Hello-

[Reptilian]

Hey everyone-

I am fairly new here, been lurking for the most part...

I have two hatchling corn snakes (1 month 18 days old) and two cats. I've considering adding to my addition a BP, however I do have a few concerns, along with a few other questions I've been meaning to ask.

I'd like to say that this board seems a lot more plesant than other boards I've been on.

Now onto my questions. I've read the caresheets on BP's as well as a few others, and I'd want to start off with one that is young. My concern would be my two cats. They, as cats, are very curious. They'll come up to my hatchlings and sniff and attempt to paw. Which my response is to remove their paws and tell them "No Paws." It's been doing fairly well so far. Since I do have two corns and they are hatchlings, I am not too worried if they strike at the cats, since it won't cause much damage, but a BP, I've seen ones at a local pet store...they are labeled at juvies and seem like they can cause some damage. (Maybe a foot in length and the girth of a hot dog bun.) Has anyone had any problems with this? I know if it were to happen once, the cats wouldn't be in the same room as the BP...but i guess I am just worried.

Now my general snake questions:

I have a pair of tongs that are sold as "bamboo" type tongs. They are just like the metal ones only made of wood. (Just so no one gets the image of chop sticks.) How should I disenfect them? I don't want to use bleach because they're pourious. I was thinking rubbing alochol, but I don't know. Hot water? Or just chuck those and buy some metal ones?

Another thing. On my corn snake setups. I have aspen bedding as a substrate and a heat pad under the glass on one end. I have a probe therometer as well. On another board I am at it says to measure the substrate heat, which I've been doing. I have a rhinostat to control the heat pad. Well I live in North East Ohio and, I am not sure why, but my probe therometers have been reading all wacky. On hour it will read 68°, a few hours later it will jump to 90°. The highest I've seen it reach was 106° and the tempature is on LOW for both tanks. Should i invest in a thermostat? Does that work with a heat pad or do i need a different source of heat, like an over head lamp. If I get that, I don't want to decrease the hudmity....

Can anyone help?

Layna

[JLC]

Hi Layna! Welcome to BP.net! :


I'm about to dash out the door, so I don't have time to write all the answer that I usually would, but I'm sure someone else will catch that slack for me!

Would love to see pics of your corns and kitties sometime!

[Aza]

hey! welcome to the site!
hm to start off, i have a kitten, one bp, and a red tailed boa. recently i just changed to sterilite tubs for the two enclosures and its been working great. i'm guessing your corns are in glass aquariums which in my opinion when you get a bp you should shop for tubs or if you have the extra cash one of those animal plastic t3s, i hear such good things and love the look. the temps and humidity requirements are a little bit harder for balls than for corn snakes as i'm sure you've noticed. so far i've had no problem with the kitten in regards to the ball. when i'm not home i close the door to the room that the snakes are in and if i take them out ever i keep the cat out of the room. if the snakes can't get out (which they never should) then your cats will be fine, i'd keep them away or out of reach in case the cats stress out the bp if they're constantly pawing and hitting the enclosure though it seems like you've nipped that at the bud.
i heat with one UTH under one side on each of the enclosures. i'd recommend to get an Acu-rite thermometer (available at walmart for about $10- great deal) which are accurate and pretty easy to fix if they are being wacky, they have a probe that you put on the hot side and the cool side and humidity base is placed on the cool. i'd recommend heating with the pads still and they're fairly easy to hook up to t-stats to control the temp. output or a dimmer if you have a room that is constant in temps and you don't mind checking a couple times a day (though thermostats will never go wacky if the power goes crazy and heat up extreme, they are a safeguard)
maybe just get a pair of metal tongs because they're fairly cheap and a good investment, gives you quick peace of mind and they'll last.
you could always heat with flexwatt which i believe is pretty cheap and tons of people use here. i used a lamp before with a red light that was on constantly to maintain temps and i just found lots of problems with controlling humidity and also i had a glass aquarium at the time. good luck with getting a bp! they're awesome, addicting, gorgeous, and a great snake all around.

[Laooda]

Hi Layna! And welcome


I'm sure someone will come along to anwser your corn questions, as for ...


"My concern would be my two cats. They, as cats, are very curious. They'll come up to my hatchlings and sniff and attempt to paw. Which my response is to remove their paws and tell them "No Paws." It's been doing fairly well so far. Since I do have two corns and they are hatchlings, I am not too worried if they strike at the cats, since it won't cause much damage, but a BP, I've seen ones at a local pet store..."


That is something that I'm comfortable anwsering... Dont let the cats near your snakes. Have you ever been scratched bye 1 of your cats? VERY prone to infection... ALSO! If your snakes are striking... their NOT happy they're scared!!!

We own dogs, cats, horses, birds, a chin, a tortie, snakes, lizards, etc.... and "Knock on wood" they all get along.... but because they are all monitored for lack of a better word. So, I would let your cats be cats, just not with your snakes And look into the BP's their purdy kool!