Heating

[Ace]

I just red the caresheet for a corn snake and it said to keep the snakes in a a mid to high 80's temp. I have had my corn snake for three years and do not use any heat on him, just whatever the room temp is. I have tried to use heat on him and then he refuses to eat. Otherwise he is a great eater, and about 4 feet long. I just wanted to see what everyone else does with their corn, it also said for the humidity to be 50-60%, however mine is lower and has never had a bad shed, let me know, thanks

ACE
[addsig]

	Corn Snake The Corn Snake or Red Rat Snake (Elaphe guttata) is a species of Rat Snake.

[reptilemama]

Cornsnakes need heat to digest their food. If you haven't had any problems, you've been lucky. When you used heat, did you measure the temps? Could it have been too hot? You really need to use something, or you will have a problem in the future.

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[travis66]

i guess in this maybe you should leave him how he is but dont let him get to cold.R.I. might set in.just becareful because i am sure the last thing you would want to do is hurt your corn.
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[JC86]

Yeah, you really should offer a warm side of the cage for him. Give it a temperature gradient with hid spots on both the warm and cold sides, that way he can choose. My corn almost always chills on the cold side, but I do catch him 'sunning' himself sometimes, and likes to sit over the heat mat for an hour or 2 after eating.


Scott
[addsig]

North american colubrids are amazingly durable and tolerant. They are not tropical creatures. However, I have a heating pad under my corn's tank and a 40watt CHE on from 9am until 4pm. The day time high might get to 80. North american Colubrids as a general rule, don't need temps in excess of 85. Anything over 89 for any length of time is fatal for them. The room temperature in my place is usually 69-70 and mine eats just fine and is perfectly healthy. Humidity ranges from 44-55%, but that's just the humidity of the house, I never mist him. His last shed was a little ragged for the first few inches but other than that fine, and he eats like a trooper.

I think mid to high 80's was intended as the basking spot temperature. If my basking spot temps get over 80, I find my corn snake at the cool end of the cage.

If he's eating good, shedding fine then I'd say all is in order. If you really wanted to put heat on him, you should do it very gradually, increasing the temp a degree or two every 2 weeks. If snakes are kept too hot they won't eat. He's no doubt adapted to the cooler temperatures.
[addsig]

	Corn Snake The Corn Snake or Red Rat Snake (Elaphe guttata) is a species of Rat Snake.

	Ceramic Heat Emitter Ceramic Heat Emitter: A porcelain heating device that screws into a standard porcelain incandescent socket

[Ace]

Thanks for the input, I may try a heat pad in there and see how he does. for the past 3 years has done fine without any problems, thanks again

ACE
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