# first snake handling



## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

k, my snake has just arrived..he seemed abit frightened after the journey..how long should i live it before i can handle him? its a corn snake 
thanks


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## emma18x (Apr 15, 2008)

about a week : victory:


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## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

emma18x said:


> about a week : victory:


No Way! i cant wait that long, he's so cute! lol


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## emma18x (Apr 15, 2008)

Lol i know its really tempting.. but that's what's advised. Just so he can get used to his new environment etc :2thumb:


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## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

cheers, i read places that corn snakes do not have teeth, is this true? or do they have tiny teeth??


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## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

oh, and is there any risk of my snake trying to eat the thermostat probe? lol


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

yes, they do have teeth, as do all snakes. However, as a hatchling they will be so small they cannot do any damage. An adult could break the skin, but corns are very, very rarely aggressive. As for the probe, no he won't eat it.
Definitely leave him alone though, I know it is tempting to get him out, but he won't appreciate it. This can often start problems with feeding. Leave him to settle in. Feed him before you do anything with him, though, and a couple of days after feeding you should be able to handle him for just a few minutes.


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## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

cool. 1 last question. my heating is as follows:

a heat mat inside/on the floor of a wooden vivarium, on top of the mat i put a thin piece of cardboard (to protect the mat) and on top of the cardboard is a thin layer of aspen bedding. thermostat probe rests on the substrate. is it ok to use cardboard, it dosnt prevent the heat from passing through does it?

thanks


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

I wouldn't use the cardboard - there's a risk that your snake will climb under it and get stuck between the cardboard and mat; this puts it at risk of being burned.

Put the thermostat probe directly on the mat (under the aspen bedding) and set it for the snake's basking temperature (85-88 degrees is my preference). Your snake will burrow in the aspen; you want to measure the temperature the snake is most likely to experience.


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## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

ok. but wat if the snake pisses on the substrate and this went through onto the mat, electrocucion mayb?


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## Granty (May 22, 2008)

there's a slim chance of that happening, the heat mat itself is designed not to shock for most circumstances. 

i've also got a wooden vivarium, home built. the heat mat ideally wants to sit underneath one side of the vivarium as opposed to inside it. a lot of keepers do keep the mat on the inside, but it needs to be very well protected and as this is your first snake, i would consider having it underneath your viv, like mine. so one side is always going to be surface warmer than the other.


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## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

i c. but the floor of the viv is 2cm thick wood, it would take ages to heat the viv up if on the outside or would the heat get through ok?


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

julseypart said:


> ok. but wat if the snake pisses on the substrate and this went through onto the mat, electrocucion mayb?


It'd go through cardboard too.

The way I'd solve it in your case is actually to put ceramic tile or something equally easy to clean and impermeable (Plexiglas? Glass? Styrene sheet? Even linoleum if it's sealed down) along the bottom of the ENTIRE vivarium - so there's no way the snake can get under it - on top of the heat mat. 

Then put the thermostat probe on top of the tile/etc; put the aspen on top of that.


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## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

thanx, il probs do that...do u advise i take the cardboard out until i get hold of sum glass? iv got it covered in substrate and weighted down so theres no gap for the snake to try get under it...


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

If the snake can't get under the cardboard, it'll probably be ok until you get some glass - but I wouldn't be too slow on getting the glass.


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## Granty (May 22, 2008)

julseypart said:


> i c. but the floor of the viv is 2cm thick wood, it would take ages to heat the viv up if on the outside or would the heat get through ok?


mine's about a cm and a half thick and it heats the right hand side of my viv absolutely fine, so 2cm won't make any difference.

the tile / glass idea is a good one, but even at a young age, snakes have incredible strength and i just wouldn't feel happy with an internal heat mat - my kingy often moves his water bowl when he's burrowing about and that thing is pretty heavy, so it wouldn't surprise me if he found direct access on top of an internal heat mat after a while. :whip:


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

I'd personally use sealant to permanently attach the 'false floor'.


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## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

thanks for the advice. i just got him this afternoon...he crawled underneath an arched log at the back and havnt seen him since lol hope he comes out soon so i can admire him! i guess its normal for them to hide away for long periods, espcially after being in a cold delivery van all night?


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## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

lol just went to look in and there he was, came out of hiding!, damm he just dissapeared again because i turned the light on, he's rele sensitive


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

To be honest, it's completely normal for a snake to spend MOST of its time hiding even after it's settled in. 

They're often out and about when they're trying to sort out the right temperatures or when they're looking for food or mates; otherwise they'd rather be holed up somewhere safe and secure.


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## Granty (May 22, 2008)

Ssthisto said:


> To be honest, it's completely normal for a snake to spend MOST of its time hiding even after it's settled in.
> 
> They're often out and about when they're trying to sort out the right temperatures or when they're looking for food or mates; otherwise they'd rather be holed up somewhere safe and secure.


 
yeah you're not wrong. my kingy will spend 90% of the time when the viv light is on under his bark hide. within 15 mins of the light going out, he'll be crawling around the viv all night, up the wood, under the aspen shavings, i've even caught him sitting on top of the light bulb on top of it's protective cage.

it's important to establish a regular 'light on, light off' period though each day at the same times. i've got a timer on my plug which turns it on at 9am and off at 9pm. just so they can adjust to the pattern.


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## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

1 more question..my warm side of the viv is ok; about 29 degrees but the cool end is like 24/25, how can i lower it a few degrees so that its a perfect temp?


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## Granty (May 22, 2008)

for a corn mate, that's about what you want anyway. 

i would just let it adjust for a week or so now, let it adjust to the viv temps / smells and you'll be laughing.


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## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

yea cool. will feed it a pinkie at the weekend, better eat it!


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

If you only got it yesterday/today, I would leave it until this time next week to feed.

Too soon, and it might regurge if it's stressed. It won't do it any harm to wait a few days longer if it's a healthy snake.


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## julseypart (May 16, 2008)

well the guy sent it on an empty stomagh, probs hasnt been fed for a week...so in 1 week it will die of starvation lol
wats the max time they can go without food that is safe?


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

It won't die of starvation in a week if it's healthy. It won't die of starvation in two weeks if it's healthy. If it's healthy and has access to water it'll be fine until next Thursday or Friday.

I have one baby corn who did not eat for six weeks from the day it hatched and she's growing just fine now. I have an older royal who didn't eat for four months.

They're snakes, not hamsters, and as long as they are healthy and in good condition, a couple of weeks is no risk at all.


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## Doogerie (Jul 6, 2007)

ok I don't own a snake but as people have said a week if he paniks when up pick him up just put your hand in and let him get to know it. then slowly worl up to it


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