When to get a new enclosure.

[anwhit]

So Athena hasn't eaten for the past 2 weeks and it was time to offer her another rat today. As usual, she seemed interested but did not strike. However, this time I tried putting her back in the feeding bin I used to feed her in last summer and she took it right away just like she always used to.

I'm curious if this is because she feels as if she doesn't have enough room to strike at it the way her cage is now. I got her last August and she started off and is still in a 20 gal tank. (30 long). She's about 3 feet now, give or take one or two inches. I have it cluttered for more security as it always has been, but what takes up the most room is her gigantic waterbowl and her branch. (Which she enjoys greatly). Is it time to start looking at bigger enclosures or should i just attempt to move stuff around to make more room?

Temps are 81-82 cool 84-86 warm 91-92 hotspot 48% humidity

here is a picture of the set up, only now I have switched to eco earth (gauges are not used anymore)

[TheSnakeGuy]

I work at PetSmart and at 3 feet is when I recommend it being time to move up to a 40 gal for a ball python. They're 36" long and around 16" deep and tall. If you use heat lamps you'll likely need to get a higher wattage bulb and/or a second fixture. But still you'll have to cover most of your mesh screen to trap humidity.

[Burzurk]

if your looking for a new enclosure .. try animalplastics.com they have some great enclosures.. i love mine if you got the money they hold heat and humidity great....

[anwhit]

Thanks guys. I've already been looking at some new cages for a while. Right now it's between the animal plastics t8 and one of those low exoterra cages. With the t8, it will be easier to maintain but I will have to put all new accessories, but with the exoterra, i can still use all of the things i currently have

right now, i think a regular 40 gal is out of the question because of how cold my house is. (in the winter i use two light fixtures with the highest wattage bulb so any higher and i'm not going to be able to get enough heat)

[Willie76]

I had a couple of my BPs in individual Exo-Terra Medium Lows and went with the AP T-8 with the pop-in/pop-out divider. While I had two BPs in one T-8, you can use the divider with one BP and can go 50/50, 60/40, 70/30, 80/20 as your BP grows. This way you won't need to keep buying additional cages as he/she grows. You buy one, use the divider to make them feel secure, and you expand as the snake gets larger. I also went with the two flourescent lights, flexwatt, and a Herpstat1. Heat and humidity stay MUCH better than my Exo-terras ever did...

[martin82531]

The only thing you would need with the T8 is flexwatt, that will run you about $30.00. Looking at your pic setup you already have a tstat. If you want, you can request AP to cut holes on the top to allow the use of a heat lamp.


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[Willie76]

Also, by default, they cut the t-stat probe channel on the right side (looking at it from the front). They can cut additional channels for your t-stat probe in the center and/or left sides. I always give Ali a ring after I order to specify the additional t-stat channels (I get one cut in all three locations for future versatility). They are also a bit behind right now. I ordered my third "quick-ship" T-8 3 weeks ago (I only live around 5 hours away from them) and it still hasn't shipped. Nice thing is, they gave me a $45 credit for the delay so I used that towards the 8" stand. Animal Plastics is makes a quality product and are a quality company to do business with. If you decide on radient heat panels, they can install those as well before they ship it...Good Luck!

[anwhit]

The issue is the shipping. I can get free shipping with petsmart. (Trust me, I would rather give money to animal plastics any day, i have heard nothing but outstanding things of them. It's just another $50 I don't have (another 45 with the flex watt and the holes for the lamps). That's 300 right there. However, now that I know, I'm going to start saving up for a t8 but I will probably get the exoterra just for the mean time. Because i have a humidifier in there, I don't need to worry about the humidity problems that i've heard the exo terra cages come with.

Or I can also price how much it would be to modify a regular 40 gal. I was rather intrigued by that sticky thread.

Another question I have with the t8, does it have a raised bottom or would I need to buy a separate stand? (assuming flexwatt works the same way, I've never used it) I'm assuming the simple on/off tstat i have would work with the flex watt as well?

[Willie76]

Between a tall aquarium and the Exo-Terra, I would recommend the Exo-Terra Medium-low or Large-Low. Both are 12" high and keep humidity and temps better than the usual aquarium tanks...PLUS the Exo-Terra has front-opening doors which is a huge plus! Save up for the T-8. You'll be glad you did then you'll have the Exo-Terra for a quarantine tank as your addiction grows!

[medicinhed]

...as your addiction grows!

Your need to acquire more herps is inevitable. When Athena goes into a bigger enclosure, you'll look at your 20L and hate the waste. The only way to stop the waste is to get another snake.

New snake grows up, you get another tank, you get another snake.

...Then you think, "I may as well build a rack."

Then you get a rack, then you go, "That's not so much space for 5 tanks. I could fit another rack in here easily."

GF leaves. In moves a GF you met at a herp society meeting. She brings her 5 4x2x2 for her Burms.

Then you and she go, "If we get married, we could buy a bigger house for more snakes."

Telling you...after 1 snake. You may as well get married and buy a snake house.