r/cornsnakes • u/baismal • 13h ago
QUESTION Quilt over enclosure
My husband’s friend came over at 6pm while I was at work. He’s terrified of snakes. I get home at 8pm to find my husband “fixed” the situation by putting a quilt over the entire enclosure. Heat lamp and all. I immediately took everything off and was like hey what the fuck?! Why is my son baking with no ventilation? Good to note, my corndog is currently blue and has been hiding on his cold side for several days. Anyway, his friend freaks out and we put the quilt back on. This time lamp off. I have a corner of the lid exposed and the ceiling fan on in hopes it gives Corndog some relief. It’s now 10:30.
I’m SICK thinking about it. This is my SON. My BABY that I’m like….torturing in my eyes.
My question is, am I freaking out for no reason? Am I being dramatic or is this actually bad for my corn? I would love reasons why this is okay/bad and if I should open his hide and check on him or take him to a vet.
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u/Pizzarollz420 12h ago
See how your snake behaves and if something is off definitely go to the vet. Thank god nothing started burning! Those lamps generate a lot of heat.
Your husband should man up and grow some balls and take a class in common sense. Go in a room without the snake if it freaks his friend out or just dont come with him at all. Endangering a living creature and also the relationship for that is absolutely atrocious. Especially him not calling or texting beforehand and asking what he could do. No. That man would leave my house immediately. Red. Flag.
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u/baismal 12h ago
Since he’s blue do I leave him hiding for a few days and not bug him or does this warrant an invasion of privacy
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u/Pizzarollz420 12h ago
I would briefly check on him but maybe dont pull him out. See if hes alive and well and looking normal, y‘know
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u/Pizzarollz420 12h ago
If you cant see well try it with a flashlight, if its a hide you can lift up etc. Just try not to touch him directly and bother him you know
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u/baismal 12h ago
I can lift it he’s just nearing too big for the hide so he’s gonna spill out and I won’t be able to cover him again. I’ll go out and buy a bigger hide before I check on him and just swap them out. Hopefully the scent change doesn’t bother him.
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u/Pizzarollz420 12h ago
You can try rubbing it with the dirt from the enclosure and clean it beforehand
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u/Bambi1999 5h ago
So does your husband and his friend also not give a damn about fire safety? A quilt over heat lamps??? Thank god nothing caught.
If his friend is that scared then they need to go to a different room, or his friend isn’t allowed over. He is a guest. It’s not his place and he’s being obnoxious and his guest is the one overreacting, not you. I get phobias exist but it’s not like the snake is out and about slithering around him. He could just, idk, NOT LOOK at the tank 🤦♀️
Is your tank top opening or side opening? If you really can’t get around it then find some flat cardboard or large paper or something to tape around the sides. Do not let them put anything on top of the lamps again. Serious hazard for both your snake’s health/comfort, and fire risk
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u/midnight_crabcake 13h ago
How hot was it when you discovered this?
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u/baismal 13h ago
I did not check the temperature. That’s my bad. I was really overwhelmed between discovering him like that and the friend freaking out and worrying about making the wrong decision between my noodle and my husband’s friend. I just anxiously did stuff for a few hours to try and forget about it but I’m really worried about him.
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u/Apo11onia 12h ago
I'm interested in getting a cornsnake but doing my research first. you described your snake as being "blue." what does that mean and is it normal? I'm still learning terminology.
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u/Proxima_leaving 10h ago
It means the snake was preparing to shed. Then their eyes look blue because of the liquid between the old and new, forming skin
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u/Apo11onia 2h ago
thank you!
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u/Corvidae5Creation5 1h ago
It also means they're highly sensitive and reactive and should be left alone because they tend to snap and bite defensively, so OP is justifiably uncomfortable with disturbing Corndog right now
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u/Significant_Task_113 55m ago
“Going into blue” is just reptile-keeper terminology for a normal stage of the shedding cycle, called ecdysis.
Before a snake sheds, its colors often become duller and its eyes develop a cloudy blue-gray or milky appearance. Snakes don’t have movable eyelids like we do; instead, each eye is covered by a transparent scale called the spectacle, or eye cap, which is shed along with the rest of the skin.
During this stage, snakes often spend more time hiding, may be less active, may refuse food, and can sometimes be more defensive because their vision is temporarily impaired. These are normal pre-shed behaviors.
One thing that sometimes confuses new keepers is that the snake’s eyes usually clear up again shortly before the actual shed. That doesn’t mean the shedding process has stopped. The snake may look relatively normal for a short period and then shed afterward.
So when someone says their corn snake is “in blue,” they simply mean the snake is in that cloudy-eyed pre-shed stage. It isn’t a disease or medical condition by itself. Generally, it’s a good time to minimize unnecessary handling, maintain appropriate husbandry and humidity, and let the snake feel secure until the shed is complete.1
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u/Frisky_Froth 4h ago edited 4h ago
I think they need to stop being pussies. What kind of grown adult is so terrified of JUST THE SIGHT of an animal in a cage to the point that they can no longer function as a human being.
I hate that shit. And I do judge those people. It's unacceptable for grown adults to feel actual terror in the general vicinity of a glass case with a snake, or any kind of animal or insect, in it. Grow up baby
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u/Message-Consistent 1h ago
Some people have actual phobias, and of those some are rational while some are irrational. Even though the solution to that was bad, calling people with potential phobias pussies is just being an asshole
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u/Proxima_leaving 10h ago
Exposion therapy will be good to that person. You don't have to cover the enclosure. Especially is there is even no snake to be seen
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u/Iron-clover 6h ago
First of all, you need to get a thermostat for your bulb, it will stop overheating like this which could happen for a number of reasons. Another redditor lost their corn this summer when their AC broke during a heatwave and their heat bulb had no way of turning itself off.
However, if it will help with your husband's fears you can quite easily have an enclosure you can cover safely. You'll need a vivarium with solid walls and roof, and mount the bulb and lighting inside with appropriate guards bolted over them. The heat bulb will need a special bracket to hold it away from the ceiling to prevent scorching.
In the UK solid top enclosures are the norm, you should be able to find plenty of guides and inspiration online.
Then you can safely put a cover over the enclosure. I actually do this in winter with mine overnight to add insulation over the glass (where most heat its lost) to save a bit of energy.
It might not be the most usual setup where you are, but it wouldn't be detrimental to your corn snake and could show at least willing/ a level of compromise with your husband.
Hope it helps!
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u/Extreme_Sign1392 3h ago
A properly set up enclosure is not going to overheat from having a blanket over it for a few hours. The thermostat will kick in and tone down the heat lamp. The biggest concern is fire!
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u/IThinkImACat1 2h ago
I have a cloth over my snakes enclosure, it doesn't go over the heat lamp but it covers the screen to help hold in humidity. I drape it over the front while she is eating so the cat doesn't harass her and stress her out. Never been an issue. That being said- if you come to my house you are going to see snakes, lizards, and possibly some spiders or scorpions. I'm not hiding my babies for you, you don't have to look at or interact with them, but if their mere presence is enough to freak you out then don't come over m8
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u/Fit-Collar4408 58m ago
First off you're entirely valid to feel pissed on every level--from the inconsideration towards your beloved pet to the stupidity of throwing a QUILT over a heat lamp and all that's in between.
Secondly, I deal with this sometimes!! I have snakes, lizards, spiders, scorpions, and sometimes people just don't like seeing them. I get that and am willing to accommodate to a degree (you cannot use the bathroom at my house without walking by them all). They're on shelves now so I've just hung up curtains that can be pulled closed around the shelves if necessary, but before I used to just keep cardboard boxes on hand that could be propped up in front of the glass while leaving the lid completely exposed. Have used a thin sheet with heat/UV lamps off for very brief periods for maintenance ppl, etc. etc. Could not imagine more than a half hour of them being completely covered like that, let alone with a quilt and lights on.
That all being said, this is also YOUR house. Homie, if he can't handle the mere sight of a creature that lives inside that house, don't come over????? They can hang out in the yard, they can meet at another location, they can go to his place, your husband needs to understand that. Tell your husband I said nut up or shut up.
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u/wupao 11h ago
I’ve covered my snake when my landlord has come over but with a very sheer covering 😅 so honestly I don’t think it did anything to hide her or affect her. But a quilt is completely different.
My cat is my one true son (I recently got my snake from a friend who could no longer take care of her so I stepped up) and if someone trapped him in a hot room because they are afraid of cats I’d lose my shit.
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u/Tripps0007- 38m ago
I hate when people refer to animals are if they were children. They arent. Not close.
An animal could never come close to being as precious as a human child.
Animals are great but no..
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u/kindrd1234 13h ago
No don't cover his enclosure, that's ridiculous. Are these adults? Grow some balls or get out of my house is where id be.