New owner with a few questions

[Bennie1986]

Hello all, first off I'd like to thank you all for the info I've gathered while lurking for the last week or so.

Ive wanted a Python since I was a kid, I'm 30 now, and finally pulled the trigger last week. I didn't mean to do it but the notion brewed again recently and I makes a trip to the locally owned pet store with the fiance and kids. I was just going to price out what it would take to get started and that's when I saw her. She is a 7 yo female that was sold to them because the owner had to many. I immediately felt bad that she was discarded and asked to hold her, and then it was over. I whipped out the credit card and got her and everything I needed.

So my questions, why does it seem like so may people hord reptiles rather than offering a quality home and Why the debate over the size of enclosure when so many people keep them in racks?

[bcr229]

So my questions, why does it seem like so may people hord reptiles rather than offering a quality home...

Define "hoarding" and "quality home".

I have 90-ish snakes and two leopard geckos. All are in racks/tubs or enclosures built specifically for reptiles. None are in tanks. They are housed so that I can provide them with appropriate heat and humidity as well as an easily-cleaned environment.

Why the debate over the size of enclosure when so many people keep them in racks?

Baby snakes like to hide as they are prey. While many adult snake species are ok with a large, airy, open enclosure, ball pythons adults are still pretty small, and they like small, confined spaces. In nature they live underground in termite mounds and they only come out at night to hunt.

[Bennie1986]

Define "hoarding" and "quality home".

I have 90-ish snakes and two leopard geckos. All are in racks/tubs or enclosures built specifically for reptiles. None are in tanks. They are housed so that I can provide them with appropriate heat and humidity as well as an easily-cleaned environment.


Baby snakes like to hide as they are prey. While many adult snake species are ok with a large, airy, open enclosure, ball pythons adults are still pretty small, and they like small, confined spaces. In nature they live underground in termite mounds and they only come out at night to hunt.

So people I have seen with racks have adult snakes that are in racks that are, approx, 12w30d4t. Just Cause they can keep them alive doesn't mean they are thriving. Have you ever been to jail? They keep you alive but is it a life you would choose?

[jbzapanda]

Just Cause they can keep them alive doesn't mean they are thriving. Have you ever been to jail? They keep you alive but is it a life you would choose?

I think this is quite an assumption. Most breeders on here have had tons of experience caring for snakes and you can see healthy thriving snakes if you see their posts. I don't think racks are at all jail for snakes. If so, that's quite a luxury to be fed consistently and left in the dark! Lol

Of course us owners who just have one snake or maybe two prefer beautiful display tanks/cages for our pets, but that doesn't mean racks are an insufficient environment.

[cchardwick]

A rack is the ideal home for a ball python. In my opinion anything else is less than ideal. Most won't really thrive unless you have them in a rack, it's similar to their natural environment.

[bcr229]

I whipped out the credit card and got her and everything I needed.

So what equipment did the store sell you with the snake?

[DLena]

I originally felt bad for snakes in racks. Then I started to pay attention to my snakes. For example, I have most of my corns in vivs. They climb, hang out in the vines... but one wouldn't do any of that and stayed tense. After trying even more vines, I binned her for a month. Totally changed her personality so that's where she is. I have two bp's in vivs because they'd shoot out of the rack like nobody's business and I'd have to wrestle them back in after handling. They're in sliding glass-front stackable Neodeshas. Like my corns, when they come to the front, I open it up and they come out onto my arm. The rest of my bp's are racked in the 6" high bins. It's darker and they are much calmer. They either slither out or I lift them out and they go back without hesitation. My rosy boas are in a rack system with 10" tall bins, and a ton of aspen. They like to burrow a lot. When they surface onto a hide or log, I take them out. They come out easily and go back easily. Everyone eats well, sheds well, has healthy-looking bathroom breaks... I also have one African House Snake in a viv; she is a phenomenal vine-hider unless she's digesting, then she's in her hide.
i have a total of 29 snakes. I am highly organized with their feeding schedules (5-14 days), routines (in-cage or out), preferred FT (mice or rats), water and cage cleanings, types of substrate (aspen or reptichip.), everyone is named...(lol). I have a good exotics vet. I do not consider myself to be a hoarder. I am an avid hobbyist. I define a hoarder as someone with a bunch of something they are not properly caring for...and that's not me, that's not breeders, that's not the majority of people on this forum. And as for the idea that one should be enough. It is for some people and that's what perfect for them. This is perfect for me.
PS. And I always have someone to play with, someone not in shed, digesting... (smile)

[Bennie1986]

Tank, heat pad, bedding, two hides, lamp, decor, two thermometers, hygrometer, spry bottle, and food.

[BPGator]

You should have a thermostat to regulate the heat pad temperature.


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[Bennie1986]

I originally felt bad for snakes in racks. Then I started to pay attention to my snakes. For example, I have most of my corns in vivs. They climb, hang out in the vines... but one wouldn't do any of that and stayed tense. After trying even more vines, I binned her for a month. Totally changed her personality so that's where she is. I have two bp's in vivs because they'd shoot out of the rack like nobody's business and I'd have to wrestle them back in after handling. They're in sliding glass-front stackable Neodeshas. Like my corns, when they come to the front, I open it up and they come out onto my arm. The rest of my bp's are racked in the 6" high bins. It's darker and they are much calmer. They either slither out or I lift them out and they go back without hesitation. My rosy boas are in a rack system with 10" tall bins, and a ton of aspen. They like to burrow a lot. When they surface onto a hide or log, I take them out. They come out easily and go back easily. Everyone eats well, sheds well, has healthy-looking bathroom breaks... I also have one African House Snake in a viv; she is a phenomenal vine-hider unless she's digesting, then she's in her hide.
i have a total of 29 snakes. I am highly organized with their feeding schedules (5-14 days), routines (in-cage or out), preferred FT (mice or rats), water and cage cleanings, types of substrate (aspen or reptichip.), everyone is named...(lol). I have a good exotics vet. I do not consider myself to be a hoarder. I am an avid hobbyist. I define a hoarder as someone with a bunch of something they are not properly caring for...and that's not me, that's not breeders, that's not the majority of people on this forum. And as for the idea that one should be enough. It is for some people and that's what perfect for them. This is perfect for me.
PS. And I always have someone to play with, someone not in shed, digesting... (smile)

I didn't mean to sound like all people with alot of pets are hording or bad. I need to be more clear with what I'm actually saying and asking. I understand what you are saying about the snakes being healthy that way but I was just wondering if they wouldn't prefer a more natural habitat? (Now keep in mind I am a new owner and so these are genuine questions because I am sure no expert) Also I don't understand why some people say you have to have at least a 30g container and then some say they are better off in the racks?

I have to say you made a very good point I had not though of about already having someone to play with.