Corn snake *tank upgrade plans 4/23/15*

[CallaLily]

We had her out for a bit today and she's really calm and sweet. Took her outside to better show her coloring. [

[FloridaSun]

She beautiful!

[wodesorel]

She's gorgeous! I bet she loved getting some sun. I keep thinking about doing that with ours, but I'm afraid my lecher neighbor will freak out.

Also, your son is cute! And your backyard (?) is incredible!

[CallaLily]

Thank you. That's my oldest. Can't believe he'll be 15 in October. They grow too fast!

That's my front yard.

[CallaLily]

And she's just taken right to the f/t mice now so it was worth all the time and worry! She went right to it and ate it, no problem. Went much smoother than I expected.

[CallaLily]

We're finally starting to get moving with this 55g aquarium (that came with a hermit crab adoption) for Sylvie. It's not the prettiest tank - my mother actually picked it up used at an auction several years ago, used it for fish for a while, then hermit crabs. Then she passed it on to the family that adopted all but 2 of her crabs (I ended up adopting those two a while later) and now it's come back to me when that family contacted me after they could no longer care for the crabs. So it's scratched up and scruffy looking, but I know Sylvie will appreciate the extra room!

I've ordered a lid and 2 sets of locking clips that should arrive today. I already have a pretty big sized branch for her to use (Java wood). I'll be transferring her UTH/thermostat over from the other tank (though I realize I may need to pick up a larger UTH, we'll see how it goes) and her large half log hides. I have a bin I was thinking of using for water instead of the dish she has now, which is a little too small....BUT....

I came across this elevated dog dish online and now I'm thinking I want to try and make something similar for Sylvie.

Here's the first one that caught my attention:



Then I saw this bin-type one which I thought could double as a humid hide (with one big dish instead of two):



Or this box one which could also double as a hide:



Again, I'd be trying to make something similar, not buy these. I'm thinking an elevated dish would free up floor space, for extra room or another hide, and make changing the water easier as the tank is fairly deep plus it's up on a tall stand. Also, it would be harder for her to spill. Please share any thoughts or ideas.

[wodesorel]

I went with levels as well! He uses every knook and cranny, though his favorite spot to hang out is curled up in the pot:

[wodesorel]

This was last month. The plant is looking a little more beat up these days.

[CallaLily]

That looks great, Wode! I've been wanting to do levels since you first shared pics and have been trying to come up with a way we can copy it. Then I saw the dog dishes and thought the sunk in water dish would be great too.

Did you make those platforms? What kind of plant is that? Do you think 4 locking clips on a 55 will be enough?

[wodesorel]

I like the elevated dog dish idea. Stan will send his shoe container flying if it's not filled high enough, but he likes it wet so I don't worry when he does. I would think a single bowl for a large dog should be big enough for a corn. I'm actually using an old small ceramic dog dish we had for the cats for Peach since she's small enough to fit.

(Did I already share the photos?? I honestly can't remember! Sorry!) We did make them - 1/4 inch plywood and 2x4ssplit down the middle. We borrowed my grandfather's table saw. Glues and screwed the legs on using clamps, and then spray painted, three heavy coats. I was a little worried how it would hold up, but after about a week of airing out after painting they seem to be good and I can wash them off without any trouble. I don't know how it'll last long-term, but I think it will work.

I use four clips to hold Stan in - two each towards the corners on the long side, and he can't bust through. He's tried! I forgot to latch the lid once and he got out, and for the next two weeks he would curl his body around the center brace under the lid and try to pop the lid off that way. Wasn't strong enough. He's got a solid 55 gallon screen. Peach is much nicer - she can't get anywhere near the top and with her disability can't climb, so she doesn't get latched and she got the flip top lid.

[CallaLily]

No, I hadn't seen this new design of yours but I've been hanging on to the platform ideas since you shared pics the first time.

Sylvie does bump her dish around too but luckily hasn't dumped it...yet. I was just afraid the switch to the lighter plastic bin would lead to spills.

She is often looking for a way out so I'm glad to hear the clips should be enough. We ordered the solid screen too. After my son's young corn snake escaped and we never found it (several years ago - turns out there was the tiniest tear in the screen lid), I wasn't too keen on getting another. It's a constant worry of mine. If I glance in and don't see her right away... In fact, she scared me today but she was just hiding almost completely under her water dish.

[CallaLily]

So I decided to go with the bin version of this idea. At least to begin with. I really like the look of the first wooden one but we can get the bin one finished faster (not to mention cheaper) and it will also double as a humid hide. If it works well and depending on how much she uses the humid hide, I may go back to the idea of making one like that first pic. I picked the bin up today and have where I need to cut all penciled in. Hopefully I'll have the tank all together tomorrow and will share pics.

[CallaLily]

This is how she likes to hang out now:



As you can see, I got the bin done. I was worried that it being see through would bother her but it's what I could find that fit where I wanted it and still had enough height (though I would have liked more). I could maybe paint it.....can you paint plastic? And if so, what would be safe to use? Or I guess I could just deepen the substrate around it. She likes to tunnel through it anyway. And once I pick up some more moss and fill it, it should be more hide-like. It doesn't seem to bother her much though. Actually, looking over just now, she's moved almost all the way in now - just the tip of her tail hanging out.

She gets up to the water no problems and even lounges around "pool side" sometimes. She could get all the way in but so far I've never seen her do more then drink or occasionally, by accident I think, dunk a part in the water while moving away.

I'm still not happy with the tank. It looks so boring - just that bin with water dish, two half log hides, and a branch. I want to pick up some fake plants and maybe hang something up higher in the tank - a vine or another branch. A background would be nice too. Especially now since I've moved her into the living room. My youngest wanted her as far away from his bedroom as we could - turns out he is afraid of her. I originally planned to put the 55 right near his room but when he noticed he said "I am freaking out!", so I moved her. It's crazy because he's one of the ones that bugged to have a snake! It could also have been more related to change which he doesn't take too well. When he was a lot younger, I turned the dining room table. Just turned it! Instead of ---, I spun it |. He cried in his bed for half an hour. He doesn't seem too pleased about her being out here either, but better than next to his room.

I'll post full pics once I get the tank looking closer to how I want it.

Btw, we never measured her (she doesn't sit still enough really) but she is a little longer than the 55. I also weighed her. Probably should have been weighing her all along. She wasn't very cooperative but is around 595 grams. My husband was concerned she looked smaller (I don't think she does) so I thought we'd just keep an eye in her to make sure she isn't losing weight.

[wodesorel]

I get the change thing, I don't like it when things aren't how they're supposed to be. I came home once and my husband had moved the computer desk to the other side of the fireplace - like 4 feet away - and I couldn't stop crying! I can laugh about it after the fact, but when it's happening I'm inconsolable. I'm hoping he's okay with it soon, and it's not a true fear.

Yeah, you can paint them using a plastic spray paint. Krylon Fusion dries aquarium safe, which is what I usually choose for projects. (Although I really like Rustoleum Universal better....) I've never had great luck with spray painting plastic. No matter how much I prep it always chips and peels a bit, but I'm a putz and I have bad luck with spray paint in general. (The reptile lids crazed everywhere!)

There's also this idea for home made hides: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthre ... quot-Hides To go big, you'd have to put in some sort of rebar to keep it from cracking. Remember too that snakes are supposed to feel the most secure when they can touch all sides of their hide with their bodies, so tight is what you're after for the main hideout areas on the warm side and cool side. Anything else for the tank can be as open as you want for when they're out exploring.

[CallaLily]

Thanks for the link and paint tips! Her half log hides are a tight fit - one over the hot spot and one not. I worried they were too small but then I read about them liking snug hides and she does manage to curl up in there. She stretched out for a while and now is back in the bin with her head propped out the door. I don't know if she's liking it as a hide or just enjoying a cooler moist spot. It is kind of warm in here today.

I hope it's mostly the change too. He never had an issue with her being in my bedroom (and goodness knows he'd come jump into our bed in the middle of the night plenty of times). He hasn't ever wanted to really hold her though. He's the same with his leopard gecko. Loves watching him but not so much into handling him. He's had him since he was 5 (he's 9 now) so I actually prefered it for fear he'd squeeze too hard or drop him. Maybe I should have encouraged it more from the beginning. Not that Lizard Ninja minds.

Speaking of Lizard...the first place I wanted Sylvie's tank was next to his. I guess he was watching closely from his hide because as soon as she started slithering around in the 55 he came running over to the side of his tank that was next to hers. He was very interested in her movements - I think he thought she was a big mealworm. So I suppose that's another reason her move was best. No reason to stress or rile up the Lizard Ninja.