Which Cornsnake Starter Kit?

Which Cornsnake Starter Kit?

So you want to rep a cornsnake, you have researched all their requirements, and are now confidant that you have all the principal knowledge for their care! I salute your efforts! If you haven't done these things, then near attend to this later, since thought the long term care of your cornsnake is primary before you originate thinking of buying one!

This article is aimed at those looking to win a hatchling cornsnake. Obviously, if you are about to bag a moderate to sizable cornsnake, then the dwelling up will need to be bigger, but the same basic principles apply!

The Cornsnake's Vivarium

What sized vivarium are you going to need? It may be tempting to immediately choose a vivarium that is gigantic enough for your cornsnake throughout its life, from hatchling to adult. There's one scrape with this. Cornsnakes are agoraphobic; they don't like huge initiate spaces! If you retract a hatchling, then you will not want to set it straight into a 36" x 18" x 18" vivarium! For starters, it will be very hard to derive a minute hatchling in a vivarium this size, but also, unless the tank is very well stocked with plants and other hiding places, your cornsnake is going to feel troubled and stressed out. This can lead to psychological problems such as fasting, which is the last thing you want!

Although you don't want a vivarium that is too itsy-bitsy either. Remember cornsnakes grow very hastily! The ideal sized vivarium to open off with, as agreed by most experts, is with around 18" x 12" floor region. This is usually sizable enough to house a hatchling cornsnake for around a year depending on the growth rate. The ideal time to upgrade to an adult sized vivarium will be when your cornsnake reaches about 2.5 feet long. The height of the vivarium is less famous since cornsnakes will utilize most of their lives on the ground.

Exo Terra's gargantuan flat faunarium (PT-2310) is the most celebrated vivarium for hatchling cornsnakes and is found included in many starter kits.

Heating

This is probably one of the most primary aspects of a cornsnake site up. Cornsnakes, like all reptiles, require a temperature gradient. Because they are frosty blooded, the only blueprint for them to regulate their body temperature is to fade between warm areas to frigid areas and vice versa.

There are several ways of providing your cornsnake with a temperature gradient though the cheapest, and simplest, contrivance is with a heat mat. You need a heat mat that covers one third of the vivariums floor spot, so if you have decided to go with a 18" x 12" vivarium, then you need a heat mat around 6" x 12". It doesn't matter too noteworthy if it is an bound or two bigger or smaller but you definitely don't want to cloak more than half of the vivarium floor spot, and no less than a third.

position the heat mat under the vivarium on one side, so that side is warmer than the other.

The ideal temperature gradient you want to originate for your cornsnake is 85F (30C) on the hot side (directly above the heat mat) and 75F (24C) on the cold side.

YOU NEED A THERMOSTAT!

Don't let anyone dispute you otherwise! The surface temperature of an unregulated heat mat can go over 150F (60C)!!! Not only that, but indoor temperatures can vary by over 8 degrees Celsius. So for you and your cornsnake's safety, please obtain determined that any starter kit you consume comes with a thermostat! This will carve the risk of fire, the tank overheating, the inferior of your vivarium melting, and it will set aside you money in energy bills! Why wouldn't you want a thermostat?!

Thermometer

A thermostat won't be remarkable exhaust if you don't have a thermometer to check the temperatures! Many reptile thermometers are designed to be stuck on the side of the vivarium. Unfortunately, this will only measure the air temperature, so it really needs to be laid on top of the substrate to rep an lawful reading of your high and vulgar temperatures.

Hides

You will need a cornsnake starter kit that contains at least two hides. As I mentioned earlier, cornsnakes are agoraphobic and so they don't like to be left out in the inaugurate. If a starter kit only has one shroud, then we have a spot, because as I also mentioned, the only design a cornsnake can regulate their body temperature is to recede between the warm side and the chilly side. If you only have one cloak on one side of the vivarium, then how is your awful, vulnerable, slight cornsnake going to cover when s/he needs to travel to the other side? celebrated sense really; you need two hides.

Sphagnum Moss

Cornsnakes shed their skin on a fairly regular basis as they grow. To attend them with this stressful process, it is a safe concept to have one of the hides filled with moist sphagnum moss so that it stays humid. This will befriend loosen the skin as your cornsnake comes up to a shed.

Most proper starter kits will have a packet of sphagnum moss included, though if it doesn't, then it will need to be bought separately.

Water Bowl

An indispensable bit of kit that every cornsnake starter kit should have included!

Substrate

Substrate is the stuff that covers the bottom of the vivarium. There are a variety of substrates that can be old-fashioned, each with their enjoy advantages and disadvantages. Beech chips are the most well-liked substrate.

Some people take to consume Reptile Carpet, which is a crude, felt-like, material which eliminates any ingestion problems though is not a very natural substrate and makes it impossible for your corn snake to burrow into the substrate.

Substrate isn't an notable portion of a cornsnake starter kit. In fact, many people hold to expend newspaper since it is easy to well-organized and eliminates the risk of your cornsnake accidentally swallowing it. However, it isn't a very natural substrate and prevents your cornsnake from being able to burrow into it. It isn't very blooming either!

Cornsnake Starter Kit Checklist

The important componants you needs to perceive for in a cornsnake starter kit (for a hatchling) are:

Approx 18" x 12" vivarium

Approx 6" x 12" heat mat

Thermostat

Thermometer

Two hides

Sphagnum Moss

and a water bowl

You will also need food, and it is not novel for starter kits to include a few frozen pinky mice to acquire you going!

The substrate is optional, and so is any extra décor, like artificial plants.

If you collect a starter kit that contains all these things then you are on to a winner! But what about the effect? Some shops will do a discount for everything bought together, but then again some shops will add a bit onto the tag! There are some edifying deals out there though it is a capable belief to note everything individually to glimpse if you would attach money by buying the kit, or buying it all separately.

So there you go! That is everything you need to know about choosing a cornsnake starter kit!