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Parenting
So, if you have/had a pet snake....?
The pet board has 2 posts for the past 2hours lol
I gots questions.
Buler?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: So, if you have/had a pet snake....?
We're really going to get one, but I either can't get info or am getting conflicting info on a few things. They're pretty specific though LOL
Do we need the day bulbs, night bulbs, AND a heat lamp? I mean, that's a lot of damned lights. We'd need the heat lamp plus heat pad under the tank b/c our house is cold.
How often do they really get out, even with locked lids/screens? 'cause, eew.
If one doesn't use sphagnum moss how the heck does one keep the humidity up?
lol it doesn't have to be right now - we told Sam she has to save up some allowance $$ to put toward the thing. It'll be 3-4 weeks before we do it.
And thanks!
My skin is crawling.
You know? I could just send you one from my back yard.
What kind of snake are you getting?
We had rat snakes growing up and had a heat lamp overhead and then put a heating pad underneath the tank during the winter.
The snake maybe got out 2-3 times during it's whole life (15ish years?). And those were all my brothers fault, not putting the lid on correctly.
Ew. Me, too. I have basic garden snakes, copperheads, and the rat snake you speak of wanting. I'll try to go wrangle one (ew, just kidding. It takes everything I have not to run shrieking when I see one in our yard!)
here's what DH said:
Heating: best thing to do is just get a heat rock and leave it on all the time. A heat pad may promote mold growth. The rock will let him get on and off as he needs/wants to warm up or cool off. Second choice would be heat lamp. Provided the room doesn't get super cold. If you get a heat rock, look for one that has rough edges. If not, then also put a real rock in there. They need to have something rough to rub their jaw on for when they shed.
Heating lamp & water dish is fine for humidity, unless the room is very dry it's not too much of a concern. You need to be more careful about mold growth though.
The chance for escape depends on the container. Never make assumption they cant get out. Don't lay stuff on top thinking that will hold, need to get a lid with a latch. But w/ a corn snake, something heavy will do for a while since they will be so small. NO openings at all, even in the very center, they can get out of just about any opening.
The more you feed them the faster they grow; try not to feed more than 2/week, or if feeding small mice no more 1/week. They can go up to 1-2 months to feed. Ideally twice a month for a good meal. If you're feeding them pinkies - buy a bunch and freeze them, BUT make sure you thaw at room temp before feeding or else it will cause digestion probs.
pine straw or better yet cedar chips make good bedding
handle it as much as possible, especially when it's small, to get it used to ppl, but if you piss it off or scare it, it will musk on you - which stinks bad
NO garter snakes - they smell
when buying the snake - make sure the area around mouth is clean, no abrasions or black fungus, make sure the jaw sits even all around - biggest problem with (corn) snakes is mouth rot, cant eat and then die
Later, it's much cheaper to get a male & female mouse and breed your own for food, just keep cage very clean or babies die. This was my niece's downfall - her babies kept dying b/c she wasn't keeping their cage clean enough.
I hope that helps - he says you're welcome to ask more questions if you have them. I'm heading home now, but I'll be around tomorrow morning.
the kinds Samantha likes look like this one ;-)
After college my roomie and I had a 5.5 foot red tail columbian boa- she was a BIG girl.
and I suggest forgoing the live feeding route, especially with kids. The snake can get agressive with live feeds- we fed her frozen rats that were thawed and warmed to body temp. GOD, I am SO GROSS!
~Lisa
Mum to Owen and Lucas
Jamaica - yeah I prefer that my pets can't ACTUALLY kill me LOL ?Cool though! ?We'll be getting a baby from a breeder & feeding dead frozen pinkie mice & working our way up. ?Corn snakes do well with thawed food.
Dai - tell your DH thanks!!! ?See, everywhere I read says no heated rocks b/c snakes just lie there til they burn, and that cedar chips are bad but other chips are good, it's just.. wtf? ?I dunno. ?I'll definitely hit up bellabeck and your DH for more info when I need it. ?
Thanks :-)