If you are housing a corn snake then you need to provide your pet with the optimum size tank and fulfill the requirements a well.
There are a lot of options for the tank size and there are various alternatives for it as well, like the glass cage or the plastic one. The glass terrariums are better because the users can easily see through them, but we see that the plastic terrarium lasts better and longer as they retain the heat in a better manner as well.
You can even make your own terrarium but it might risk your snake escaping from it.
The adult corn snakes need a 20-gallon terrarium.
Contents
Exo Terra Outback Terrarium
This terrarium is 24, 18, 12, 20 inches. There is front door ventilation provided. There is 3D background as well and this is available in limited edition.
There are dual doors and the escape is prevented. But if your snake reaches more than 5.5-6inches then you need to shift to the bigger terrarium.
There are a lot of important things that you need to see when you are creating a terrarium for your pet. The following are mentioned below:
Substrate
This is also referred to as the flooring or the bedding of the pet’s tank and is one of the most important things when you are thinking of providing your pet with a suitable habitat. The substrate is made using different materials but the main purpose of using this is to make the cleaning process easy and manageable. Using this you can easily protect the snake’s skin as well.
Some of the best examples for the substrate are newspaper, aspen shavings, cypress mulch and there are some dangerous substrates as well, these include pine shavings and cedar shavings.
Heating
Another important factor that you need to consider while you are providing a home to your pet is that there should be optimum heating in the tank that is necessary for your pet.
Since snakes are cold-blooded therefore they need an external source for heating and maintain the body functions of the snake therefore you need to provide an external source.
The snakes that live in the wild use sunlight for heating purposes, but since you are housing the corn snake inside it is your duty to provide your pet with the required heating setup.
You need to know that the room temperature is not sufficient and you need to maintain the temperature so that your pet can carry out the body functions perfectly.
If you are using a glass terrarium and using the under-tank heater then you need to be aware that it might even crack. So, go for the plastic one.
The corn snakes live in a mild environment so there should not be much tension regarding the temperature but it should be for about 75 degrees F or 24 degrees C.
When you are using the heating mat, then you need to maintain 75 degrees F, and on the other side of the tank, there should be 65 degrees F.
This provides your snake the option of choosing the part of the tank that it finds suitable. At the night you can turn off the heater. The temperature will thus fall and your pet can easily sleep.
Need of thermostat
Yes, corn snakes do need a thermostat. The thermostat needs to be placed on the wall that is near the basking zone. But you need to see that the snake does not mess up with it.
Because it can affect the working of the thermostat and also affect the temperature of the setup. If you are using any nonlighting heat source then go for the pulse dimming thermostat. This is the best and will suit your needs.
Temperature
While you are setting up the tank for the corn snake you need to see that that the temperature of the basking zone should be around 29-32degree Celsius. The temperature can vary a little up and down if the tank is large. You can measure the temperature using the digital thermometer by keeping it under the basking source. The basking temperature of your corn snake terrarium should be around 29-32 degrees C.
UVB requirement
Yes, the corn snakes need UVB. This is one of the most important things that you need to provide your corn snake. Earlier there were no fancy LED lights to light up the tank, but since there are a lot of advancements in science and technology therefore we find that there are millions of UVB setups that are available and you can easily use these to keep the tank illuminated.
The studies show that the corn snakes in the wild are exposed to a UVB of 6-1.4. This can e regarded as the shade dweller. This can be easily achieved in the tank also, by proper setup. To provide proper setup to your pet it is also essential that you provide the proper hiding places and the shade. The snake will therefore also get the option of selecting the exposure it needs to the UVB lighting. The pets do have exposure to UVB in the wild and you can replicate these conditions for your corn snake.
Is UVB important?
The experts mention that UVB is very important for corn snakes. Also, the UVB will also illuminate the setup and has a lot of benefits for the snakes too. But it is seen that UVB is not that necessary. This is mentioned by users who have been housing corn snakes for decades. The LEDs like the White Python strips are suitable and you should stick to buying the reptile brands only. This is because they are of high quality.
Turning off the heat and UVB at night
The users when are out for buying need to see that you should get the products that are available with the timer. This is because it makes it easy for you to manage them when you are out for work or parties. Yes, you should turn these off at night. Through this, your pet will be able to sleep peacefully and quickly.
Decor
If you are getting home a corn snake then you need to know that if you provide it with the habitat that it actually lives in it will be easy for it to adjust to the surroundings.
You can use ranches and a number of hides in the terrarium. Make sure you do not pick it up from the road, as it might be affected by the pollution. So, go to a nearby pet store and get the plants and branches that are free from pesticides. Snakes are fond of things that they can climb on or under which they can hide.
This is because these help in the physical and mental stimulation of the snake. If you keep three branches then your snake will remain active and also busy. If you do not prefer collecting the items from outside then go for a suitable retailer in your reach.
Water in the tank
It is very important that you provide your pet with a clean source of water. You need to select a source of water that won’t tip over the setup and should be deep as well as wide so that the snake can climb in and out of it.
Also, we know that snakes do like to soak in water usually in temperatures that are hot and even pre-shed. They do not prefer baths so go for a sturdy bowl. You can even choose the hard ceramic bowl. As the snake will grow the bowl will not meet the requirements so you need to go for a bigger one. Also, do make sure that there is no chlorine in the water that you are providing, this is because it can hurt your pet and even cause harm to sensitive areas like the eyes. You can go for the electrolytes and that will help you in removing the chlorine from water.
Cleaning
There is no need of cleaning the bioactive set up again and again. If you are using substrates like the Lignocel or aspen then you can clean the waste. If you are using the paper then you need to just replace it.
Also, if you are making use of any other thing or substrate then you can do full cleaning after some weeks.
Conclusion
There are a lot of important requirements that you are required to meet when you are housing a corn snake. Go through the above-mentioned points and provide the best tank for your pet.
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