New Home Butterscotch

[Dan72]

Thank you Marnie!!

[EasternGirl]

Sure thing! You can find those bulbs in pet stores...or on amazon.com for pretty cheap. Let me know how she likes it.

[ConcinusMan]

Attachment 4718Attachment 4719Attachment 4720
A few pics, dome setup and bulb seem right to everyone?? She seems to be pretty happy with new surroundings. I went through a thread about red lights for albinos. Some do, some don't, is this preference or do we have facts on the matter?

I wouldn't use that bulb in your pic. a small florescent tube (regular white or "daylight") and a ceramic heat bulb would be more appropriate, and the lighting would look more natural and won't cause blindness / cancer. you could also use a compact florescent in the dome lamp, and undertank heater.(with substrate)

a red bulb for heat at night allows you to see but the snake will think its dark. they can't see red light at all. not even normal snakes.

the short time you used the UV bulb; dont sweat it. the effects of UV are cumulative. the snake wont be harmed by limited exposure.

awesome snake!

[Dan72]

Thanks Marnie & Richard, I'll jot down everything mentioned and get to store on my weekend. No point in rescueing this great snake from certain doom only to kill it slowley over time. Richard, saw a pic of that arm, ouch!

[Dan72]

If I go with an under the tank heat source and I just stick with paper towel for substrate for now will that be okay? I just like the paper towel for now with the size snake she is. The impaction with certain substrate makes me nervous, and the paper towel is easy to monitor her stools. Also by going under the tank for heat, would I set the temp different with a light source from above? Does the daytime light increase the heat to make it warmer than what the heat source from below is doing??

[guidofatherof5]

I would say no to the under tank heater with paper towels unless you are using a thermostat on the heater.
Even the smallest under tank heater can produce dangerous heat.
In any event, if a UTH is used a thermostat should be used to monitor/adjust the temp.

[EasternGirl]

I agree with Steve on that one, Dan. I am always very careful with UTH heat. Some members think I am a little over cautious...but I say better over cautious than have a burned snake. When using UTH, I always take several factors into consideration...the size of the snake, how much the snake likes to burrow, the type of substrate that I am using, and proper thermostat control. For example, with my albinos, I did not start using a UTH with them until I was absolutely certain that they were not going to burrow down under the substrate and lie directly on top of the glass over the heat mat. Once I was sure of that, I made sure to have adequate substrate above the UTH...a hide placed over the UTH, so they would go under the hide rather than try to burrow, and a thermostat to monitor the heat.

I have noticed with paper towels...my garters have a tendency to burrow under them. That could be a recipe for disaster when using a UTH.

[Dan72]

Okay so for now because I do want to stick with the paper towel, I'm sticking with heat from above coming from that dome. Should I just get the red or even black bulbs suggested? I need to get to the pet store with one of you in my pocket, dumb pet store guy. Why is it when you go to the book store, movie store, or pet shop, the people working there seem to just be collecting a check and have no idea what they're talking about. Maybe its just how I overly obsses over a topic until I know everything I can find on it that makes these sales people seem like idiots....

[EasternGirl]

I don't know...I guess people who know a lot about about herps and reptiles and that choose to work in the field usually work in more specialized and advanced areas...not pet stores. You will occasionally find someone who works in a pet store who knows what they are talking about...but it is rare. To begin with, most pet stores don't carry a lot of garters. My local pet store, where I often go to get bedding and little hides and such...everytime I go in there the guy that "manages" the reptile department asks me how my corn snakes are doing... Anyway, red bulbs or black bulbs will be fine...if you go with black just make sure they are black light and not blue...some blue bulbs have UV in them. You want to look for night bulbs that do not contain UV. If you are unsure at all...just go with a red night bulb. 40 or 50 watt is good. You can put a pic up of the bulb packaging when you buy it and I make sure it is the right kind. If you want to buy it online...I could give you a link on amazon. It will be cheaper there than in the pet store anyway.

http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Nightl...490646&sr=1-96

http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Nightl...90885&sr=1-290

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...pplies&sr=1-10

60 watt seems to be the lowest wattage in the black light. You can just print pics of these out and take them with you to the store if you don't want to buy them online.

[Dan72]

Yes a link would be good, (if you did this already, I'm not sure, previous post) thanks again.