Monday, April 5, 2010

Good Environment For Corn Snakes to Set Up

To keep a corn snake at home you would need a good environment set up. The size of the reptile environment is normally measured by the size of the snake, normally the length of the snake = the front and one side of the reptile habitat (3 ft snake = 2 ft x 1 ft reptile habitat).

Wooden reptile vivariums with glass front are best with objects placed in it for the snake to hide. Corn snakes are relatively small therefore you don't need large vivariums unless you have more than 1 snake. In your vivarium you will need a heat mat, water bowl, and a hiding place which will provide your corn snake with a feeling of security. The substrate on the floor of your vivarium or terrarium is very important preferred substrates are reptile bark or paper towels


Corn snakes got their name because they frequent corn sheds to feed on rats and mice in America. They will tolerate a variety of environmental conditions, but it is still important to provide the best living environment such as reptile vivariums which are ideal for keeping your snakes in; they provide a good living environment that will benefit the health and condition of your snake. The size of an average adult snake is 3.9 to 5.9 feet (1.2 to 1.8 m). They are docile by nature and are reluctant to bite and love being handled, which makes them the best beginner pet snake to own. They come in a beautiful variety of colours and patterns.

In the wild corn snakes live 6 to 8 years. In captivity they can live up to 23 years. They are a great pet for children and easy to look after. They are ground dwelling snakes, but can ascend from height if needed. Therefore in your reptile vivarium it is also good idea to provide a branch for climbing. Corn snakes cannot manufacture their own body heat, they have to rely on ambient temperature to raise or lower their internal core temperature. This means that they must have access to at least one area within the vivarium where they can warm themselves. This is achieved by installing an over head heat lamp with a metal reflector above one side of the vivarium to create a basking area or you can provide heat mats. Be careful do not use rocks, they can get to hot and your pet snake will get burnt by wrapping itself around them.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Reining Horses For Sale - 7 Movements They Should Know

In 2000, reining horses made a total of $4 million in the US. This figure rose to approximately $12.5 million in 2010, reflecting a 150% increase. Unlike cutting horses, their reining counterparts are raised for competition and rarely used for actual ranch work. Trained from the age of six months, these horses have high tolerance for physical exercise. Reining horses for sale usually feature a pedigree of stock horse breeds, especially the American Quarter Horse. Reining competitions are a test of the horse's ability to do spins, circles and stops. There is a fixed set of movements, based on which the rider and horse are scored.

Movements That Reining Horses for Sale Should Know

There are certain movements that reining horses for sale should all be trained in. The horse is trained in such a way that these movements are almost instinctive for them.

Circles: The horse must be able to perform large and quick circles at a near gallop speed, and smaller circles at a lope. The circles should be perfectly round, and the rider should be able to control the speed.

Flying lead change: During the suspension phase of the gait, the horse must be able to change its leading front and hind legs mid stride, while in a lope.

Rundown: While maintaining a distance of 20 feet from the fence, any horse trained for reining must be able to gallop down the long side of the competition arena.

Sliding stop: This is a particularly tricky move, since it requires precision for the horse to finish the movement in a straight line. For this move, the horse has to gallop down the arena and suddenly come to a halt, by allowing his hind feet to slide down, while his forefeet are in the 'walking' movement.

Back or backup: The horse backs up rapidly for about 10 feet. The backing up must be in a straight line and the horse must stop when asked to, while showing hesitation before going into the next move.

Rollback: A rollback is a continuous movement, where the horse has to turn 180 degrees after a sliding stop, and immediately move forward in a lope.

Spins or turnarounds: As the name suggests, the horse needs to do a 360-degree spin, while keeping his hind legs stationary. This move is judged on correctness, cadence and smoothness.
Well-trained reining horses for sale should be able to perform all of these movements. To ensure that you buy only well-trained horses, select from a respected ranch.