When it comes to choosing a snake for first-time pet owners, a corn snake is an amazing choice. This pretty-looking snake is docile and low maintenance. Thus surely it will win your heart within weeks of reaching your home. They are slender and stay active in the tank when the environment is kept proper and the measurement of heat and humidity stays rightly balanced.
Corn snakes are also called red rat snakes because their most favorite and easy food is mice. They mostly feed on pink mice, live or frozen. This small snake will be fun to play with and handle, only you should be extra cautious about its tank setup.
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What is the amount of humidity needed for the corn snakes?
A hygrometer is always needed to keep the humidity level at a balance in the tank of the corn snake. According to the measurement of the hydrometer, 40 to 50 percent of the humidity is necessary to keep the snakes healthy and their skin moist.
Corn snakes need humidity to shed properly when it’s the season, and also need a minimal amount of humidity to stay healthy. When the humidity level is low at the tank, and the shedding process start, you may see blisters and sore marks on the skin. These are painful for the snake so be aware and arrange for the humidifier as soon as possible within the tank.
How can you increase the humidity in the corn snake tank naturally?
You can place a bowl of fresh and clean water in the cage of the corn snake. Make sure that the bowl is wide enough to drench the whole body of the corn snake in it. Also keep it on the warmer side of the cage so the heat of the heat source keeps the water turning into vapor, thus increasing the amount of humidity in the tank.
What happens when the humidity remains high in the tank of the corn snake?
You must arrange for the way of ventilation to keep the corn snake healthy in a highly humid atmosphere. If there is less space for ventilation, then it may cause claustrophobia or shortness of breathing among the corn snakes. Ventilation is a prior thing to let the extra humidity pass out of the cage.
What is the importance of humidity in the time of shedding of corn snake?
At the time of shedding, the humidity level should be higher than the usual times. If the humidity does not stay the same, then use a spray bottle to sprinkle some water on the interior of the corn snake tank. Keep the equipment humid so when the shedding process starts, the skin will easily come out and the pain of the shedding will be less or nil.
How important is humid hide for the corn snakes?
When the corn snake is put into its cage, it is much important to put some hide that will retain moisture inside the tank. This place will be a safe option for the corn snake to choose if it needs extra humidity or it does not. When it feels like going to the hide it will do so in search of some humidity. Or else it can stay back and be in its regular basking spot.
Do not think that the hide will not be disrupting the natural environment of the tank, as it will be taking only a small part of the tank, this microclimate spot will not interfere with the atmosphere, and you can remove it as and when you wish.
Which humidity will be too high for the corn snake tank?
When you keep the tank humidity more than 60% then it will be too suffocating for the corn snake. Be cautious in some matters when you are bringing a corn snake to your house. It would not be easy to keep the snake healthy unless you strictly following the heat and humidity-related protocols. If the limit of humidity crosses the limit, it will be painful and the snake will feel restless. Also, the snake may die if the right proportion of humidity exceeds its limit.
What can be the right source of heat for the corn snake cage?
There are several light bulb options available in the market which will keep the tank sufficiently heated. Only you should know the right wattage and the adequate power of bulb for the right sized tank.
What should be the right temperature of the corn snake tank?
The basking area of the corn snake tank will always be warmer than that of the rest tank area. If the basking area is 88 to 92 degrees Fahrenheit then the rest part of the tank can be 75 to 82 degrees. This temperature gradient is necessary for keeping the throughout environment suitable for the corn snake. You should keep the heat source always on the side where you have designed to keep the basking spot.
Does UVB light add up to the temperature of the corn snake tank?
Corn snakes do not exactly need UVB light for their survival. But other than just surviving, there is more to it. For better digestion and a good immunity system, UVB rays will always be helpful. Snakes usually lie down in the forest area, where they get ample UV rays naturally. So this ray offers them good for the whole system.
The heat that the UVB rays offer is minimal. But still, the importance of this ray cannot be ignored. The UV rays available from the sunlight are great for almost all living beings. In the case of nocturnal reptiles like corn snakes, this is even more important to keep them fighting the regular and common ailments.
However, you do not have to arrange for a separate UV radiator as most of the heat emitter bulb offers UV radiation.
What is the ideal temperature of the tank for the corn snake?
68 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature at night time for the corn snake tank. The heat is not much necessary at night time, so you can keep the heat source off unless it is very cold outside. However, if your snake needs some rest at the night, which is not a common habit among snakes, then you can use a ceramic heat emitter that provides heat without light.
What is the need for the ceramic heater in the tank of the corn snake?
You can keep that on when it is mid-afternoon. Corn snakes take rest inside their burrows and they even take rest when it is broad daylight outside. Offering them similar burrow like environment inside the tank will facilitate them to take rest any time it wishes.
Where should you put the heat lamp in the tank of your corn snake?
A basking lamp is all that you should start with while arranging the tank for your corn snake. The heat lamp should be enough to provide the heat to fill one-third part of the terrarium successfully. So measuring the tank and arranging for the lamp that offers ample heat is necessary. The positioning of the bulb is also a crucial factor. The position, if not kept properly, will not be able to offer a good amount of heat, though the lamp is rightly powerful.
What are the other ways to provide heat than a heating lamp?
You can always seek some heat mat, which will offer added heat to the corn snake in the tank. But remember to get the heat mat with a thermostat, as snakes have the habit of lying down on the heat mat without understanding that the soft skin under the belly is burning. If you do not put a thermostat in the heat mat, this will be an obvious mishap.
So be aware of the fact and arrange likewise. The heat mat is not necessary for corn snakes of every part of the world. Unless the weather is too cold where you live, you should not worry about putting the heat mat in the corn snake tank.
Are hot rocks good to be put to the tank of corn snake?
Hot rocks are not a suggested way of providing heat to the corn snake. Hot rocks are a concrete form of a heat source that will provide extreme heat, but if your snake carelessly touches the hot rock, it will get burnt on the very second. The burns can be severe and they can lead to lethal consequences. So keep this option out of the heat source suggestion list for corn snake.
Conclusion:
Corn snakes are much interactive when they get attached to their owners. And yes, they get attached with the owners, if the response is both-sided. So if you are thinking of having a fun pet in your life, get a corn snake. They can climb the branches as well as swim in the water. You can take it with you when traveling, and also it can swim on the water body if allowed and kept under supervision. So share your life with the fun pet that is a corn snake and see how exciting your boring life can turn into.
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