What is TOO big for a ball python terrarium?

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Originally Posted by TurkeyPython

If you can keep proper temps/humidity there's no such thing as too big as long as it's properly cluttered and has plenty of hides. I'd say more than 4x2 is overkill but if you can keep the conditions right and keep the snek feeling secure there's no such thing as too big. I'd say the large low would be the best size

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False. There is such a thing as too big. That results in you having to buy unnecessary things to make the cage cluttered, or purchasing additional hides. Not to mention it requires more bedding unless you use newspaper/paper towels. Also with more cage clutter comes more cleaning.

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Originally Posted by Neal

False. There is such a thing as too big. That results in you having to buy unnecessary things to make the cage cluttered, or purchasing additional hides. Not to mention it requires more bedding unless you use newspaper/paper towels. Also with more cage clutter comes more cleaning.

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Just 'cuz it is more costly, and requires more work, doesn't make it false Neal!

My opinion; there's no such thing as too big if you're able to make it work. (More clutter, can clean it all properly, etc.)

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Originally Posted by Fraido

Just 'cuz it is more costly, and requires more work, doesn't make it false Neal!

My opinion; there's no such thing as too big if you're able to make it work. (More clutter, can clean it all properly, etc.)

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But having to do all that to make it work is the exact reason why it's too big.

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Originally Posted by Neal

But having to do all that to make it work is the exact reason why it's too big.

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I just don't agree with you on this one. :)

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Originally Posted by Fraido

I just don't agree with you on this one. :)

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That's fine. I'm just going off logic :P.

I never said they couldn't make it work, but having to buy all kind of additional stuff other than the two identical hides and water bowl means it's too big.

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Originally Posted by Neal

That's fine. I'm just going off logic :P.

I never said they couldn't make it work, but having to buy all kind of additional stuff other than the two identical hides and water bowl means it's too big.

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Yeah, totally fine. I'm capable of accepting differing opinions. Lol

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Originally Posted by Neal

That's fine. I'm just going off logic :P.

I never said they couldn't make it work, but having to buy all kind of additional stuff other than the two identical hides and water bowl means it's too big.

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If one is of the opinion that the snake benefits from having more than two identical hides and a water bowl, the additional work and expense is worth it.

Anyway, it isn't *that* much work and doesn't have to cost much either, especially if you don't have a huge collection. A snake doesn't produce any more waste due to being in a larger space with more stuff. If the snake always poops on a hide or other piece of decor, you are still washing the poop off of one item per poop, regardless of how many other items are in the cage that did not get pooped on this time. A larger space with more stuff also means that the snake is less likely to sit in or slither through the waste and smear it around due to having more places to go, and that the smells and bacteria from waste are less concentrated.

That's also going off of logic, but starting from the premise that the animal benefits from being able to express a wider range of behaviors rather than the premise that convenience and low price (presumably so you can own more animals) are the top priorities.

I also wanted to add that if "convenience" is the priority, having a larger enclosure is actually easier imo, because you can spot clean easily. They usually (well, most of them) leave their hide and find some corner to poop/pee in, and return to the clean parts of the enclosure to avoid the poop. So the snake isn't smearing itself in its own waste and smearing it all over the place, like they usually do when they're in a "two hides one water bowl" sized enclosure. I keep both types of enclosures (two hides one water bowl AND larger with branches and enrichment), and keeping the large enclosures is by far much less cleaning LOL.

The upfront cost also really isn't much. A branch ($10) and this huge leafy vine on amazon ($7), is only $17 per snake, assuming one just has a few snakes as pets like OP does, and doesn't have a huge collection.

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Originally Posted by Neal

False. There is such a thing as too big. That results in you having to buy unnecessary things to make the cage cluttered, or purchasing additional hides. Not to mention it requires more bedding unless you use newspaper/paper towels. Also with more cage clutter comes more cleaning.

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Is not false, we're talking about too big for the animal, not about if it's too big for you to go cheap on. Just because it takes more work for the human doesn't mean at all that is too big for the animal