[Siman]

Hi everyone,

I have a few minor questions that I hoped you could help me out with. (Its a corn snake)

1) He's in a 4l R.U.B at the moment and is still a baby probably the thickness of a pencil (not his stomach as its a bit bigger because he was fed the other night) and when all curled up is about the size of my palm. But anyway, so i really want to get him into a proper vivarium with a proper set up so its aesthetically pleasing to view and so that its more of a "natural" environment for him/her; so the question is at what age or size or weight or whatever should it be when it can move up into a proper full size viv - I don't want to put it in straight away and make it all scared and stressed!

2) I'm trying not to hold it until Friday as I want it to fully digest and settle in more (got it yesterday and it was fed the day before) is Friday enough time would you suggest or possibly less/more?

3) How do i know if/when it'll bite? I don't mind the actual bite but would rather be able to have a few tell tale signs so that it doesn't make me jump and end up half way across the room!

Thanks : victory:

 

[jamie-c]

what type of snake are you talking about?

 

[Siman]

Damn i knew i forgot something!

Corn snake Sorry :blush:

 

[Siman]

No one know :whistling2: :lol2:

 

[Siman]

Just a quick picture in case it some how helps someone with how big it may be or... You know...

 

[AshMashMash]

1) RUB's are fine, so dont worry about that. Just keep moving him up a size, when you feel he'd like it. Basically, they can go into any size viv... its just the amount of hiding spaces needs to be as high as possible. If you pack it full of hides and plants, he will be fine.

2) I wreckon friday sounds about right, yes

3) I have never been bitten by my corn yet... strook at, but not bitten. They will 'S' up, rattle their tail, try and get away, and do little strikes... actually biting you is a last resort....

 

[Siman]

Well Friday was the day that you said! lol

Yeah he was doing the "S" thing earlier when i took him out to replace the kitchen roll. Then he kept trying to swing his head at my hand so wasn't sure whether he just wanted better footing or to bite my hand off lol : victory:

Thanks mate : victory:

 

[feorag]

Watch his head and neck carefully - if he pulls back and 'rears' then he's warning you that he's going to bite - he may not of course, but he may be trying to warn you off.

Also he may rattle his tail, but with corns that doesn't necessarily mean he's going to bite, it just means that he's warning you off. My 3 year old female rattles her tail sometimes, but she's never attempted or threatened to bite.

Try putting your hand in the rub, but not near him so he can get your scent and think things through, so to speak. He may be skittish and at this age, they can move fast.

As far as moving him into a viv is concerned, what Ash says is right, and when he goes into a viv, he will need loads of hiding spaces. When I got my hatchling I put him in a buddy tank inside the viv and he lived in there until he 'outgrew' the little tank and then he went straight into the viv.

 

[Siman]

Watch his head and neck carefully - if he pulls back and 'rears' then he's warning you that he's going to bite - he may not of course, but he may be trying to warn you off.

Also he may rattle his tail, but with corns that doesn't necessarily mean he's going to bite, it just means that he's warning you off. My 3 year old female rattles her tail sometimes, but she's never attempted or threatened to bite.

Try putting your hand in the rub, but not near him so he can get your scent and think things through, so to speak. He may be skittish and at this age, they can move fast.

As far as moving him into a viv is concerned, what Ash says is right, but when he goes into a viv, he will need loads of hiding spaces. When I got my hatchling I put him in a buddy tank in the viv and he lived in there until he 'outgrew' the little tank and then he went into the viv.

Awesome thanks, i had that idea too

Was going to buy a full sized viv for him kit it out a bit but put him in the rub he's in now inside the viv...

Then as he outgrows it the transition should be less stressful right?

So is that a good idea?

Thanks

 

[AshMashMash]

Awesome thanks, i had that idea too

Was going to buy a full sized viv for him kit it out a bit but put him in the rub he's in now inside the viv...

Then as he outgrows it the transition should be less stressful right?

So is that a good idea?

Thanks

Cant see the harm in that, as long as you get a heat gradient. But, its probably not needed...

 

[feorag]

Awesome thanks, i had that idea too

Was going to buy a full sized viv for him kit it out a bit but put him in the rub he's in now inside the viv...

Then as he outgrows it the transition should be less stressful right?

So is that a good idea?

Thanks

My viv was 30" x 12" x 18" viv and he lived in the buddy tank which was about 12" x 9" or something like that, with one end just a couple of inches over the heat mat until I thought he was too big for the buddy tank and then I just opened the lid of the buddy tank and allowed him to choose when he wanted to come out and explore. Once he'd come out and found a new hide, he didn't go back into the buddy tank and I took it out. Plain sailing really!