Snake owners.?

Question

Ive decided to to take the plunge into snake ownership. Im leaning toward cornsnake, but im not for sure. Ive been researching how to set up the tank its a 20 gallon. I plan on buying a wire top and was wondering where the wires to the heater go through the top? or do i need a heater. I am willing to get anything neccesary and ill probably buy a book but just wanted any info i could get.

I barely convinced my wife tonight and im pretty stoked.

Answer 1

get a heat lamp, not a heat pad because then you might have to cut a hole in the lid for the cord to get through and corn snakes like to burrow in their bedding so they could get burnt from the heat pad...the temperature has to be about 80 degrees so i prefer you get a black heat bulb ( they will sell them at the pet store) so that your snake will get the same heat at night

Snakes do need some kind of heat source because they cannot make their own body heat,,, without the right heat they will not be able to digest there food and can die!!!( and you don't want that to happen) ...hopes this helps

Answer 2

Same as the girl above. But the heating pads are bad because it can actually burn your snake because most pads or even the rock versions get messed up. how? only a part of the rock/pad heats. so the heat that suppose to go EVERYWHERE ends up in one spot thus buring your snake. so use a reptile lamp. a white one for the day and a blacklight at night. =]

my snake loved it. and take him out in the grass (KEEP YOUR EYES ON HIM!!!) they love it.

Answer 3

I've used the screen mesh tops on aquariums for my snakes.  If you use a heating pad, it goes under the tank (on the outside) and you run the cord anywhere you want.  If you use a heat bulb, you clip the fixture somewhere above the screen.  Either way, you don't have any cables running through the inside of the cage.

Make sure you have your temperature gauge on the hot side, and near the bottom of the cage, at the level where the snake will actually be.  You do need a heater so that the snake has a hot and cool side.  They like to bask :)

I love the ball pythons in particular.  They are fun, mellow, and only get up to 5' in length.  You can get lots of cool colors and patterns now at reasonable prices.

Check out www.kingsnake.com for snake classifieds.  They usually have great deals.

Good luck!

Answer 4

To be honest you don't even need a heat lamp, if it's warm enough for you without a sweater, it's warm enough for them! Corn snakes are the best for first snakes, they are amazing eaters and almost never refuse a meal. Please feed frozen as live can kill the snake or cause diease. Baby corns can be pretty nippy, but adults are great. Awesome snakes! Ball pythons would be your next step, those are a bit trickier!

Tell your wife it will be a great decoration to your home :)