Might be getting a snake Questions inside...

[Biollantefan54]

I am always looking to expand my collection of animals, I have an amphibian, a lizard, and COUNTLESS invertebrates, I think I am missing something, why not a snake? I know basic snake care (Ok, maybe). I am looking at getting a corn snake in the future. What would be the best way to heat it? I have read that UTH work but I don't see how, they give off little to nothing heat it feels like so how could that work? Would a light work? I am really tied on what to get next haha, corn snake or Linothele fallax (maybe both!) Also, I figured I would ask Arachnoboards because people on here always specialize in practically every animal and know what your talking about. I already searched the forum but I want some more opinions haha.

 

[pitbulllady]

I am always looking to expand my collection of animals, I have an amphibian, a lizard, and COUNTLESS invertebrates, I think I am missing something, why not a snake? I know basic snake care (Ok, maybe). I am looking at getting a corn snake in the future. What would be the best way to heat it? I have read that UTH work but I don't see how, they give off little to nothing heat it feels like so how could that work? Would a light work? I am really tied on what to get next haha, corn snake or Linothele fallax (maybe both!) Also, I figured I would ask Arachnoboards because people on here always specialize in practically every animal and know what your talking about. I already searched the forum but I want some more opinions haha.

You live in the Southeast, in the Corn Snake's native habitat. Corn Snakes in the wild are normally active at night after the temps drop to well below 80 degrees. I have caught Corns in my yard when temps were in the mid 60's to mid 70's; when the temps are higher, you are less likely to find Corn Snakes or other native species out and about. I live in SC, and I have never used any auxiliary heat source on Corns or other native species, and I've successfully kept and bred them for over 40 years. I would only recommend adding auxiliary heat IF A) you have a young snake and want to give it some "edge" by giving it an extended growth period, AND B) your home is unusually cold in winter, like normally below 65 degrees ambient temperature. Keep in mind that many native Colubrids will try to "brumate" and go off-feeding during the winter regardless of what temperature you keep them exposed to, and warming them at this time can actually cause them to deplete their fat reserves really fast, while their brains are telling them, "it's winter, so don't EAT", resulting in a dangerously underweight snake. I have found it best to simply allow native species to brumate in winter as they are supposed to do, so cooler temps are going to be best. You can save the heating for a tropical species like a Ball Python or Boa Constrictor, should you later choose get one of those.

pitbulllady

 

[Biollantefan54]

Wow, that's great, so no heating and it will be perfectly fine? My house rarely gets below 72, its usually 73-74-ish haha.

 

[Shrike]

First of all, I agree with pitbulllady. I've kept my Andean milk snake similarly for years without any problems. If things are unusually cold, I'll turn on my UTH, which by the way, put out plenty of heat. In fact, I have mine hooked up to a thermostat so it isn't too warm. They don't need to be extremely warm, just warm enough to keep your snake comfortable. Another word of advice regarding UTHs: I wrap mine in tin foil so I don't have to permanently attach it to the enclosure.

 

[pitbulllady]

First of all, I agree with pitbulllady. I've kept my Andean milk snake similarly for years without any problems. If things are unusually cold, I'll turn on my UTH, which by the way, put out plenty of heat. In fact, I have mine hooked up to a thermostat so it isn't too warm. They don't need to be extremely warm, just warm enough to keep your snake comfortable. Another word of advice regarding UTHs: I wrap mine in tin foil so I don't have to permanently attach it to the enclosure.

Some brands of UTH's aren't sticky so they don't attach to the enclosure, but thanks for the tip about the foil in case I wind up buying one of the sticky ones.
A thermostat is imperative, though, because UTH's can and will eventually develop "hot spots", or they can simply be too hot to begin with for the species. Desert lizards, like Beardies, need a UTH designed for their needs, native temperate Colubrid snakes, not so much. Pet shops, will of course, insist that they need a heat mat and UV bulb, too, because they want that money, but I've never kept native snakes on heat mats or put any auxiliary lighting on them, and I've had some live into their 20's, so I know I must have been doing SOMETHING right, lol. The simpler the enclosure, the better, when it comes to these types of snakes. Locking lid, clean and appropriate substrate, a hide box, and a water bowl is really all that's needed.

pitbulllady

 

[Biollantefan54]

Wow, that's cool. I am glad I asked because I was under the impression that all snakes needed some sort of heat. If everything goes right, I will probably get one on Thursday or Friday. My dads friend said "Don't tell anyone but I get a check Thursday and I may or may not stop by the pet store and get something". Cant wait!

 

[Bugmom]

Mine are in a room that is 75-85 during the day and around 70 at night. Heat not required.

Just make sure they have fresh water. Corn snakes are so easy to care for it's ridiculous. Nothing like my picky ball pythons or boas!

 

[pitbulllady]

Wow, that's cool. I am glad I asked because I was under the impression that all snakes needed some sort of heat. If everything goes right, I will probably get one on Thursday or Friday. My dads friend said "Don't tell anyone but I get a check Thursday and I may or may not stop by the pet store and get something". Cant wait!

Unless the pet shop in question specializes in reptiles and is very knowledgeable about them, I'd give that a pass. I definitely would NOT buy a snake from any of the large chain pet stores; you're going to pay waaaaay too much for an animal that is probably sickly or a "cull", one that won't eat, etc. I know that some people have had good luck with snakes from chain pet stores, but you'd be way better off either finding a local breeder or waiting until the next Repticon show in Concord and getting one direct from a breeder. Wait until the worst of winter is over, and the risk of losing power for several really cold days and nights passes. I'm concerned right now that we're going to lose electricity for an extended period starting tomorrow, when a major ice storm is forecast on top of all this snow that's been falling all day. My native snakes can take it; they're brumating and not eating anyway, but I'm really worried about my Boas and Pythons. Don't get a tiny little baby Corn, either. Try to find one that's got some size on it because those are easier to care for, less delicate. A lot of pet shops buy non-feeding hatchlings and runts from large-scale wholesale breeders, so they pass along their problem to the consumer, figuring you'll buy it, it will eventually starve and die, and you'll come back for another one, plus lots of unnecessary equipment that they'll insist you need to keep the second snake alive.

pitbulllady

 

[Spepper]

And don't forget to post pictures.

Also, get a humid hide besides the hot and cool ones.

 

[Biollantefan54]

Whens the next Repticon in Concord? I am about 30 minutes away from there.

 

[pitbulllady]

Whens the next Repticon in Concord? I am about 30 minutes away from there.

Here's the schedule of events from Kingsnake.com:
http://www.kingsnake.com/events/index.php . The Concord show is April 05-06, and the show in Columbia is March 08-09. Like I said, even though that seems a long time away, it's best to wait until the risk of winter weather-related power outages is over, given how this winter has shaped up so far.

pitbulllady

 

[Biollantefan54]

That is a long time to wait, I am not worried about power outages though, we have never had one last more than 30 seconds here and it has never happened in a snow storm. I AM going to wait though, I don't have a 100% good source on a snake so I will wait. It will also give me some time to save some money to get more stuff!

 

[cantthinkofone]

I would wait. My snake was sickly an died. Get one from a reputable dealer. Don't feed their scams.

 

[Psychocircus91]

You can easily find one from a breeder and have it shipped to you. Even with shipping it will probably the same price or cheaper than a pet store. Plus you can find some cool morphs if that's your cup of tea.

 

[pitbulllady]

You can easily find one from a breeder and have it shipped to you. Even with shipping it will probably the same price or cheaper than a pet store. Plus you can find some cool morphs if that's your cup of tea.

Not until the weather changes. Most breeders, if they're responsible, will not ship reptiles in this kind of weather even with heat packs. I myself would definitely NOT attempt to have a reptile shipped to me from anywhere at this time. The OP is in the Carolinas, and it's COLD here, with no real warm-up anytime soon that would be significant enough to risk shipping a reptile. Better just to wait.

pitbulllady

 

[Psychocircus91]

Not until the weather changes. Most breeders, if they're responsible, will not ship reptiles in this kind of weather even with heat packs. I myself would definitely NOT attempt to have a reptile shipped to me from anywhere at this time. The OP is in the Carolinas, and it's COLD here, with no real warm-up anytime soon that would be significant enough to risk shipping a reptile. Better just to wait.

pitbulllady

I guess a long wait means different things to different people. I'd imagine within a couple weeks it will be within acceptable shipping temps. As you said, a responsible breeder won't ship at the moment, but he can still pick out and purchase a snake. Just a better choice than a pet shop.

 

[Perentie]

Agree on above stated, but I would still give it a heated area. Just give it a gradient so it could escape the heat just as it does in the wild

 

[pitbulllady]

Agree on above stated, but I would still give it a heated area. Just give it a gradient so it could escape the heat just as it does in the wild

Corns do NOT use heat gradients except on unusually cold days. They restrict their activity to night for the most part, after the temps have dropped to around 70-75 degrees and spend the heat of the day in places that are around those same temperatures. Once the temperature gets above the mid eighties, snakes in this neck of the woods-and I'm in the heart of Corn Snake territory-aestivate, or become inactive, just like they do in winter when it gets too cold. You are much more likely to kill a baby Corn by putting heat on it than by not doing so. Corns actually seem to prefer it on the cool side, and I've actually caught Corns in my driveway in December with the temps in the upper 40's! Why spend the extra money for a feature that the snake really does not benefit from, a heat mat/light, and might actually be harmed by?

pitbulllady

 

[awiec]

May I suggest that you look up where local reptiles are held? Corn snakes are pretty common so they are available in all sorts of morphs that you can find at shows. If you want to order online then these guys have a nice variety http://www.vmsherp.com/ .
I bought my sand boa from them (which I highly recommend, just as easy to care for as corn snake but smaller) and it arrive happy and healthy.