Ideas for climbable spaces

Hello everyone!

My BP Pretzel is currently 1.5yrs old, as a first time owner it's been wonderful watching him grow :D

Ever since he arrived I noticed he likes to climb. I have some branches in his enclosure and he would climb and sit on top of them sometimes. The branches aren't secured, just placed against the wall of the enclosure

Now that he's bigger and heavier, the branch tends to fall over everytime he tries to climb it
I'd like to find a good way to secure the branches so that he can get on top of them without tipping them over. Since I wanna avoid drilling into the enclosure, I was thinking maybe using strong magnets?

I'm also open to other ideas that dont include the branches, I just wanna create a high place he can climb onto. I've seen some people use hammocks, but suction cups don't adhere well to my enclosure walls

What are your thoughts/suggestions?

In this set up, I have two long branches that are braced against the opposite corners, and a bench for a ledge. No drilling required.
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...urnishings.jpg

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Originally Posted by Homebody

In this set up, I have two long branches that are braced against the opposite corners, and a bench for a ledge. No drilling required.

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Wow, I've never seen branches that big for sale, did you get them outside and manually treated them? :O
I like the bench idea too, sadly I don't think I have the space for that because of my heat sources

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Originally Posted by Cisco

Wow, I've never seen branches that big for sale, did you get them outside and manually treated them? :O

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That's right. Three coats of polyurethane.

Wedging branches diagonally is what I do too, & yes, I use natural branches from my trees. You can't buy them as big as I need-:) I also use short pieces of covered "speaker wire" (very strong & flexible- NOT "Monster Cable" or anything like that- I mean the older, narrow stuff I have on hand) to twist around them where they cross each other if needed for stability- it's easy to un-do or re-do. Zip-ties work too, but you have to cut them off. I think branches are easier to install if your enclosure opens on top- not in front- btw. ;)


In my largest tanks, the branches* only go in (fit) one or maybe two ways- sometimes when I clean late at night, it's like a puzzle trying to get them back in when I forget how I had them.:rofl:*I often use 3 branches per tank- sometimes 4- and they're not straight "boring" branches either. But rat snakes love branches & I aim to please. You can also use a few bits of coated wire to attach a flat or shallow "basket" to such branches, to be used as a shelf by your snake. Snakes love those too- & woven baskets also have more traction than a flat "shelf" like some ppl install. You can find & buy such baskets very cheaply in thrift stores- & btw, I wash them off, & spray with the same chlorhexidine I wipe tanks out with. Dry before installing.

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Originally Posted by Cisco

I like the bench idea too, sadly I don't think I have the space for that because of my heat sources

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You can build your own to your desired height. It's easy. This is from a post earlier today.
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...6/img_7904.jpg

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Originally Posted by Homebody

You can build your own to your desired height. It's easy. This is from a post earlier today.
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...6/img_7904.jpg

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I did something similar for the large boa I used to have- I built it so it would fit inside her huge tank (but with enough wiggle room so I could also remove it) & btw it was closed, not open. I cut 2 rounded doorways into the part facing into the rest of her tank & she seems to get a kick out of cruising in & out both doors. On top, I used a removeable non-slip lightweight carpet mat- they're washable if needed, but she never dumped on it. She loved using both the hide itself (it had UTH underneath) or basking on top (she had warmth overhead too), & she loved the traction from the carpet itself. ;) The wood I used was waterproofed (fully coated) & I used water resistant tile board for the top, in case you're wondering. You can find all that at Home Depot & such places.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I think branches are easier to install if your enclosure opens on top- not in front- btw. ;)

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Mine is front opening, it's why I had an eye on hammocks too, seemed like an easy solution if only the suction cups would work :s

Maybe I'll try to build some sort of bench like Homebody suggested :) I also really liked the basket idea but I think I'd have to drill into the enclosure to install some sort of support for it

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cisco

Mine is front opening, it's why I had an eye on hammocks too, seemed like an easy solution if only the suction cups would work :s

Maybe I'll try to build some sort of bench like Homebody suggested :) I also really liked the basket idea but I think I'd have to drill into the enclosure to install some sort of support for it

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All you can do is work with what you have (in terms of enclosures) & as best you can. Many ways to do things creatively but BPs appreciate large "caves" (or bench or 2-story design, whatever you want to call it) because they're heavy-bodied snakes more suited to ground & low climbing opportunities anyway. The criss-crossing of branches is better for rat snakes anyway. But you can do a lot more than just adding a sub-floor as shown above. That would be an excellent start, anyway- more floor space yet plenty of room to hide, & just climbing on & off that upper level is good for them.

You could maybe look into play spaces for birds like conures.
They can have multiple types of things like the rope ladder and different bars attached to a tray or they can just be a driftwood attached to a stand.

What you would still need to be careful about is the spaces between things and the size of your snake. Don't let them get tied up in the rope or trapped in monkey bars. Lol