New guy in the snake world

[Peridox]

Hey everyone like the title states I'm new to the owning snake and would like to know alot and have a good set up before i get my snake. I've read that you can buy a sterilite container and keep them in there or in a regular aquarium. But the what I would like to know is what i need to buy for it to have proper living conditions such as temperature, lighting, heating beds? Any help would be much apreciated thank you!

[CoolioTiffany]

Hey everyone like the title states I'm new to the owning snake and would like to know alot and have a good set up before i get my snake. I've read that you can buy a sterilite container and keep them in there or in a regular aquarium. But the what I would like to know is what i need to buy for it to have proper living conditions such as temperature, lighting, heating beds? Any help would be much apreciated thank you!

Well, first, welcome to the forum!

So you posted this in the Corn snake section, so I'm assuming your talking about a Corn snake. Tubs are awesome to use and especially keep in humidity wonderfully for snakes like Brazilian Rainbow boas, Ball pythons, Blood pythons, etc. and are also pretty capable for housing colubrids such as Corn snakes, Milk snakes, Hognose snake, Kingsnakes, Rat snakes, and so on. Tanks are also especially good to use, I mainly use tanks for colubrids but use tubs for my pythons.

To properly house a Corn snake in a tub, here are the items you will need:

-Digital thermometer (with probe)
-UTH (under tank heater)
-Thermostat
-Substrate
-Hides
-Water dish

The digital thermometer (with probe) is very accurate at reading the temps. The probe will be place underneath the substrate on the plastic tub right above the UTH, most preferably in the middle of the UTH.

The UTH should be large enough to ONLY cover 1/3 of the tub and no larger. UTHs can get extremely hot and reach temps well over 100F. I had one of my UTHs reach 124F without a thermostat.

The thermostat controls the heat from the UTH. You set the thermostat at the correct temperature (85F-90F for Corn snakes, shoot for 86F-88F range and the cool end should be between 80F-85F which should have no heat source and should have the water dish on this end of the enclosure) needed for the snake you own and tape the probe (with aluminum tape) onto the outside of the UTH or you could place the probe between the tub and the UTH.

Substrate can be Aspen Bedding, newspaper, or paper towels. I prefer paper towels or newspaper because it's easier for the heat from the UTH to reach the top of the substrate which is very important.

Hides should have only one entrance and be large enough for the snake to fit its entire body into. A half log hide is not a secure enough hide. Purchase two hides so the snake doesn't choose security over heat if the heat gets too hot. Snakes also need to thermoregulate so always provide two hides on the opposite ends of the enclosure.

The water dish should be large enough for the snake to fit its entire body into as the snake will most likely soak in it before it sheds. Always change the water dish daily or every other day and especially wash it out right away when you notice the snake has defecated (pooped/peed) in the water dish.

To house a Corn snake in a tank, it's pretty much the same stuff I listed above. Though, if you decide to fill the tank up with Aspen Bedding, make sure the UTH stays at the appropriate levels and also purchase a heat lamp. For a 10 gallon tank (if your purchasing a baby Corn snake), a 50-60 watt sunglow or basking bulb would be just fine. Just make sure the heat lamp stays at the appropriate temps. Plug the UTH and the heat lamp into the thermostat and make sure they stay at the correct level (also, heat lamp goes on one side of the enclosure, opposite from the water dish). You should buy another digital thermostat to see temps above the substrate, so stick the probe right on top of the substrate to tell the temps under the area the heat lamp is. When you do purchase a 10 gallon tank, always make sure you have a secure lid. Snakes are escape artists and can fit through holes that you didn't even think it was possible for them to fit through. I prefer the enclosures with the scrren lid that slides in and locks in place. From using those I have had no escapes. That's about it, if you have any more questions just ask

[Peridox]

Sorry about not saying the specific snake, but yes I'm going to get a baby corn snake from a breeder since the ones at petco dont seem healthy.and i decided that i will have him in a tank since i have a 10 gallon at home. And just so i make sure i have things clear i am going to give you my set up off of your information. For my substrate i will use paper towels, have to hides one on the cool and hot side. Keep the water bowl on the cool side.Also im going to get a basking light and the UTH and connect it to a thermostat keeping it around 85-90 degrees on the warm side. Does this seem right and sorry for all the questions i just want to do it all right and minimize the mistakes.

[CoolioTiffany]

Sorry about not saying the specific snake, but yes I'm going to get a baby corn snake from a breeder since the ones at petco dont seem healthy.and i decided that i will have him in a tank since i have a 10 gallon at home. And just so i make sure i have things clear i am going to give you my set up off of your information. For my substrate i will use paper towels, have to hides one on the cool and hot side. Keep the water bowl on the cool side.Also im going to get a basking light and the UTH and connect it to a thermostat keeping it around 85-90 degrees on the warm side. Does this seem right and sorry for all the questions i just want to do it all right and minimize the mistakes.

Yep sounds pretty right to me, good luck with your Corn snake! I would love to see pictures once you get him/her xD

Also, you can just use either the UTH or the heat lamp since you'll be using paper towels. I would recommend paper towels for a plastic tub because it's easier for the heat from the UTH to get to the top of the substrate. So, if you can get the temps at the correct level with a heat lamp then that is all you will pretty much need.