Discussion
I'm still not a fan of using heat mats in vivs. they're fine when used under RUBs or in rack systems but as above I've seen too many burnt animals where they've managed to get at them.
If its a Viv I'd be looking into a decent stat and either a heat bulb or a ceramic bulb (properly caged)
If its a Viv I'd be looking into a decent stat and either a heat bulb or a ceramic bulb (properly caged)
The heat mat does seem to be recommended for corns due to them requiring ground heat as opposed to "sun" heat.
Either way I have a thermostat keeping it around 29C, and a digital thermometer probe sat on the mat keeping an accurate reading, so it should never get above 30C, and more like 28/29 in normal circumstances.
Picked her up on Thursday afternoon, and she's been fantastic. Obviously very nervous at first and is still working everything out. She has various climbing and crawling bits to explore and seems to enjoy it, but does spend a lot of time in her hide with just her head poking out to keep an eye on things.
She also sits in her water bowl, and in the evenings is very busy, with an ability to climb like Ive never seen before!! Very impressive.
She really is a lovely little snake and the whole family loves having her here.
Either way I have a thermostat keeping it around 29C, and a digital thermometer probe sat on the mat keeping an accurate reading, so it should never get above 30C, and more like 28/29 in normal circumstances.
Picked her up on Thursday afternoon, and she's been fantastic. Obviously very nervous at first and is still working everything out. She has various climbing and crawling bits to explore and seems to enjoy it, but does spend a lot of time in her hide with just her head poking out to keep an eye on things.
She also sits in her water bowl, and in the evenings is very busy, with an ability to climb like Ive never seen before!! Very impressive.
She really is a lovely little snake and the whole family loves having her here.
I am not sure of anyone on here, most venomous snake owners tend to keep that information private to themselves.
The Dangerous Wild Animals Licence is becoming difficult to obtain and becoming quite onerous and expensive to maintain, the licence is managed by the District Council and mine have recently increased their visits, including a vet,to twice a year and hence doubled the annual charges.
Would I have any venomous snakes? not a chance, if you get it wrong its either loss of limb or life. However I did contemplate a Gila Monster [venomous lizard], but as said the DWAL is just getting to expensive, which is a shame.
The Dangerous Wild Animals Licence is becoming difficult to obtain and becoming quite onerous and expensive to maintain, the licence is managed by the District Council and mine have recently increased their visits, including a vet,to twice a year and hence doubled the annual charges.
Would I have any venomous snakes? not a chance, if you get it wrong its either loss of limb or life. However I did contemplate a Gila Monster [venomous lizard], but as said the DWAL is just getting to expensive, which is a shame.
halfpenny43 said:
Not a snake lover myself - terrified in fact - and don't want to stray from the OP question, but out of curiosity, does anyone here keep venomous snakes ?
halfpenny43 said:
Not a snake lover myself - terrified in fact - and don't want to stray from the OP question, but out of curiosity, does anyone here keep venomous snakes ?
Keeping venomous snakes seems a bit silly and unnecessary to me, you are putting yourself at massive risk.Sort of like wanting a cat so getting a lion.
I wonder whether it's a bit of a status thing, like owning a dangerous breed of dog, or just an adrenaline thing. I suppose for some people it's the ability to own an incredible and beautiful snake (like a green mamba, or boomslang, or a cape coral, which are really amazing looking animals IMO), but for me Id rather go see them at a snake park rather than risk life and limb trying to keep one.
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 21st March 08:45
Thanks for the responses Thunderhead. Interesting thoughts and does sound like the laws in the UK are similar to NL.
There was a story in the press here a year or two ago about a guy who kept a King Cobra in his house. He had a license - and had the hermetically sealed "room within a room", and claims he always fed it with two people present incase of "accidents". However one day he went to fed the snake and the inevitable happened - snake bit him. Which got me thinking - why you would ever want to keep a venomous unpredicatble animal in your house.
Takes all sorts I guess - but I'm in your camp. Why ?
There was a story in the press here a year or two ago about a guy who kept a King Cobra in his house. He had a license - and had the hermetically sealed "room within a room", and claims he always fed it with two people present incase of "accidents". However one day he went to fed the snake and the inevitable happened - snake bit him. Which got me thinking - why you would ever want to keep a venomous unpredicatble animal in your house.
Takes all sorts I guess - but I'm in your camp. Why ?
tting in neighbours gardens or yapping away all week. I'll post some photos of the pythons later if this stupid upload thing will play ball. Tbf fair with dwa animals you could say the same about big motorbikes or extreme sports. Yes there's a risk but it's about managing that risk. Things like gaboon and eyelash vipers are incredible animals.
I don't see the appeal myself, however I have always wanted a caiman (probably something like a culvers dwarf)
I don't see the appeal myself, however I have always wanted a caiman (probably something like a culvers dwarf)
Have a 6'2" African corn snake. He's an old boy now. Must be 18. Has a nice temperament and loves to chill in hair! Don't take him out too much as I've read it's stressful to them.
Can get pics if anyone is interested.
Wrt to heating we use a small heat mat under his house and a light only when it's very cold for some reason.
Can get pics if anyone is interested.
Wrt to heating we use a small heat mat under his house and a light only when it's very cold for some reason.
dannydrama said:
As previously promised, my mad bunch. Top two are dozy swines but the third is a git. He bit me on the ear and cheek the other night when I was holding him, I leaned closer to him than I know is sensible and was punished accordingly. Won't be making that mistake again!
Awesome snakes there, and how badly did the bites hurt? Even with the baby corn snake Im cautious, no idea what it will be like when she's 5 foot long!!Speed Demon, that is about the longest Ive heard a corn snake getting, does he ever bite? I also read handling can stress them, but apparently regular handling makes them less stressed towards it.
Quick update on Saffire (deliberate 'mis'spelling), she's doing really well and seems to love her Viv. Climbs incredibly well and actually wrapped herself around the little round thermometer I have stuck on the side, silly thing.
We've fed her twice now and she's taken the food well and kept it down with no problems, and we've also handled her regularly and so far all good.
Bites hurt very little, unless its one of the bigger burms or retics. A baby corn snake bite will barely register. The teeth or almost like surgical tools. Very clean puctures that tend to bleed quite a bit.
If you get one that latches on and wont let go (like my old mexi black) then run them under cold water or a splash of vinegar should do it.
Avoid handling 24 hours after food and any time she looks like she's going into shed. They get a layer of fluid over their eyes during shed which massively affects thier vision, makes them very nervous.
Corn snakes shouldn't be 'african'. Could be a rat snake (the two are often confused), some of which can easily hit 6fy, especially at that age..
If you get one that latches on and wont let go (like my old mexi black) then run them under cold water or a splash of vinegar should do it.
Avoid handling 24 hours after food and any time she looks like she's going into shed. They get a layer of fluid over their eyes during shed which massively affects thier vision, makes them very nervous.
Corn snakes shouldn't be 'african'. Could be a rat snake (the two are often confused), some of which can easily hit 6fy, especially at that age..
Thunderhead said:
Awesome snakes there, and how badly did the bites hurt? Even with the baby corn snake Im cautious, no idea what it will be like when she's 5 foot long!!
Speed Demon, that is about the longest Ive heard a corn snake getting, does he ever bite? I also read handling can stress them, but apparently regular handling makes them less stressed towards it.
Quick update on Saffire (deliberate 'mis'spelling), she's doing really well and seems to love her Viv. Climbs incredibly well and actually wrapped herself around the little round thermometer I have stuck on the side, silly thing.
We've fed her twice now and she's taken the food well and kept it down with no problems, and we've also handled her regularly and so far all good.
He is a big boy! Eats 2 giant mice per meal. He very rarely strikes, think I've seen him do it once in the 4 years I've been around him and my partner who has had him since he was very young has ever been stricken 3 times max. Getting active now and off his food so probably coming into season.Speed Demon, that is about the longest Ive heard a corn snake getting, does he ever bite? I also read handling can stress them, but apparently regular handling makes them less stressed towards it.
Quick update on Saffire (deliberate 'mis'spelling), she's doing really well and seems to love her Viv. Climbs incredibly well and actually wrapped herself around the little round thermometer I have stuck on the side, silly thing.
We've fed her twice now and she's taken the food well and kept it down with no problems, and we've also handled her regularly and so far all good.
Glad Saffire is settling in well
I'll echo what's said above, careful when they are preparing to shed, they get very much on edge.
Speed_Demon said:
I'll echo what's said above, careful when they are preparing to shed, they get very much on edge.
Im pretty sure she is due to shed, has a sort of hue to her skin now with a much brighter bit just behind her head, and when we took her out for her feed yesterday she was in a real mood.Would jump when touched and didnt want to be handled, so we did a quick feed (she snapped the mouse and ate it quicker than Ive ever seen her do before) and got her back into her viv so she could relax.
How long does the shedding process generally last?
Thunderhead said:
Im pretty sure she is due to shed, has a sort of hue to her skin now with a much brighter bit just behind her head, and when we took her out for her feed yesterday she was in a real mood.
Would jump when touched and didnt want to be handled, so we did a quick feed (she snapped the mouse and ate it quicker than Ive ever seen her do before) and got her back into her viv so she could relax.
How long does the shedding process generally last?
I reckon my corn goes milky for about 3-4 days...then clear again for a day and THEN sheds......same with the big burm.....the boa seems to stay milky for 4 days and then shed. Would jump when touched and didnt want to be handled, so we did a quick feed (she snapped the mouse and ate it quicker than Ive ever seen her do before) and got her back into her viv so she could relax.
How long does the shedding process generally last?
Does everyone nowadays feed outside the tank then? It does seem recommended a lot but I'm not really sure why..... Miffy likes roaming around the house and I don't want her to get the idea she might eat when not in her house....so it feels safer (to me) to feed em in situ. Be interested in others views tho
We always feed outside of the Viv as apparently they can take in some of the substrate when feeding if done in the Viv, which can be lethal.
It is also better to keep the smell of mice out of the Viv so they dont have that around constantly, and more hygienic as we feed in a large plastic tub which is very easy to then give a good clean.
It is also better to keep the smell of mice out of the Viv so they dont have that around constantly, and more hygienic as we feed in a large plastic tub which is very easy to then give a good clean.
Thunderhead said:
We always feed outside of the Viv as apparently they can take in some of the substrate when feeding if done in the Viv, which can be lethal.
It is also better to keep the smell of mice out of the Viv so they dont have that around constantly, and more hygienic as we feed in a large plastic tub which is very easy to then give a good clean.
Fair enough - though the smell won't be lingering for days in reality. Must be bloody unlucky re: substrate...maybe more of an issue when they're small.It is also better to keep the smell of mice out of the Viv so they dont have that around constantly, and more hygienic as we feed in a large plastic tub which is very easy to then give a good clean.
Here's my 26 year old (yes really!) corn snake, Derek!
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