Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[Neffy]

Hi there,

I'm going to buy my first corn snake tomorrow but am a little worried about my viv and basking temperatures.

I have a wooden vivarium 30"x18"x12" with sliding front glass doors.
I'm using a heat mat with slate on top of it as my main heat source, my ambient air temps are ( hot end = 81 degrees fahrenheit ) ( cold end = 75 ).
My basking area ( on the slate ) is 110 degrees fahrenheit. I have spoken to 3 reptile stores in my local area about it being that temperature and they think it will be fine if i put subtrate ontop of the slate to block some of the heat.I asked about a thermostat to bring the temp down a bit but was told i didnt need one.

Are my temps alright?
Also would you buy a thermostat for the heat mat to bring the temp down?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[cornfan]

The best advice you'll be given by anyone is that one of the most invaluable pieces of equipment for any herper is the thermostat. There is simply no other way to accurately control temperature than with a thermostat and what is the point in heating an environment but then not controlling it? Summer is on it's way (apparantly) and, regardless of any other measures you put in place, the only safe way to ensure that your reptile (any reptile) does not find itself in a situation where it is overheating is to control it with a thermostat. I'm really surprised when reptile shops do not give this advice. You'd think that they'd be glad to make the extra money of the sale of such a device anyway!

Putting substrate on top is the funniest (if not silliest and most dangerous) piece of advice that I've ever heard. I'm going to assume that these pet shop people have kept snakes themselves. Have they never seen a snake move the substrate as they move around and burrow? Even if the said substrate were able to block any heat, it would soon be moved and then you're still left with the same situation that you started with!

Corn snakes are fantastic burrowers and they love to dig around in the substrate, sleep in it, play in it and simply enjoy the feel of it as they move around. You'll see this over time with your own new baby when you get it. I'm afraid that this will offer no protection whatsoever. Corn snakes can suffer neurological damage is subjected to temperatures of over 90f for prolonged periods of time. Your ambient temperatures are good but where are they measured? The temperature measurements need to be made where the snake will actually be and that's at ground level so, if that's not where you've been measuring the temperatures then I would suggest that you measure them again right on top of the substrate at each side and you may find a marked difference with possibly dangerous consequences.

I'm really glad that you've asked this question. You've obviously got the good common sense that to know that the temperature is very important to reptiles and I wish there were more people like you around who would rather make sure they get it right first time round than take unnecessary risks.

Good luck with your new baby. This will be the start of a beautiful new relationship lol and I'm sure you'll adore your corn as much as I do all of mine.
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Regards, Tanya

Reptile Lover

[cass]

go with all Tanya said she is 1 of the best when it comes to corns , and great to see u back Tanya
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http://www.beardieboard.com/

[Neffy]

Thankyou very much for your advice, i feel much better now and a lot more confident that i will be giving my corn the best home i can provide for him/her. I will be buying a thermostat for my heat mat tomorrow without a doubt.
I was also told to have my thermometers half way up the tank ( more wrong advice ) so i have done as you said and moved them down to the bottom of my viv.

Thanks again, really appreciate your help

[cornfan]