Corn snake isn’t basking like usual

Colubrids Corn Snakes
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I’m a bit concerned about my 2-ish year old corn snake. He’s eating regularly, no signs of illness, and sheds well. But I’ve noticed in the past couple of weeks, he doesn’t bask anymore, or at least during the times he usually does.

He started preferring the cooler side of the tank after his last shed, and now spends most of his time in a purse I converted into a hammock, even after eating. I do want to add, he did check out his old basking hide at one point in time after the shed but never went back to it. I figured it might’ve gotten too small for him, so I replaced it. But he hasn’t gone in the new basking hide either.

I’ve tried doing some research to see if I might’ve not noticed a change in the environment. I’ve increased humidity, decreased the temp on the cooler side, opened the blinds in the room more so there’s a more obvious day/night cycle, and I’m changing the heating bulb bc it’s decreased in heat significantly. I’m hoping the last thing will do the trick.

But I also want to get feedback in case I’m missing something else. He’s my first snake, and I feel like I’m still learning quite a bit since I’ve started raising him.

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I’ll tag a few people who are more familiar with Corns just to make sure but he may be wanting to brumate…

@caryl @noodlehaus @solarserpents @deanaii @snakesofshadowlake

Brumation is like hibernation but for cold-blooded animals. If you’re in the Northern hemisphere we are now in Fall and thus temps are beginning to drop, days are beginning to get shorter and other environmental cues are happening that may be triggering the instinct for your Corn to slow down and seek the colder areas of his enclosure.

I myself have some animals (my Beardie and my Hoggies) that are starting to do the same.

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Just to make sure, what are his enclosure parameters (temps, humidity %, enclosure size, heating type)? What is he eating and how often? Do you have a photo of him so we can check his body condition?

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Not a problem. :slight_smile: A corn spends very little time on the warm side of the enclosure after they attain adult size. I really only have one corn in a big display tank, and she almost never basks or hangs out on the toasty side with the DHP. Even when indoor temps are coldest, my adults hang out in the coldest spots. He’ll be back out in late Winter / early Spring.

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