Keeping corn snake in a rubbermaid tub?

Hello, im just wondering if i would be able to keep a corn snake in a rubbermade tub. it would be one of the clear kind. Thanx in advance.

 

If you intend on heating the tub with a UTH, I think it would be to hot for the rubbermaid, but I'm not sure. if the rubbermaid COULD stand the heat, I'd say yes.

 

You mean, something like this?

 

RE: Re: Keeping corn snake in a rubbermaid tub?

yeh thats exantly what i meant. so i geuss that means that i can thats good. Can i still have a uth in there?

 

RE: Re: Keeping corn snake in a rubbermaid tub?

How do you heat all of those rubbermaids Calas?

 

Re: RE: Re: Keeping corn snake in a rubbermaid tub?

I don't.

 

RE: Re: RE: Re: Keeping corn snake in a rubbermaid tub?

so do u just keep the heat up really high in that room?

 

RE: Re: RE: Re: Keeping corn snake in a rubbermaid tub?

Please don't attempt to try what CalasCorn is doing with his snakes, it's not intended for novice keepers. Which I know that pigger93, Matt!123 and myself all are. If you're getting a corn snake for the first time, I would suggest picking up a 10 gallon aquarium somewhere to house the juvie in. You can pick these up in any pet store for under $20.

 

RE: Re: RE: Re: Keeping corn snake in a rubbermaid tub?

A second thought: snakes (like all reptiles) need to thermoregulate to control their body temperature. If they don't have adequate space to do this in, it can make them ill, stress them out, etc...

Also a question for you CalasCorn, if you're not heating each individual "environment" those snakes are in, and since you like to feed (at least your juvies) well over 1.5X the widest girth of the snake, how are they digesting their food properly? Just a thought...

The only thing I can think of that you're doing for heat would be pigger93's suggestion, turning the heat up in the room... but wouldn't that only heat the ambient air temp, and not the substrate temp? It was my understanding that certain snake species (including corns) need belly heat to digest their food. Which is why I use a UTH regulated and measured with a thermostat and digital thermometer with a probe.

 

Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: Keeping corn snake in a rubbermaid tub?

LoL, a novice can't keep snakes in a rubbermaid or sterlite container? Since when?

Sure, a 10 or 20g critter cage with sliding top is the more secure option, and I definitely do use binder clips on all of the sterilites, but imo either way is perfectly fine.

 

Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: Keeping corn snake in a rubbermaid tub?

First of all, ALL major snake breeders (Don, Kathy, Rich, etc) do not individually heat all of their cages. They have rooms where the temps are controlled.

Corn snakes do not need belly heat to digest their food---that's a myth. Sure, it's probably more beneficial but being in Florida, simply turning off the AC in that particular room gets the adults near 80. The "hatchlings" are in the bathroom where my eggs are incubating at 83 degrees, so the whole bathroom is always 83 or higher.

 

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: Keeping corn snake in a rubbermaid t

Maybe belly heat is a myth, but thermoregulation is not. How are you providing decent gradients?

And I never said that keeping corns in rubbermaid bins were not for the novice keeper. I said that not individually heating the bin with a UTH would not be a good idea, as the ideal digestion temp would be harder to achieve.

 

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: Keeping corn snake in a rubbermaid t

Thermoregulation is NOT required, period. When they get too warm, they go into their water bowls, or hang out right by them. Again, none of the bigger breeders use UTH or belly heat---it's simply far too costly for that many snakes.

 

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: Keeping corn snake in a rubbermaid t

Thermoregulation IS required.

What's more important: The snakes' well being, or the money? If it's far too costly, then simply don't keep so many snakes. Keeping a lot of snakes should be an act of love for the animals, and you literally have to pay the price if that comes with the responsibility. Including the money you spend purchasing and operating the UTH.

 

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: Keeping corn snake in a rubbermaid t

So what's the cost of a vet bill to treat your entire collection for respiratory infections due to the fact that they're hanging out in their water bowls or near them to cool off... all because thermoregulation "isn't necessary"?

 

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: Keeping corn snake in a rubbermaid t

I don't use individual heat on mine because I just can't afford it, and they
seem to do fine without it. It is just such more cost effective to heat or
cool the whole room when you have a whole roomful of snakes. BUT - if I had
a smaller number (and I am thinning down this year, so that may be true by
next year), then I will consider going back to the heat tape that I used a
couple of decades ago when I didn't have so many. My feeling is that
although they do fine with proper ambient temps under normal circumstances,
they will be able to weather stressful situations (exposure to microbes,
parasites, handling, going to shows, etc) better if they are able to
thermoregulate more than they are allowed to do in my set up without heat
tapes. In fact, I feel that they could deal with stress even better if they
could get some natural sunlight too (not enough to cook them though!) I
intend to set a few up in some outdoor screen cages to see how it works out.
These are only my observations and thoughts, not any scientific facts.

In summary, I think the proper ambient temp works fine with healthy snakes.
But if you are able to give them a cooler ambient temp, in addtion to heat
tapes or basking lights, I think it is even better.


Kathy Love

 

In a message dated 6/15/2006 10:58:32 P.M. Central Standard Time, Joejr14 writes:


Is belly heat necessary for cornsnakes, or are they fine with ambient
temperatures in a room?

Is thermoregulation a necessity?

Don

 

All the info you just provided indicates it may not be necessary but is most certainly beneficial and a good idea!
As before, caution needs to be used when recommending or advising new keepers who don't have the basic knowledge/experience to properly care for a snake down to a science yet. The practices you are using, and the people/practices you are quoting, are not for new keepers. These can turn into dangerous situations for someone who doesn't know what to look for or understand something has gone terribly wrong. As was cautioned against before, the majority of people here are new and should not be doing such things.
Yes, the question was asked about racks, perhaps the answer should have simply been that it can be done. When heating came up, then it should have been advised to use heat and create a thermal gradient. The initial poster doesn't even have a snake yet, nor has much research been done yet. Please, use some reserve when answering questions, keep in mind not everyone is as experienced as you and you (I hope) started out with more 'common' keeping methods. For one snake, a first snake, it should be kept in an enclosure that provides a good heat gradient, not just a 'one temperature' enclosure. Think about some of the other posts you have seen here, and try to keep the advice on par with the experience level....for the sake of the snakes.

 

Yes, we're all really impressed that you have experienced keepers backing you up on the info you've given here. But how many times do we have to say that most people here are novice snake keepers?? This information should not be passed off to new snake owners as "the way to go" as far as snake keeping. I'm starting to feel like a broken record here... did you even go through the forums to see how many of these keepers are novices and how many are experienced when Clementine_3 suggested that to you? I highly doubt that you did if you're still suggesting to novices to attempt set-ups that only an experienced keeper should attempt.

Please, I really don't want to develop carpal tunnel from this, consider this in the future!

 

Ok not quite the response i was expecting but its taught be not to use a rubbermade tub. this is y i am doing the research before so stuff like this doesnt happen when or if i get 1.if i do end up getting one i willl definately be getting a tank. most likely a 20 long or bigger. i WILL be using a uth. thaqnx you all.