Some aspects of heating were briefly discussed in the housing section, and will be covered in more detail here.
A corn snakes tank should be 80-88 F on the hot side. The cool side will naturally be cooler than this, and should be at least 4-5 F difference. At night time, a temperature of 70- 75F can be maintained. There are several ways of reaching, and controlling this temperature, discussed below.
Option 1: Heat Mat
A heat mat is a device that you place underneath the tank in the case of plastic or glass, or inside the tank, but underneath the substrate in the case of wooden vivariums. A heat mat should never cover more than 1/3rd to 1/2th of the tank, and come in a variety of different sizes and wattages. Typically a heat mat ranges from 5W to 60W and is an inexpensive appliance to run. Heat mats can be used all day and all night if necessary, and it is essential to use them on a mat stat thermostat. If you do not, the heat mat can run a risk of over heating, resulting in burns. A 100W or 300W mat stat is ample, and can run as many heat mats up to 100W or 300W if you have more the one tank. As it will switch the heat mat off when it gets too hot, it is also very good for conserving energy.
Option 2: Light Bulb (Red or White)
There is some research that say red light cannot be seen by snakes. Therefore it is possible to use a red bulb at night time. A white bulb however should only be turned on during the day, as these snakes are nocturnal. A low wattage heat bulb can be used to increase day time temperatures, in addition to, or instead of, a heat mat during the day.
A light bulb must be guarded to avoid serious burns, and can be used in conjunction with a dimming thermostat to control the temperature output. An on/off pulse style thermostat should not be used with a light - imagine if the lights kept turning on and off in your house whilst you were trying to sleep, it would be pretty disturbing! A dimmer will lower the light output naturally.
Option 3: Ceramic Bulb
Ceramic bulbs are a lightless bulb that have a high heat output, up to 250W or more. They should be used carefully, and always in conjunction with a guard. If a ceramic bulb is being used, you should take care to get a ceramic light fitting and the correct wiring. This is not standard with most wooden vivariums and can be bought from any electrical supplier. Ceramic bulbs can be left on 24/7 if used on conjunction with a pulse thermostat. You cannot use a dimming thermostat safely with a ceramic, but as it does not give off any light, a 300 or 600w Pulse stat is usually adequate.
Option 4: AHS Heater
The AHS heaters are designed to heat 48 x 24 x 24" vivariums or bigger. Some
people may prefer a large enclosure for their snake, which is why I'm briefly
going to discuss them. AHS stands for Advanced Heating System and these are only
manufactured by Microclimate. They are quite expensive (usually around the £100
mark), but are highly recommended by myself for large vivariums. They go up to
500W! A ceramic element is housed in a rectangular box, which is affixed to the
side or ceiling of the hot side of your vivarium. This is guarded, and contains
it's own high wattage pulse thermostat, so you do not need to buy any extra
thermostats or guards to use them. This option should only be used for large
vivariums over the 48 x 24 x 24" size due to the high heat output.
Controlling Temperature - Thermostats
A thermostat controls the temperature of the device it is attached to. These are simple devices that can help maintain the temperature at optimum, which helps with the overall health of the animal. Both extremes of hot and cold can be very damaging to reptiles, as they cannot regulate their own body temperature like mammals. A thermostat is an essential piece of equipment for the responsible owner.
A mat stat is a thermostat which is only usable with a heat mat, and turns the heat mat on or off depending on the temperature. A pulse stat can be used with devices of various wattages, up to 600w, and will vary the electrical output to any device. A dimming thermostat is for use with lighting appliances, and goes up to 600w. Prices for these start at £24.99. Vet bills for burns or health problems start at much higher!
Measuring Temperature - Thermometers
Even if you have a thermostat to control the temperature, it will be useful to know what the temperatures in your tank are. Temperatures range from the basic £2.99 dials, up to the £20+ digital readers. Although I would recommend investing in a good digital reader myself, the basic dials are adequate for your average pet keeper.
Please select which section you would like to navigate to.
Introduction
Housing
Heating
Handling
Feeding
Health
Breeding
Incubator Guide
Egg Binding
Housing Together
If you are thinking about purchasing a corn snake, and require a setup, please visit Reptile Cymru in Cardiff, who sell plastic starter kits from £30, and full setups for adults in 3 foot wooden vivariums from £125 (including heating/lighting).