Snakes

[Jones.]

Thank you! I haven't actually bought the snake yet as I wanted to be sure I know how to look after it correctly, I've had a look around at some places and at the equipment it needs. I found a hatchling corn snake starter kit which seems to have the basics, I'll obviously buy another hide for it so it has one in the heat and one in the cold as well as some branches for it to climb on. I held a couple snakes and I'm aware I need their eating and shedding record. I've also looked at how to identify mites and respiratory problems and none of the snakes I looked at appeared to have any. The advice given as helped a lot so thank you. Im a little confused about the humidity, how would I maintain the perfect one? Especially as it is supposed to help with shedding.

I've also read multiple things about feeding it outside the vivarium so to remove the chance of the snake ingesting substrate, is this necessary?

Are there also any tips you can give me on how to be sure my snake wont escape? My roommate is terrified of them and I dont really want a snake travelling around the house, for its health and mine.

Sorry for all the questions, I just want to be the best snake owner I can be haha

[~Tornado~]

Oh yeah logs are really good we have them too

The substrate thing is true so you can feed outside snakes like Corn and Milk snakes don't usually mind and I've done it before and she did fine both ways. But yeah sometimes they do get a bit of bedding in their mouths
For humidity we've found that damp rags work the best for the glass tanks you put them over the top, making sure they don't drip and they work really well, they're a bit to effective for the in the plastic pythons so I just put an extra water dish, spraying sometimes works for me but not as much and it barely does anything in the glass terrarium, I've also heard there is really good reptile humidity spray but I myself have never used it

As for not escaping, depending on the size of the snake you might have to do more, I'd just put heavy things on the lid of the enclosure so it cant open it

[Jones.]

So I can help the humidity with adding an extra water bowl? Thats so easy! Is there a way of measuring humidity? I'll be getting a plastic tank to begin with and then get a bigger one as the snake grows.

The snake is really really tiny, so I think I'll just put heavy things on top like you said. Thank you so much, you've been incredibly helpful! I can't wait to post a picture when I finally get the little guy.

[~Tornado~]

Yes, or a damp rag
I'd really suggest to find a hygrometer that measures humidity and sadly a lot of the really cheap ones don't work much I'd look around
What sort of heat source are you using, thermostats are pretty important if you are using heat pads, it allows you to properly regulate the temprature

[kivr & fireflii]

Humidity is about the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. So you can do that by adding more water (extra water bowl, bigger water bowl, putting it over/under a heat source to evaporate more). Another method is using a substrate that holds more moisture (ex. aspen doesn't hold moisture as well as reptichip). You can also buy some sphagnum moss, make it damp, and spread it around the enclosure (or within an enclosed hide to create a humid hide).

You can measure humidity using a hygrometer. A digital one is best. There are some gauges online you can find for a cheap price that are both a digital thermometer and hygrometer. Acurite is one such brand, but I'd be sure to get multiple, as they can stop working from just a bit of moisture.
-fireflii

[Jones.]

Thank you both, I'm picking up my snake tomorrow and I'm super excited, I've decided to name it Squirt and I'll post pictures when I can

[yellowlight]

Hey there, i have a baby Mexican black kingsnake.. he eats weekly a pinky mouse, but i don’t think he poops..i have never found a poop in his enclosure and I’ve had him for 3 months. What could be wrong ? What do i need to do?

[Jones.]

Hi again, so I picked up my snake and put him in his tank etc. I was advised not to handle him for 24 hours which I haven't, but when I did go to pick him up he struck at me. He also doesn't stop rattling his tail and I'm worried I'm just scaring him. I want to handle him so that he won't become super aggressive but I'm a little nervous. Would you have any recommendations for what to do?

EDIT: I was due to feed him and he ate his mouse just fine, so I'm aware I shouldn't handle him for 48 hours which will also give him more time to settle in. But even so, do you have any tips on handling a baby corn? He's 4 months old at the moment.

[~Tornado~]

I'd not hold him for more than 24 hours I'd go for a few days thats good that he ate, they tend to be good eaters!
My best advice is don't lose him those fast little snakes can be hard to keep track of if they're hiding in your shirt or something, don't handle him too much at a time let him get used to you.


Good news on my part all my snakes ate frozen thawed on saturday! My milk snake of course ate but one of my ball pythons wasn't eating and the other wont take live. I had a really little mouse out that I give to my milksnake to try to get them to eat something and as always I try to give the live eating ball python the frozen thawed, didn't expect him to take it because he never does but good to give it a shot, as soon as that thing was in there he snatched it! Scared the heck outta me but he took it! I let him eat in because it was tiny and got a medium sized meal and he ate that too! I'm really excited because we were worried it would be really hard to switch him over!
My other Ballpython we actually decided to move off the floor from underneath the one I was just talking about because turns out one of the cats is bothering whichever snake is on the floor, and being even a bit higher up is also helping with her temperatures, which seems to be helping and she ate which is really good, especially since we got her so skinny!

[Grimace]

Hey there, i have a baby Mexican black kingsnake.. he eats weekly a pinky mouse, but i don’t think he poops..i have never found a poop in his enclosure and I’ve had him for 3 months. What could be wrong ? What do i need to do?

If he is eating that much and it has been that long he is 100% for sure pooping somewhere.