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Poseidon
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PostPosted: 20:16 - 19 Aug 2017    Post subject: Pantherophis guttatus ::: UPDATED Reply with quote

On a recent visit to my local independent exotics and aquatics centre to purchase some fresh hoppers for the Bearded dragon currently holidaying at my house, I had a bit of a browse around. During my wanderings, which lead me past a great many weird and wonderful creatures, I couldn't help but fall completely and madly in love with some boot-lace sized corn snakes. I want one.

Having spent a great deal of my life owning and caring for reptiles (iguanas, beardies and geckos... not to mention the big hairy Mexican red kneed spider), I'm not daunted by the prospect of having an exotic in my house for the next 15-20 years. I've done my reading, I have a good idea of viv size, substrate, dietary requirements, common ailments and how to pick a good one.

I have a few questions for those with real world experience though.

All my lizards have had ceramic heat lamps as I'm not a fan of mats. Never used em. A lot of care guides recommend mats, but I'd much prefer a heat lamp (non light emmiting) on a dimmerstat. This okay? (Obviously making sure the snake can't get to the heating element).

Handling them... I've never had a no legged reptile. Does it take much getting used to?

Buying them... I've seen a few weird terms thrown around, het (heterozygous?) and hypo? Having a degree based on genetics I'm familiar with the first term, is there any advantage to having a heterozygote? or is it just that they're the leftovers from trying to get albinos. Also, hypo... I'm assuming this is again to do with colour. Anything I should be looking for there beyond aesthetics?

Also, any other pointers beyond the obvious day to day care of them?

Feel free to post pictures if you just want to brag about your corn snake... or any other snake for that matter.

Cheers all

UPDATE

Scroll down a bit
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Last edited by Poseidon on 12:35 - 07 Sep 2017; edited 1 time in total
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oldpink
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PostPosted: 20:26 - 19 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

handling snakes is easy once you have done it a few times and get used to the snake
large ones tend to be slower and easier to handle, smaller snakes can be like handling an eel
Corn snakes are pretty easy to handle but master escape artists Wink

heat lamps are fine but put a guard of some sort around it

me with Alice Coopers Boa (if the link works)

https://www.facebook.com/jonny.queen.3/videos/788152541224789/
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hellkat
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PostPosted: 21:24 - 19 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

oldpink wrote:

Nope.
Puke

I wish I could like snakes. I like to look at them.
I tried to give it a go when I was in Sydney and some keepers were walking around with some. But as soon as I got close or attempted to stroke it, something inside me went "Noooooooooo! Ain't going there!" A bit like that thing that happens when you walk on inch-thick glass in high-up buildings, some sort of primeval dread-mechanism kicks into my brain and goes "Do not do!!!"

Snakes, sharks, spiders, all the creepy crawlies fascinate me. I just can't seem to do the up-close-and-personal thing.
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oldpink
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PostPosted: 21:31 - 19 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

always loved snakes (and all animals in general) since I was very young
worked in the reptile house at the local zoo when I was 14 - 16 and got to handle all sorts of reptiles inc a load of venomous spices of snakes large reticulated species even a couple of admittedly small croc's and caiman and lots of lizards
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Polarbear
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PostPosted: 09:44 - 20 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have always been fascinated by reptiles however I would rather own a parrot. Thumbs Up
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SophR so good
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PostPosted: 11:51 - 20 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

We have a Western hognose https://www.instagram.com/p/BX6HQL4BNgr/

He has a heat lamp and a mat for winter as he needs it very toasty. Heat lamp is fine but he does like to sit on the bulb protector cos snakes are way more stupid than lizards.

Handling... Hoggies are really huffy and it took some getting used to that he's not trying to bite. They settle down once they're used to you though.

All the genetics is just colours, only important to know hetero status if you're planning to breed.

Enjoy your new snek!
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Poseidon
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PostPosted: 13:17 - 20 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

oldpink wrote:
Corn snakes are pretty easy to handle but master escape artists


I've heard this before. Viv will be bought with this in mind.

SophR... thanks for the info. May have to consider a heat mat for the safety of the snake, especially to begin with, when it needs to be in a smaller enclosure.
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MCN
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PostPosted: 21:25 - 20 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

I kept an African Rock Python for a few years.
The infrared mats are simple. Thermostat controlled and practically maintenance free. Sort of indirect heat they only heat the snek.
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Whosthedaddy
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PostPosted: 23:44 - 20 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

My collection of Western Hognose, Eastern Hognose and Tricolour Hognose.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0PKmS4bllMmEAZe2TA2lnw

I've also had other snakes and monitor lizards in the past including an adult pair of Yellow Anaconda, female 11 foot and male 9 foot.
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DrSnoosnoo
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PostPosted: 12:56 - 21 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a Butter Motley (that his colour morphism thingy) Rope. He's called Archibald.

Had him since he was about 300 mm long and he could hide under a small water pot. Handling that was hard work they're really agile at that size. When he was this small, he was in a small viv with a heat mat under it.

He's now 4 ft 10 (ish) and probably about 2 inch diameter at his widest. Dimensions are rough.

We have a heat (and light) lamp with thermostat and guard since he's been in his bigger viv. That's all we've ever used for him, and what we were advised to do, too. It's over at one side of the viv so he has a temperature gradient to chose from.

He's super laid back and is happy being handled and passed around. Still quick when he gets some space, we put him on the floor ... nope. He lives next to my Lovebird Hurley and I think he knows he's there because whenever we get him out, the snake goes straight in the direction of the cage.

They're so easy to care for, in our experience. Depending how you feed them, it's a mouse every 1 to 2 weeks. Archibald ate a large weener rat the other day, that was like a man vs food challenge. Then he goes off and digests it for a few days. We don't handle him then until he, uhm, releases the unwanted parts of the food because I promise, you do NOT want that on you Sick

DrMrsDrSnoosnoo wants to get a female and try breeding them ... ropes everywhere!
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Poseidon
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PostPosted: 12:35 - 07 Sep 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quick update...

This beautiful little fella came home today. I'll get a better pic, that isn't taken through the glass, once he's settled into his new home and is ready to come out and play.

https://cdn.bcf.44bytes.net/files/20170907_123346.jpg
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DrSnoosnoo
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PostPosted: 13:21 - 07 Sep 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lovely bit of string you've got there. Thumbs Up
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Poseidon
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PostPosted: 14:29 - 07 Sep 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, he's tiny. That massive brown coloured hide you can just see the edge of, is actually half a normal sized coconut. To give you an idea of scale.

His colouring his stunning... That pic doesn't do him much justice at all.
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DrSnoosnoo
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PostPosted: 09:59 - 08 Sep 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Poseidon wrote:
Yeah, he's tiny. That massive brown coloured hide you can just see the edge of, is actually half a normal sized coconut. To give you an idea of scale.

His colouring his stunning... That pic doesn't do him much justice at all.


Mine used to hide under his 3 inch water bowl.

It was good to watch him grow because he slowly just lifted it, to a point where he'd coil inside and it'd just be a water bowl sat on a snake Smile
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Tracer1234
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PostPosted: 12:28 - 08 Sep 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Poseidon wrote:
His colouring his stunning... That pic doesn't do him much justice at all.


Nice mate, What does your set up look like?

I had a number of different reptiles in my studio. Always good fun. Had a couple of snakes too:

https://s20.postimg.org/r3zlw65sd/217867_506849152677014_64974072_n.jpghttps://s20.postimg.org/hr3m5srf1/249604_505678232794106_77496377_n.jpghttps://s20.postimg.org/c4798bowd/262230_506849222677007_1876143981_n.jpghttps://s20.postimg.org/yhezv4pu5/563039_506849102677019_1129262626_n.jpghttps://s20.postimg.org/y5xjid9e5/563068_506849069343689_1692275203_n.jpg

Highlight had to be the chameleon though.
https://s20.postimg.org/n13zjcma5/197034_534266406601955_2085303520_n.jpg
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MCN
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PostPosted: 17:50 - 08 Sep 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tracer1234 wrote:


Is that not that big heifer who ran the kids charity until it went broke but she's nekid in that picture?
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Poseidon
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PostPosted: 20:03 - 08 Sep 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tracer1234 wrote:
Nice mate, What does your set up look like?


Went for a monkfield viv in the end. The lockable lid will both keep snakey in and our children out. I've split a coconut in two and cut entry holes into them, with one at the warm end and one at the cool end. I'll pop a photo up once he's settled in a bit and is used to his new home (he moved into his warm hide yesterday and aside from a little snake nose poking out every now and then, he's staying put).
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