First snake, corn snake vivarium build

[LadySundew]

We're getting a corn snake as a Christmas present for my younger sister. Since she's still pretty young (12) I'll be primarily responsible for the snakey. Here's a list of everything we've already purchased:

Exo Terra Large Wide - 90 cm x 45 cm x 45 cm

the Pet Factory's Coco humus/fiber

the Pet Factory's Coco chips

HabiStat heatmat (I can't find the exact measurments of this mat but it's about one third of the vivarium's area)

HabiStat Mat-Stat

Exo Terra Analog Thermometer

Plants: 1 Guzmania bromeliad (really small one), 1 Nolina recurvata - ponytail plant (also small), 1 Crassula ovata - jade plant (if it survives...) and 1 golden pothos


What we still don't have:

water bowl

hides

clean up crew

branches and other enrichment/decoration

lighting (probably LED for the plants)

hygrometer

the snake itself


I'm thinking we'll get some of the wood from outdoors (no evergreen trees) and then bake them or if they're too large for the oven let them bathe in the sauna for some time. I'm also thinking of some more plants since the terrarium is pretty big. As for the clean up crew we'll purchase some springtails and isopods (we'll most likely have to order them). The springtails may not survive since the vivarium will be pretty dry but isopods should be hardier. The dryness also means that I won't be constructing a drainage layer. I hope that the coco chips mixed in with the finer coco humus will keep the substrate aerate enough.

So that's the plan for now. I'll gladly take any advice or suggestions anyone has to offer. Updates will happen as we progress on the build!

 

[saltwater60]

I’m wondering how deep the substrate layer will be? Will it be enough to support the plants? Also I’d seriously consider putting in a drainage layer just so it’s easier to water plants and roots aren’t sitting in excess water.