Milksnakes and Corns

Is it possible to keep hondurans and/or corn snakes on paper substrate??

I have an adult male corn snake, Figment, (he's hypo-lavender), and he's been on printless newspaper his whole life.

He does great.

Eats like a P-I-G and sheds great. I have him in a boaphile tank and it's just so easy clean up the paper. However, that tanks holds humidity real well.

If it's a glass tank, you might need to spray water when your snake is going to shed to up humidity. Otherwise, NO PROBLEMS with paper substrate. Corns, at least, do not need crazy humidity and as long as you give adequate hides (since borrowing isn't an option), the snake should do fine.

What humidity level is ideal for corns/milk snakes?? I know they say regular household humidity but in the winter that can be as low as 16% to 20% in my house.

I struggle with adding spaghum moss to bring up the humidity and then worry it may be too much and harm them.

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Originally Posted by L.West

What humidity level is ideal for corns/milk snakes?? I know they say regular household humidity but in the winter that can be as low as 16% to 20% in my house.

I struggle with adding spaghum moss to bring up the humidity and then worry it may be too much and harm them.

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idk about milk snakes, but i try to keep Corny around 35%. Corn snakes don't really have a specific humidity requirement except for some misting during sheds, but i don't like it getting too low. tho i probably wouldn't go over 50% unless he's in shed.

with the sphagnum moss: start with a small amount and add as you need to. i don't think sphagnum moss will raise the humidity enough to cause any issues.

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

idk about milk snakes, but i try to keep Corny around 35%. Corn snakes don't really have a specific humidity requirement except for some misting during sheds, but i don't like it getting too low. tho i probably wouldn't go over 50% unless he's in shed.

with the sphagnum moss: start with a small amount and add as you need to. i don't think sphagnum moss will raise the humidity enough to cause any issues.

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I got the spaghum moss wet and then rung it out but it created condensation in the my tubs so I panic'd and removed it.

I don't keep hygrometers in my tubs due to the small space but I am thinking about ordering those small meters from reptile basics that you just put the probe inside the tub. So far, my snakes have all had one piece sheds without any help from me in the form of messing with their humidity but with these frigid outside temps we are having my house heat is turned up to 75 degrees for the snakes benefit and it drys things out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by L.West

I got the spaghum moss wet and then rung it out but it created condensation in the my tubs so I panic'd and removed it.

I don't keep hygrometers in my tubs due to the small space but I am thinking about ordering those small meters from reptile basics that you just put the probe inside the tub. So far, my snakes have all had one piece sheds without any help from me in the form of messing with their humidity but with these frigid outside temps we are having my house heat is turned up to 75 degrees for the snakes benefit and it drys things out.

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a hygrometer will give you peace of mind in times like this, so i think it'd be beneficial to get them. as long as the moss is not dripping/sopping wet it will be fine to keep in the tub. it might create a bit of condensation in the area where it's placed but that's nothing to worry about and should go away.

Oh okay. I thought I read that corns and milks can get respiratory infections very easily from too high of humidity so I took it out once I seen the condensation.

I will definitely get the meters for their tubs. I need the peace of mind knowing things are exactly where they need them to be.

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Originally Posted by L.West

Oh okay. I thought I read that corns and milks can get respiratory infections very easily from too high of humidity so I took it out once I seen the condensation.

I will definitely get the meters for their tubs. I need the peace of mind knowing things are exactly where they need them to be.

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all snakes (that i know of) can get an RI if the humidity is too high in combination with low temperatures. since corns need lower temperatures, the humidity needs to stay lower to avoid an RI. (sidenote: i am no expert)

as long as that condensation dissipates it will be fine. a jump in humidity for a day is not going to cause any adverse effects.

Great - thanks for easing my mind. What temp do you keep yours at.

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Originally Posted by L.West

Great - thanks for easing my mind. What temp do you keep yours at.

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no problem. :gj:

~84° F over the hot spot and ~70° F ambient. humidity floats around 30-40% year-round.

Yikes, I thought they needed a 90 hot spot. I better go home and adjust my temps a bit.

Thanks

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Originally Posted by L.West

Yikes, I thought they needed a 90 hot spot. I better go home and adjust my temps a bit.

Thanks

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oh jeeze, no they don't! make sure to turn that hot spot down. i made the same mistake when Corny came home and other members here advised me that 90° F is far too high. remember: Corns come from the south eastern US, not Africa. :)

I will definitely address is when I get home from work. They have plenty of room to get away from the heat - thankfully

I could of sworn the caresheet on this site said 88-90 hot spot. I will have to double check that.

A couple of things.

Corns can handle higher humidity - 50-70%, in my experience, when in shed and be fine.

I average about 30-40% in Figment's enclosure, but up when he is going to shed. That is only for a few days.

I also think Corn's are pretty hardy and tolerant of a variety of conditions as they do come from a wide geographic range from NJ down to FL.

I happen to think 70 ambient is low. I would say 73-78 ambient with a hot spot of 84 is good.

I have a range of 75-86F in Figments cage, with an ambient around 77 and a 86 hot spot. He spends most of his time on the cooler side, but moves when needed to the hotter side.

When I first got figment, one side was too cool and the other side was too hot, and he regurgitated a meal. I figured it out pretty quick. I agree that 90F is too hot.

Just my two cents.