Red Albino Corn Question

Hey all, my sister has a teeny little red albino corn. She got it as a hatchling in September and it has grown pretty well (maybe about 18 inches but still skinny as my pinky finger- normal?). He went through a phase last month where he wouldn't eat for about the whole month, but although he was eating small mouse fuzzies, we went back to pinkies and set up a new feeding tank for him (with covered sides) and he started eating again. This weekend he didn't eat but he was pretty close to white and we thought he was going to shed that day. He didn't, and he still hasn't but he's white white... is it possible that this isn't about him shedding? My sister has gotten pretty attached to this thing although she knows little about it (and neither do I- but I'm big sister and she pretends I do LOL) and she really freaks about the possibility of losing him. I was hoping you guys would have some info I could use to comfort her or to help the snake if he's not just about to shed... thoughts?

Check caresheets to see if the temps etc. are correct and then if they aren't try fixing them and see what happens. Another thing you can do is to try and find a thread about this and see what the person did to fix it. If it looks the same as it did last time it shed than you shouldn't have any problems but I haven't personally seen an albino shed so I wouldn't know.

She has such crappy equipment in there we really wouldn't know how the temps are... I think I'll just have to go shopping and get her the proper stuff... she went to a pet store and took the advice of the sales associates and got some decent stuff, but not all the right stuff...:-/ thanks for your input! I'll go search for a thread on the matter too, thanks again!

*note- pet store sale associates give wrong info most of the time. if you look around this site, you'll find what kind of items we use to check temps and humidity.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Snakeman

*note- pet store sale associates give wrong info most of the time. if you look around this site, you'll find what kind of items we use to check temps and humidity.

---

Yeah... I worked at pet stores for years... I know about what they know... unless there's a person who's otherwise knowledgeable, they're just a bunch of kids making minimum wage who've read the "care sheets" provided by the store... or like at the one store...the kids could be making COMMISSION! :eek: So sick to me to make commission on pets! I didn't last long there LOL

I just bought a thermo/hygrometer combo for my ball yesterday and today I'll put it in with the corn (I can spray that with proventamite right? to prevent any cross contamination?) and see where he's at...

thanks!

Ugh... I'm dismayed to report that the corn still hasn't shed but is closer I think... my sister's source said that corns don't need any humidity period... I read that they needed between 40 and 60% in one place (I read the care sheet here though, her source was right...) since he's trying to shed anyway I did put a modified tupperware thing in the tank over some damp moss so he could get his humidity fix if that was what he needed. He went straight over to it and checked around it some before retreating back under his water bowl again.

I have 2 corns and it seems like it takes them FOREVER to shed! but it is really only about 10 days total. (for mine) once they turn white...it is about 3-5 days after that before they shed. Your sisters is probably getting close! ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jeffnme

I have 2 corns and it seems like it takes them FOREVER to shed! but it is really only about 10 days total. (for mine) once they turn white...it is about 3-5 days after that before they shed. Your sisters is probably getting close! ;)

---

OMG So it isn't necessarily our fault it's taking Nug forever? *huge massive OMG sigh* Do you do anything to help yours shed or do you just leave them be for those 10 days? I sincerely appreciate your taking the time to post this for me! Made my morning :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gibbrishclown

OMG So it isn't necessarily our fault it's taking Nug forever? *huge massive OMG sigh* Do you do anything to help yours shed or do you just leave them be for those 10 days? I sincerely appreciate your taking the time to post this for me! Made my morning :)

---

no..they just take a bit. ;) no problem!
I don't do anything to help them shed. Corns like water ALOT. So I just make sure they have enough clean water to coil up in and they ALWAYS have a complete shed. They are fairly easy snakes to maintain. My female was a rescue and she had some shed that was stuck on her tail...just on the tip. and after a few sheds here she was fine. they also don't "like" to eat while in shed. some will...some won't.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jeffnme

no..they just take a bit. ;) no problem!
I don't do anything to help them shed. Corns like water ALOT. So I just make sure they have enough clean water to coil up in and they ALWAYS have a complete shed. They are fairly easy snakes to maintain. My female was a rescue and she had some shed that was stuck on her tail...just on the tip. and after a few sheds here she was fine. they also don't "like" to eat while in shed. some will...some won't.

---

Nugget won't eat while in shed, but he just started eating again in Mid February after not eating most all of January... My sister was a wreck... She always tries to feed him anyway...I wonder if his bowl isn't too shallow maybe. It's pretty and it's big enough for him to get all of him into, but it might be too shallow for him to really coil up in... He's always under it anyway...Good thing they're easy to maintain because sister doesn't tend to seek new knowledge about him.. she just asks me... :rolleyes: But it's ok... I don't mind... I'm really enjoying doing the research, I find in all interesting. I dont' like to have animals in my care that I don't know anything about... I care for her dog and her cat too, but at least with them I know exactly what I'm doing!

Did her tail just look thicker at the end and kinda dull? Or what does that look like when there's shed stuck?

yea...I kinda got suckered into getting the first one. My oldest daughter wanted a snake for her birthday a few years ago and HAD to HAVE an Albino Corn. We got him when he was about 8 inches long and now he is about 2 feet...I think. He has grown SO much! and he has a great personality! :D

The shed looked and felt like a tiny ball on the tip of her tail. That's the best way to describe it. It was just a little piece that didn't come off. I am assuming they had LOW humidity at the house she came from. She is also VERY sketchy. From not EVER being handled. She is calming down though. Now she doesn't try to bite me everytime I go in her tank ;) lol.

That's so cool! How fast did your daughter's snake grow? Nugget came in after I believe his first feed and he still fit in the bottom of a cup! He's like 18 inches long now I think, but skinny! Still eating pinkies skinny... I can't wait till he gets some girth on him. Told sister I wanted her to get rat pinkies and try them. Nug got down a couple of fuzzies, but then went off feed so we went down to pinkies again (2 at a time)... that retained shed sounds interesting (although freakish!) How long have you been trying to socialize that one? How do you do it? Just with patience and courage? I've been fortunate that I've never been around a snake that wasn't used to being handled. What do you call your snakes, and did you have them popped to see the sexes or do you just know or...?

It may also be helpful if you described your set-up a little better. How is it heated and how do you know the temps?

I have 14 corn snakes, and each one has a different "personality" Some shed quick, others may take longer. Some eat during shed, some prefer not to. Some grow big fast others stay smaller and skinny.

It's awesome to see you doing the research...keep it up.:D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ivylea77

It may also be helpful if you described your set-up a little better. How is it heated and how do you know the temps?

I have 14 corn snakes, and each one has a different "personality" Some shed quick, others may take longer. Some eat during shed, some prefer not to. Some grow big fast others stay smaller and skinny.

It's awesome to see you doing the research...keep it up.:D

---

I can't afford to change her set up at this time (and neither can she)... which is why I hadn't posted the set up (please be gentle- it's not my snake)... I'm hiding something... :( Nugget lives in a 10g with a screen top and a bright basking bulb on top on all day and a cheapy zoomed heating pad on the side. The temps are a mystery because she only has a dial thermometer. Nug lives on Repti bark and has a fairly big but not deep water bowl that takes up a third of the tank on the cold side a little half circle wooden hide and now the humidity tupperware thing that I put in last night with the moss to try to aide his shed... the snake is always on the cold side under the water bowl or just randomly under the bedding. I might as well learn about her snake too, I'm sure it'll become mine at some point in his life! She asked me if I wanted her puppy last night too :( *sigh* oh well...at least they have me

Your here to learn which is great.

The beauty about cornsnakes is that they are tolerant and hardy.

You mentioned you bought a temp/hygrometer for your BP. What kind???

Does the UTH (under tank heater) have any device that currently regulates how hot it gets for example a rheostat or thermostat. In your case a rheostat or dimmer is a very very inexpensive alternative.

As far as hides go I like to use clay saucers with a whole knocked out the side. Less than a .$25 at walmart. The half wooden hides are fine for a cornsake as is a 10gallon.

Not bad for what you have already...but it can be tweaked and for little $.

I think the thermo/hygrometer for my BP was a repti-pet or something... it was $20 at Petco the other day... the UTH has no regulation on it what so ever. I don't really understand what a rheostat is so I'll have to look into that. I genuinely appreciate your input and help! I'd bet Nugget would like a clay pot better than that wooden thing... or at least as another option!

If you have a 10 gal tank with a basking light and a UTH on the side then he/she may be too hot. Try turning off the heat lamp and see if he/she comes out from under the water bowl. Also...heat lamps tend to make it dry in tanks. not much for humidity. sounds like it is just trying to cool off. Also...Corns do not need as much heat as bp's...so definitely get something in there soon for your temps.I found out just by leaving my therm out on my desk one day that my bedroom is ALWAYS 85 degrees and 60% humidity. So I really don't have to adjust my temps to much. Maybe the room he is in is warm along with the heat from the UTH and he basking light.

The female...Ayla...we have had for about a year maybe and just by getting her out every now and again for a few minutes at a time and not being afraid to grab her when she is "rattling" her tail!

And the male is Derek. he has always been very friendly :D I just love him!

:eek: you mean that "rattling" isn't necessarily indicative of a strike? Nugget does it most around feedings... and we don't push him after that LOL! Although I still don't believe that his bite could really even break skin (how surprised will I be?) :D

The room he's in is pretty cold a lot of the time (esp. at night) but I wouldn't be surprised still if you're right... I'll bet he's getting the same amount of heat as my BP in the 20L in his little 10g (that seems a little obvious now, and I feel kinda salty LOL)

I can't wait to get home and get my t/h meter in there and find out where he's at and then adjust! Many thanks again!

let us know what the temps were. I am very interested now ;)

o and no it is a scare more than anything but I don't push her! lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jeffnme

let us know what the temps were. I am very interested now ;)

o and no it is a scare more than anything but I don't push her! lol

---

:banana: Will do! Thank you!

Unbelievably the tank was 85 degrees on the warm side and 35% humidity *(outside the humid hide he was in) He's not blue anymore, so I'm sure he'll shed soon now! Also I think he needs to move out of the kitchen! The temp climbed to 89 while we were making supper, so I'm sure that's not the best thing for him...

Nugget shed... it appears to have been a complete shed although not all in one piece like we would have liked... and then ate his 2 pinkies just fine the next day ... *whew*

He was being cooked! I finally broke down and got a new therm/hygrometer for my snake and gave my sister my "old" one (I'd had it 2 weeks) it was staying well over 100 degrees in his tank (while the therm she had in there read 68 degs it was a dial therm) I shut her lamp off and have left it off... I hope she does the same! I saw Nugget's head peeking out of his hide last night and heard a whisper of "thank you" LOL... I think I'll slap my sister when I get home tonight...LOL