those emotions. He's not a puppy dog.

2.) Get an undertank heat pad (with a thermostat!). Once you have done this, you can probably lose the lamp. In any case, find a way to close/cover most of the top of the enclosure, and you can definitely get away with a lower wattage bulb (or none at all, if you use the undertank heat pad).

Frozenflame · 05-31-12, 08:51 PM

ok i know he doesn't love me of like me or anything like that,maby he just figures im the result of him coming out of his cage...i really dont know and its not my main objective. i didnt move to canada till a few months ago and he was in my dads care for the past 2 years up till now.

he has a heating pad but it doesn't create enough heat... i will consider getting a much deeper enclosure. that way he doesn't reach the top of the terrarium when he stretches upwards.. and for now i will replace the bulb.

thanks guys! :]

Frozenflame · 05-31-12, 09:17 PM

Also he wont be needing it as much now that its summer so i will have time to come up with a new terrarium before winter rolls round!!

Appreciate it!

alessia55 · 05-31-12, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frozenflame

he has a heating pad but it doesn't create enough heat...

Get a better heat mat, and hook it up to a thermostat. How hot does it get that it's not enough? what's the max temperature it gets to? Some heat mats come with a "max temperature" and then a thermostat can adjust it to where you need it. Alternatively, you could get some flexwatt tape.

DavethePython · 05-31-12, 10:37 PM

I have a peice of peg board over each of my screens with holes cut out large enough for the lights . This raises the bulbs off the screen a little more and it also helps keep the heat in better while still providing good ventilation.

Frozenflame · 06-01-12, 12:18 AM

during the winter the house is kept at between 65 and 70, and his cage at 80 most with the heating lamp and heating pad....
right now during the summer ( he has a separate thermostat, a little digital one) and it only gets to about 70 with just the pad and there's no adjustments to it you just plug it in and its tuck on the underside of the cage.... on hot days which it has been lately it gets up to 75-80 depends on the house... stays pretty cool inside even with the windows open. basically i was a bit worried about him being sick about a week ago and so ( even though he is pretty active at 75 degrees) i wanted to keep hm warm to keep his immunity strong but he seems to be quite alright. do you think i should continue with the light? or only use it on cold days?

( Davethepython) pegboard is a brilliant idea!!! i most certainly have to try that!

Fredricks · 06-01-12, 07:18 AM

First off awesome looking snake. Great size
The UTH is obviously the bestlike everyone says, but if you arent comfortable with one just lower the wattage because he can burn himself

Lankyrob · 06-01-12, 08:16 AM

Cornsnakes need a hot end temp of 86f, if the heatmat isnt getting temps that high then dump it and get one that will - and USE A THERMOSTAT!!

Frozenflame · 06-01-12, 10:43 AM

thanks

and yes i been trying t keep it at 80 but clearly i should keep it higher.
im gonna dump this heat mat, it might have worn out so something...

still gonna get a larger cage sometime down the line so hes got more space to crawl around and higher so i can put branches and stuff in it...

thank you!! u guys are a great help!

Gungirl · 06-01-12, 10:47 AM

I don't use a heat source with my corn 3 seasons out of the year and he does fine. In the winter I do give him a hot spot of 78 though. I keep my house in the mid - low 60 f. Corn snakes don't need as precise temps as most other snakes.