Heating for your corn snake enclosure
Suggested heat range –
Day – 29 to 32c
Night – 23 to 28c
Heat mats have been a traditional method of heating vivariums and terrariums for decades and are both inexpensive to purchase and to run. If you decide to use a heat mat for your corn snake, there are two methods of using them. However, both require regulation by thermostat to avoid burning and maintaining the correct temperature range.
Placing your heat mat inside your enclosure requires a thermostat to be attached to the heat mat to avoid burning. From a practical and common-sense perspective – if your corn snake can make contact with the heat source directly, this needs to be regulated to avoid burns. The downside to this method is lower heat throughout the enclosure due to the maximum heat source being at a habitual level rather than a level to heat the air temperate around the enclosure.
More commonly heat mats are placed under the enclosure to provide environmental heat with the thermostat placed inside the enclosure. The tip of the thermostat needs to be around ground level to ensure the desired temperature matches the corn snake’s living space. Due to heat rising, you do not want the area above the ground being at temperature and your corn snake to be under optimum temperature.
Admittedly if using any more than an inch or so of substrate, the heat will struggle to penetrate through and create any meaningful air temperature or even surface basking temperature.
Heat bulbs include basking, ceramic heating elements (often displayed as CHE) and deep heat projector (again often abbreviated to DHP). Let’s look at each in turn.
It is important to remember that each bulb requires a heat guard to avoid burns. Check out these heat guards that combine with a power source to save money buying both separately
Deep heat projectors are a relatively new technology from Arcadia. The full breakdown of the technology can be read from their site but in a nutshell - this is the best source of heating for your reptile and their enclosure. The heat produced is the most bioavailable heat from any product on the market. Put simply, the heat produced is more efficient than standard ceramic bulbs, your corn snake can use that energy better than other forms of heat and there is no visible light.
Deep heat projectors are a source of heat only and can be used in conjunction with a basking bulbs. Because they are a heat source they require to be regulated with a thermostat to avoid over or under heating your corn snake or burning them.
Ceramic bulbs are a source of heat only. They provide no light source and require both regulation by thermostat and a heat guard. The bulb should be contained within a heat guard and fixed to the roof the enclosure on the ‘hot side’. The thermometer for the thermostat should be placed at the ‘cooler end’ to set the minimum of the above ranges for day and night. The thermometer should be at ground level to optimise the temperature at your corn snake’s level. This will create a ‘hot’ end with it being the source of the heat and a slightly colder end to help your corn snake thermoregulate properly.
75W Ceramic bulbs can be found here
100W Ceramic bulbs can be found here
Flood lighting bulbs or spot light bulbs are a source of both light and heat. Most contain UVA which one is one component of sunlight. They do not normally contain UVB – more on this later. Again they should be set up as above with a heat guard and thermostat to avoid burning and over or underheating your corn snake.
The difference between spot light and flood light is simple. Spot lights concentrate their energy on a smaller area directly below their fitment. Floodlights created a larger but less intense concentrated area. Both are ideal for basking areas but spotlights tend to be listed as basking lamps and are more common.
75W Spot light bulbs can be found here
100W Spot light bulbs can be found here
Red Bulbs are a throwback to the past and ignorance of reptile biology. Commonly they were used as ‘night lamps’ with the belief THEN being that reptiles could not see the ‘red light’ which has since been debunked. Though they are still commonly used throughout the hobby due to habit of the keepers rather than any actual function. We will cover more about this in the lighting section.
Heat rocks - Unregulated heat is dangerous and can burn your corn snake. These are absolute garbage and should be avoided at all costs.
Monitoring temperatures
Regulating Thermostats
A thermostat is the control unit for measuring and adjusting heat output. The heat is measured using a thermometer, which is usually attached to the end of cable from the control box of the thermostat. These thermostats control heat in one of three ways:
On/Off – The thermostat activates your heat source until the desired temperature is reached. It then turns off and the temperature drops a few degrees until activated again. Repeat. Perhaps the simplest method of controlling heat but also less accurate in maintaining a constant temperature and also burns out bulbs the fastest with them either being run at 100% on or completely off.
On off thermostats can be purchased here
Pulse – The perfect method of controlling non-light emitting heat sources like ceramic bulbs. These heat the enclosure in waves with them lowering and increasing waves of heat throughout the enclosure. Do not use with light sources – you’ll not only burn out the bulb quickly but it will make your enclosure look like a rave/club scene with the light flashing constantly.
Pulse thermostats can be purchased here
Dimming – The choice for light emitting heat sourcing such as basking lamps. These lower and increase lighting and heating gradually without the sharp on/off features or extreme highs and lows of pulse, extending the life time of the bulb.
Dimming thermostats can be purchased here
In tank Thermometers
In tank thermometers are essential for monitoring the current temperatures within your corn snake’s environment and ensuring your chosen heating appliance(s) are working effectively. Take this example, you may set up a ceramic, non-light producing bulb and set the thermostat to a certain temperature. The bulb suffers failure after three months and you don’t know/realise this has failed. You’re thinking the temperature is just right, meanwhile your corn snake is suffering room temperature conditions which could be too low for their welfare.
Another example of why it’s important to monitor the conditions within the enclosure is purely down to differing brands, their heat emission or regulation. You may find you set the temperature of 28c on your chosen thermostat but the heat produced is showing 32c on the thermometer. You can then adjust to the thermostat to match the actual output heat. For example, setting the regulating thermostat to 26c may give an actual heat output of 29c, etc.
Digital vs Analogue – Analogue thermometers, those that are not powered by electricity, are generally slower to respond and less accurate than digital thermometers. Though analogue thermometers may give a more classic look, they’re less effective than electronic devices.
Digital/electronic thermometers are more accurate and often come with combined displays showing humidity, known as hygrometers.
Be aware that there are some reptile branded thermometers on the market but you’re essentially paying a premium for a standard product repackaged and aimed at reptile keepers. We recommend these
They're super accurate, relatively inexpensive and display both current temperatures and humidity. Just use some strong double-sided tape or something like this
to hold them in place. The latter means you can easily remove to replace batteries without having to peel off tape and re apply.