Big snakes, small enclosures.

In my racks I lay two sheets of newspaper down. In the visions I have to use to whole sections of newspaper for each cage. But I usually check on my snakes every morning and everynight and if I see someone with a dirty cage I go ahead and clean it up because I think its easier to clean when its fresh and wet then after it dries and you have to get in the cage and scrap it out and everything. So I try my best to clean it as soon as they go or as soon as I catch it but that doesnt always work they like to go while im at work. lol

I've read through this thread, and it's getting a little old...

The thing is, I think most of us have agreed the tubs are a little bit too small for the snakes... however, how long has he had these giants for? Why did he not get a larger cage for them, well, a decade ago? Why not sooner, if he knows the cages are too small?

And those of you saying we're "backstabbing" Brian just don't know what you're talking about.

You'd put substrate down in a feeding tub for a monitor. If you've ever fed one, then you'd understand why. The mess would be everywhere, and smearing on the lizard itself majorly without the substrate to help "contain" it.
I've never ever fed a monitor in a bare plastic tub after the first debacle. I always put some shavings in it when I used a seperate container. Now I feed in the enclosure. Some advocate feeding in a seperate enclosure, and I won't say either way is wrong. Whatever works for that keeper and lizard(s).
The giants in tubs? I think they are probably fine, although I'd probably want a bit larger ones. But I don't have Brian's many years of experaince. The giants do grow, and I'm sure that at some point he turned around and went "Oh poops, we have to get bigger bins for some of these guys". Maybe he's got a lot in larger bins, or in different caging. Maybe the ones you see in the video are the last giants in smaller bins. You'd need to GO SEE IN PERSON.
I've known a few folks with retics. And none of them seemed all that much more active, comparitively speaking. Yeah, maybe a little, but nothing that would make me think they needed a paddock or a track to roam around on.
And yep, I've seen my racks at 2am in the dark, and nope, most of the balls were hanging out like always. I've put them into bigger bins, and they weren't content-acting, and roamed pushing the edges, refused to eat, and such. Back into smaller standard bins, and they settled to hanging out in a corner, eating every week, and not striking when the bin is opened, etc.
So IMHO, my ball pythons are content to be in the bins. The cornsnake wants to roam the world however. Actually, I think the cornsnake wants to RULE the world, but is distracted by every meal. She's got a etch-a-sketch memory for her world domination plans, thank goodness.

AND... calling people butt-kissers just because they don't agree with you shows me you got nothing to argue with. No one's opinion is better than anyone else's in this case.

Actually ive always just feed monitor and snakes in there cages. I dont see a reason to move them to a feeding tub.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...ferent0021.gif

I should keep my mouth shut but I have to ask all of you a question. If you have ever had a snake excape, where do they go? Do they hang out in the middle of the room or do you see them stretching out on the bed?? I don't know about you but I have had a few Iexcapes and 80.5% of the time they are in the tightest places they can fit into. The only time I had an exception to this was when our taiwan got out and he was high up on the rack trying to get into the rat cage.

If you doubt this let your snake out (in a secured area). put a tight hide on one side and a "comfortable long bed" in the other, where is your snake going to go? I HONESTLY don't know what a big snake will do, but I DO know every ball I have had chooses the tight corner even over a larger space that is warmer.

LOL ok you can bash me. I agree my limited experence is showing.

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Originally Posted by akaangela

I should keep my mouth shut but I have to ask all of you a question. If you have ever had a snake excape, where do they go? Do they hang out in the middle of the room or do you see them stretching out on the bed?? I don't know about you but I have had a few Iexcapes and 80.5% of the time they are in the tightest places they can fit into. The only time I had an exception to this was when our taiwan got out and he was high up on the rack trying to get into the rat cage.

If you doubt this let your snake out (in a secured area). put a tight hide on one side and a "comfortable long bed" in the other, where is your snake going to go? I HONESTLY don't know what a big snake will do, but I DO know every ball I have had chooses the tight corner even over a larger space that is warmer.

LOL ok you can bash me. I agree my limited experence is showing.

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You said it yourself... giants are not ball pythons.

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Originally Posted by wilomn

There's the rub.

Who's IMO is more valid? Is anyone's? If so, why? From there rules, guidleines, standards, all evolve.

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It seems like your being a bit too abstract.

All the studies that have been done (those studies being interpreted into caresheets, lectures, books, etc.) set a foundation for how snakes should be taken care of in captivity. Whether or not its right that's what most snake owners seem go off of. I think your making it more difficult than it actually is.

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Originally Posted by wilomn

Have you ever watched a monitor eviscerate its food and then proceed to beat said food all over the cage to insure that said food was in fact completely dead and not only dead but tenderized to the point of possibly being mistaken for soup?

If you have then you know why he feeds in a small, plastic, easily cleaned container.

If you haven't, now you know why he feeds in a small, plastic, easily cleaned container.

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Yes I have seen numerous monitors eat. And I don't think what you're talking about is an acceptable reason. He seems to keep his animals very clean. But would move it into another cage to feed? Then why wouldn't he take it for walks so it doesn't crap in its cage as well.

And that still does not justify why you would move a 6' Nile into a 5 1/2' cage for feeding. That would be like moving a 16' retic into a 3' x 2' cage for feeding. A 6' Nile is dangerous enough. A hungry 6' Nile that you have to move is just asking for trouble.

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Originally Posted by Enser54

In this video at 6:20 he states that the monitor is in the tub as its 8ft enclosure is being rebuilt as a 10ft enclosure (tubs=temporary):

YouTube - BHB Visit - April 2008 - Part 3

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After listening it sounds like he says "we use to have an 8' cage but we trashed it". So basically that monitor was being housed in there for a period of time while they were building a new cage. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Good for building a bigger cage for it. Not the greatest choice for a temporary cage though.

Thanks for clearing up one of my questions though.