Advice needed please

[Carrie]

I need some advice please, I have just moved my corn who is about 6-7months old out of the little plastic shoe box sized container he has been in and put him in a viv (a wooden one with sliding doors) 20"x12"x18"high i put the substrate in which I was sold buy the pet shop that I got him from(it's like tiny bits of wood) anyway I also put in a couple of loo rolls centers so he can curl up inside but all he did was bury himself under the substrate I left him for the rest of the day to see if he came out but he didn't, I have read that they can inhale the tiny bits of wood so today I took most of it out and just put kitchen towel in he just hides under this and will not come out at all, the thing that is reallt worrying me is that he is laying on the heat mat all the time will he be OK as it is not covered as he keeps going underneath the kitchen towel and laying on the bare mat, can you please let me know if this is OK, I have had him now for 5 weeks and handle him every day at least once sometimes twice for 10-15 mins (I don't handle for 2 days after feeding) but he is still very very shy when he does come out and I walk over to look at him he flies under anything to hide away, I worry that I may be doing something wrong, If anyone has any advice please let me know. Thanks.... :(

[snakemann87]

well, what i do is put down a shirt were the heat mat is, or you could seperate the floor from the cage, so the heat pad doesnt get too hot. if you put your hand were the heat pad is and it burns you, then you should worry, just make the heat pad cool enough that it cant hurt him.

[Scotty Allen]

Carrie, sounds like that cage is too big. The snake is stressed out, feeling it is out in the open all the time. Picture the way a snake lives in the wild, most of the time staying hidden, trying to avoid being eaten by something. Nothing at all wrong with the kitchen towel as a substrate, and the rolls for hiding but consider moving it back to a smaller enclosure until it grows a little.

[Goose]

Maybe you should put bigger woodchips in it's cage. Either that you should turn the heat down a bit. But that's my opion. You should do what you think is right.
Goose

[snakemann87]

that could very well be it also, thank you for pointing that out scotty

[Carrie]

He is about 20" long and the clear plastic box he was is is only 10"x6"x4"high will he be OK in this? at what age/size can he go into a bigger viv, as I don't want to stress him out at all, thanks for all the advice I have only had my first corn for 5weeks and only want to do the right thing. Thanks again..

[Big Mike]

The wood chips from the pet store are probably fine. Just make sure it's not cedar (it's dangerous for herps). Wood might cause a problem if it's really dusty though. Where do you feed him? You don't want to feed him on a loose substrate becasue he might eat some that gets stuck to the mouse. The wood chips or the towel are good because he can hid in them. The more places he can hide, the more secure he can feel. 10" x 6" might be a little small for a 20" snake but he could stay there for a while. How big is the new viv.? It might be too big for him but if you give him lots of hiding places it should be OK.

As for him hiding all the time. I'll second what Scotty said. It's natural for them to stay hidden because they are hiding from predators. Once he get used to the fact that nothing will come to eat him...he may stay out more. Of course he may not...they do what they want to despite what we want them to do.

Sounds like you have it under control so just use common sence and have fun. Corn snkaes are great.

[gonesnakee]

Big Mike pretty much already said what I would have (VERY IMPORTANT TO CHECK FOR NO CEDAR). Make sure that the hide holes are spread around so that the snake has spots at the cold end, warm end & some in between. As far as hides go squish the "loo rolls" flat the snake will be more apt to use them, better yet use small boxes with only one open end. I find KD boxes etc. work well. It makes the snake feel more secure if there is only one way for someone to get at it + they like the dark, remember no eye lids. I find that some snakes just won't use hides. I have ones of all ages that no matter what I give them to hide in, they hide under the shop towels that I use for substrate. I do find that once they get about 6 - 8 months old that most are apt to start using the hides, whereas my young snakes almost never use them & usually hide under the towels (this is one of my pet peeves, I go out of my way to provide hides that are almost never used, DOH!). Also Scotty's point about too big may be valid. Some snakes "freak out" in too big of an area, whereas others are fine. When they are young they like to spend their time eating or hiding, so small & cramped may seem cruel but they may be the most comfortable that way. Sounds like your young snake is acting the way that they do so I don't think you have any worries. Remember your young snake still considers you a threat everytime it sees you, this is just a natural instinct that would help keep it alive in the wild, but just PO's you as a pet owner, LOL. Good Luck!
Mark IsBell - GONE SNAKEE!

[Lisa]

More hides would be great, also the place is new to him, it's unfamilar smelling. And depending on the temp of the heat mat it may be fine for him to lay on, as it may not be warm enough above it for his liking. check the temp of the surface

[Carrie]

Thanks for all the advice it has really helped, I have decided to put him back in his little plastic shoe box sized one as he did look a bit stressed he looks much more relaxed now, also I have decided to buy some larger substrate when I try him again but I will wait for another couple of months as the last thing I want to do is stress him again, I have never had a snake before as my husband was not at all keen but after many years of admiring them he finaly let me have not one but two, my other one is only 10 weeks old and is so tiny, but I really do love them and only want to do the right thing for them, thanks again to everyone for the great advice and help, this is a fantastic forum and so friendly...

[Lizzy001]

have u got any pics???


what colour/morph is he.....

[Carrie]

I haven't got any yet but I hope to get some for tommorow I will post them as soon as I get them done, my 7month old is an ordinary corn but my baby one I am not sure so I will be interested in any opinions.