# Advice needed



## JMKLReptile (10 mo ago)

My rescue corn snake was recently diagnosed by a vet with a respiratory infection. The vet gave me injections for him and I just gave him his second dose. He took it surprisingly well! My worry is that he seems to be moving around a lot like he’s trying to escape his tank which is unusual for him. He basically hasn’t stopped moving for the last few days. Is this normal for RI? I have his warm side at 26.5C and cool side is 23C. Humidity is about 50% atm. He is still eating like normal. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

Welcome 

Warm side needs to be hotter - needs to be 28c-30c Have a read of this Most snakes with an RI tend to be lethargic, but if yours is active and eating then the RI isn't that bad.

If you can provide details on how you are housing him, what heating methods are you using etc that may help. It's also the breeding season, so if he's mature that can explain why his actively trying to get out of the enclosure


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## JMKLReptile (10 mo ago)

Thank you for the advice!


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## JMKLReptile (10 mo ago)

Thank you for the advice! I’m relieved to hear that his activity isn’t too alarming to someone who has more experience than me. He is mature, somewhere around 15yo, but he’s still eating which makes me think all the movement isn’t a breeding thing. I will for sure make it warmer for him. I do have a heat mat on a thermostat set for 31C (suggestion from vet) and a dome light. I have two water bowls to try to keep up humidity and I mist him a couple of times a day to keep it at 50%. I have hides that I know he used in the past on the warm side and cold side. I was keeping him on aspen bedding but the vet suggested paper towels until he’s healthy. Again, thanks for helping me out!


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

Do you use a uva/uvb bulb in the viv? I'd highly recommend one if not. I'm not a lover of heat mats at all. Ceramic heaters are better. Temperature wise, are you heating at night as well? We only heat for 12-14hrs a day. Hot end around 30-32c. Cooler end is low to mid 20's. This is done purely with a 75 watt or more uva/uvb bulb. The only time I'd suggest heat at night is if you live in an area that gets very cold and you in house temperature gets very low. 

Generally, humidity isn't a concern with corn snakes, just a large ceramic dog bowl of water in the viv is fine. Absolutely no need to mist the viv. It's possible high humidity is causing the RI. 

Aspen substrate is great.


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## JMKLReptile (10 mo ago)

Hi there! Thanks for taking the time to respond. I was only using a 100W ceramic bulb without a mat because I thought mats were not ideal but the vet recommended one since the bulb alone wasn’t getting the warm side temp above 23C and it was making the whole enclosure too dry. I live in Northern Illinois, USA so it gets quite cold (it snowed last night) and the house gets so dry with the central heat on. It sounds like a ubv/uva bulb might be better at heating than ceramic? Again thanks!


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

I'm struggling to understand why a 100w ceramic is failing to maintain a 30c - 32c hot spot in a centrally heated house. - Our lounge averages 23c with the heating is on, drops town to 17c in the small hours in the winter when the heating is off, yet I can maintain 32c in my royals enclosures which are 48" x 18" x 15" and all apart from one are heated using 100w CHE's

Heat mats do not heat the air, and even though this is not normally an issue for temperate species, if the air is cold and the snake has an RI then it won't help. Sometimes having a warm slightly humid environment is better for an RI than a cool dry one.


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## JMKLReptile (10 mo ago)

I’m not sure either. My house temperature averages around 18c in winter and I have his enclosure located right next to the house thermostat. I also wrapped his enclosure in insulation on three sides to try to keep heat from escaping through the glass. Hopefully this will help the air temperature but I’m afraid that I might have to keep using the ceramic light and heat mat to get the temperature up enough.


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## TheHouseofReptilez (Sep 26, 2021)

JMKLReptile said:


> I’m not sure either. My house temperature averages around 18c in winter and I have his enclosure located right next to the house thermostat. I also wrapped his enclosure in insulation on three sides to try to keep heat from escaping through the glass. Hopefully this will help the air temperature but I’m afraid that I might have to keep using the ceramic light and heat mat to get the temperature up enough.


If you are keeping him in a glass enclosure it explains why you are struggling to maintain temps no sooner is the enclosure heating up and all the hot air is just being released through the top,

I'd suggest getting a wooden vivarium it holds the heat much better than a glass enclosure in mine I get a hot spot of 32c and the cool end is around 24c - 25c that's with a 75w par30 halogen bulb in a 4 x 2 x 2.


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

ThatCornSnakeGuy said:


> If you are keeping him in a glass enclosure it explains why you are struggling to maintain temps no sooner is the enclosure heating up and all the hot air is just being released through the top,
> 
> I'd suggest getting a wooden vivarium it holds the heat much better than a glass enclosure in mine I get a hot spot of 32c and the cool end is around 24c - 25c that's with a 75w par30 halogen bulb in a 4 x 2 x 2.


And I bet the glass tank has just a screen over the top, letting any heat escape.... That would explain a lot of things


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## M1chelle (May 20, 2020)

If it is a screen top, try covering the top (leave areas for ventilation and any heat source).

I have covered half top of my exo Terras using tin foil as a temporary measure. Although I don't have a corn snake, I have Crested Geckos in the Exo Terras


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## Swindinian (May 4, 2020)

JMKLReptile said:


> It sounds like a ubv/uva bulb might be better at heating than ceramic? Again thanks!


Although a UVb bulb or tube might generate a bit of additional heat, the primary reason for adding is to boost the health and immune response. A bit of planning is needed to select the basking distance matchEd whichever type of UV emitter is chosen, so UV radiation is sufficient but not excessive.
Once done correctly, the UV can allow the corn to bask and synthesise vitamin D, which in turn helps immune response, regulation of calcium etc.


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

Swindinian said:


> Although a UVb bulb or tube might generate a bit of additional heat, the primary reason for adding is to boost the health and immune response. A bit of planning is needed to select the basking distance matchEd whichever type of UV emitter is chosen, so UV radiation is sufficient but not excessive.
> Once done correctly, the UV can allow the corn to bask and synthesise vitamin D, which in turn helps immune response, regulation of calcium etc.


We've only ever used uva/uvb bulbs in my corn snake vivs, 75w plus for a 3 x2 x 2 and it provides more than enough heat and my corns have been healthy. Our eldest corn, we lost last year and he was just coming up to 25yrs old. A few months before he died he was seen by a reptile vet who was amazed at his general health, even more so when we told him his age. He'd never been ill until then and it was a blood filled lump that was linked to old age. The rest of our corns have been rescues, but again have had no health issues except one that arrived with it.


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## Swindinian (May 4, 2020)

Hi Elly66, So I presume your UVA/UVB bulb is also emitting infrared heat and visible light, so more broad spectrum light as well?

I am building up stock of Arcadia T5 tube lights for UVB in my vivs. Never actually tried to test how much heat they emit, but assumed it was minimal.
They are guaranteed for 1 year (rather than 6 months for many bulbs), but I gather they can often last longer 18 months or more, providing you can measure the decline UV irradiance.


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## JMKLReptile (10 mo ago)

Thank you all! I would love to get him a different enclosure, this is the one that his previous owners dropped him off in. I’m hoping to find a pvc one since I’ve read those are good at maintaining temperature. I’ve covered 2/3 of the screen top with plastic wrap and insulation so hopefully that will help keep up temperature and humidity. He’s still moving around like crazy so hopefully he’s not too uncomfortable in there.


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

ThatCornSnakeGuy said:


> If you are keeping him in a glass enclosure it explains why you are struggling to maintain temps no sooner is the enclosure heating up and all the hot air is just being released through the top,
> 
> I'd suggest getting a wooden vivarium it holds the heat much better than a glass enclosure in mine I get a hot spot of 32c and the cool end is around 24c - 25c that's with a 75w par30 halogen bulb in a 4 x 2 x 2.


Or insulate with either wood or polystyrene sheets on the back and both sides, with perspex screens on the top.


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## TheHouseofReptilez (Sep 26, 2021)

ian14 said:


> Or insulate with either wood or polystyrene sheets on the back and both sides, with perspex screens on the top.


While you are at it why don't you throw in a Vango Spectre 600 and Trakker 365 Sleeping Bag I'm sure that will keep the enclosure nice and toasty.


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

ThatCornSnakeGuy said:


> While you are at it why don't you throw in a Vango Spectre 600 and Trakker 365 Sleeping Bag I'm sure that will keep the enclosure nice and toasty.


You can make facetious comments or offer practical advice.


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

Swindinian said:


> Hi Elly66, So I presume your UVA/UVB bulb is also emitting infrared heat and visible light, so more broad spectrum light as well?
> 
> I am building up stock of Arcadia T5 tube lights for UVB in my vivs. Never actually tried to test how much heat they emit, but assumed it was minimal.
> They are guaranteed for 1 year (rather than 6 months for many bulbs), but I gather they can often last longer 18 months or more, providing you can measure the decline UV irradiance.


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## Swindinian (May 4, 2020)

Elly66 said:


> Exo Terra Solar glo


Ahh, so that’s a Mercury vapour lamp, producing not only UV-A & B, but also visible light and some IR?

Still learning about all the different types and their pros and cons.

Andy


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

Swindinian said:


> Ahh, so that’s a Mercury vapour lamp, producing not only UV-A & B, but also visible light and some IR?
> 
> Still learning about all the different types and their pros and cons.
> 
> Andy


Hi Andy,
Always found them very good and they've certainly kept our corns healthy. They heat the viv really well, so only the one device is needed. It would take some pretty substantial evidence to get us to change how we keep corns. 

Obviously, other breeds needs are different and would make this type of bulb unsuitable. Our Royal set up is very different.


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