| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| sarahcollier |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 13:18:51
Hi
I just bought a corn snake. This is my first time as a snake keeper and I have read so much info my heads a blur. However, one common piece of information is "get a heat mat". However, my pet shop has pleaded with me not to get one as they have far too often had owners come in with burnt snakes and they insist they are better for lizards. Now I really don't know what to do as I worry that a light will not be able to distribute the heat properly (cool end/warm end). PLEASE HELP!!  |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| thistle |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 22:56:59
Hi, welcome to the forum. |
| scottishbluebird |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 20:25:28
Hi and welcome, glad you came here and listening to great advice |
| kdlang |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 17:04:41
It's a great idea to get your set-up right before you bring your snake home. It will be one less worry for you and less stress for snakey if things are tricky at the beginning. I use mats in all my vivs. They are contact heaters as opposed to air heaters so you don't need to worry about air temps. Make sure you get a digital thermometer as well as the thermostat. If you put both probes on the heatmat so you are reading from the hottest place your snakie can reach then you would be extremely unlikely to burn your snake. I actually think bulbs are more likely to cause burns. |
| garrie |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 15:04:11
quote:
Originally posted by sarahcollier
Thanks for all of your comments. I have purchased a heat mat and am now considering leaving the snake at the pet shop until everything is set up for her. I think that would be fairer than changing her environment twice in two weeks and I would hate for her to burn her bum!! I purchased the items that are mentioned on this websites fact-sheets.
I look forward to speaking to you all again at some point. I will let you know how it goes. :)
That would be ideal! Ensuring that the temperatures are regulating right before your snake moves in just means that the only stress will be getting used to the new smells/sounds etc during its settling in week, where you should only really open the viv to spot check/change water. |
| garrie |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 15:01:45
My mat is set to about 30 - i think it is actually 29, but the thermometer (digital) that i have for the warm end has never gone above 31 (on the few hot/humid days we had this year) and actually generally sits between 28 - 30. The cool end then can fluctuate between around 21 - 24 depending on outside temperature...AURYN seems happy anyway, he spends much of his time (when i'm looking) in the cool end, but does go over to the warm end too (usually for at least a couple of hours at a time)...all snakes are different though, but if you do notice your snake staying at one end ALL of the time, it might be a sign to check the temperatures a little more thoroughly |
| sarahcollier |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 14:56:57
Thanks for all of your comments. I have purchased a heat mat and am now considering leaving the snake at the pet shop until everything is set up for her. I think that would be fairer than changing her environment twice in two weeks and I would hate for her to burn her bum!! I purchased the items that are mentioned on this websites fact-sheets.
I look forward to speaking to you all again at some point. I will let you know how it goes. :) |
| sarahcollier |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 14:46:20
HI :) |
| fluffycorn |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 14:37:27
hello and welcome :D |
| sarahcollier |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 14:29:51
yes, the bub is covered with this wire and it is on a timer. I figured that the mat wil need adjusting. what temperature do you keep your mat at? They all say that they don't heat the air around them. I am really confused now. I may collect my Viv and set it up tonight and get my snake in a day or two. |
| gingerpony |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 14:29:50
heya and welcome
totally agree with the above sentiments that that it about the stupidest advice i've heard from a petshop!
get a heatmat, get a thermostat to regulate it  |
| garrie |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 14:22:34
Tehehe...that seems to be a problem for many snake owners - i have an OH that won't let me get another until we have a house rabbit, so i guess i am going to have to wait.
You are correct - the meat hat will turn off once it reaches the desired temperature and come on again when it is below - just to check, have you got a cage around your light to prevent the little'n from wrapping himself around it? Presumably you also have got your bulb on some kind of timer to give your snake a sense of day and night?
Also, it is worth mentioning that heat mats can take a little time to "get right" so as you already have your snake it may need some careful monitoring to begin with. |
| ozziesmum |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 14:19:49
Hi and welcome :) |
| sarahcollier |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 13:44:52
And I suppose with a thermostat the idea is the snake can't get burn because it won't go over 30 degrees?! OK, well wish me luck. I will have to carry on with the light until I can get the "meat matt" but that has settled my mind, thank you.
I am so excited! I keep saying just one is enough just one is enough but now I keep seeing so many beautiful morphs I can see how easy it is to get carried away! |
| garrie |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 13:36:03
Thank you for the piccy comment .
I'm only a newbie tbh...and my heatmat (with thermostat) was purchased for me as a birthday present so i can't help with specifics - i think that any good petshop (online or instore) should have a decent range of mats - all you need to do is ensure that is it fills no more than half of the viv (somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 is fine).
I think most people just put the substrate straight onto the heat mat - you will need to ensure that you do not put a too thick layer on the heat mat (i actually just wrote meat hat lol) as this can cause heating issues. |
| nusnakemum |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 13:33:58
hello - this site is fantastic for everything cornsnakey and a good laugh welcome ! |
| sarahcollier |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 13:30:37
Thanks for all of your advice guys! Will definitely be going out and getting one. You're right, I think they are trying to look after the health of the snake but I had read too many times that a lamp just isn't sufficient enough. |
| sarahcollier |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 13:27:33
I love your snake Garrie, she/he is a beauty!
Thanks for your advise. I will purchase one, do you have any preferences? Also, I have a wooden viv so what would you suggest I cover the mat with before I put the substrate down - I have read on here newspaper is good for that?
Thanks again |
| paulie78 |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 13:27:20
Sarah ignore the idiot advice from the petshop get urself a heat mat and thermostat once uve set the thermostat (may take some slight adjusting initially) you can sleep easy i had bad advice intiially too but luckily id joined here before i actually got my snake and the guys here helped me out so your in the right place |
| LarkaDawg |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 13:26:13
Hi and welcome, lots of people use heat mats, I use one for one of my snakes. They are fine to use, but you NEED to use a thermostat. You can set the temperature and then the heat mat will stay around that temperature. At least the pet shop is looking out for the health of the snake, many are in it for the money! |
| garrie |
Posted - 31/08/2011 : 13:26:01
http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/corn_snake_care_sheet.htm - there is plenty of info here with a section about heat mats |
