Cage Size for BP

For terrestrial snakes, floor space is what matters. A 24"x24" enclosure isn't going to cut it for very long. Now a 3'x2' enclosure would be perfectly fine for the rest of the snake's life as it is 6sq. ft.

Forrest, have you seen some large female( or even male) ball pythons? I doubt that they would be comfortable in a 20gallon long tank, let alone be able to move or turn around. I have seen a large male in a 30 gallon tank and he just seemed very cramped and couldn't even stretch out all the way.

I was always told that an enclosure should be made so that the dimensions of the front and side of the enclosure are equal to the length of the snake.
For example, an enclosure that has a 36" x 17" base will hold a snake that is 53" long.

I have also heard of 1 sq. ft. per foot of snake rule of thumb. So for a enclosure with a 36" x 17" base(3' x 1.42'= 4.26 sq. ft),you could hold a snake that is approximately 4.26' or 51.12".

Both methods seem to give you somewhat similar numbers, but I prefer to go with the front and side summing method.

You must remember that these are rules of thumb for snakes in GENERAL. Each species of snake is different. Some enjoy a more open space while others prefer a slightly more confining enclosure. The enclosure should meet the needs of the snake. The height of the enclosure is also not considered in these rules of thumb. The height of the enclosure should also reflect the needed of the particular snake that you keep. I keep my ball pythons in enclosures that are 6" high. If I were keeping an tree dwelling species, I would probably have a much higher enclosure. It is always good to research the particular snake you wish to house so that you can choose an enclosure that will suit the snake's needs.

I own a very large male (4 feet 11 inches give or take inch and he is about 8-9 inches in circumfrence at his thickest part of his body)and have for years and Yes he is fine in a 20 gallon. Now I keep him in the 55 gallon tank but on occasion I do move him from the 55 gallon to a 20 and he is fine, I'm not a expert nor am I claiming to be one but I do know from experiance with my own snake that this can and will be ok. It is more a matter of personal preference on what you choose but to say that is to small is inaccurate information.

24 inches long is way too short i would definitely go with at least a 36 inch and bigger is better, i use a 48 inch long and 2 feet depp as well as 2 feet depp. they do not require climbing branches bu tthey may be added if you wish