Affects of racking your snakes?

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Originally Posted by nixer

i find that really hard to believe!

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Don't find it hard to believe!! I have many snakes in RBI cages who have a hard time in a rack system. These are 2000g+ snakes and they just do really well in reptile cages.

I am of the opinion that there are many ways to house animals, including ball pythons, and that there is no 'right way'. I let the snake do the talking while I do the listening :)

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Originally Posted by Patrick Long

How many quarts is a termite hole?

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Not enough to fit me?

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Originally Posted by nixer

i find that really hard to believe!

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Then you probably don't know how to set up a tank.

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Originally Posted by starmom

Don't find it hard to believe!! I have many snakes in RBI cages who have a hard time in a rack system. These are 2000g+ snakes and they just do really well in reptile cages.

I am of the opinion that there are many ways to house animals, including ball pythons, and that there is no 'right way'. I let the snake do the talking while I do the listening :)

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Just out of curiosity, what signs do the snakes show that they are not happy in the racks? Do they not eat? or just don't look happy or what? I haven't kept snakes nearly long enough to be able to tell if a snake is truly happy or not, so for all I know my snakes might hate their living situation haha

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Originally Posted by Jenn

Then you probably don't know how to set up a tank.

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I must not know also. I have a ball python that was kept in a tank most of his life. After six years he decided to quit eating. He kept that up for around six to eight months. I finally decided to put him in a rack system, which happened to be an RBI 32 quart rack system, and he started eating within the week. I now keep all of my ball pythons in racks, and they all do great.

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Originally Posted by Patrick Long

How many quarts is a termite hole?

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:8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8:

Dude I was drinking a coke scroll down and well......

You should really warn people before giving out these little pearls of wisdom.

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Originally Posted by Smith285

Just out of curiosity, what signs do the snakes show that they are not happy in the racks? Do they not eat? or just don't look happy or what? I haven't kept snakes nearly long enough to be able to tell if a snake is truly happy or not, so for all I know my snakes might hate their living situation haha

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I would like to know the answer to this too..

Alan

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Originally Posted by itsslug

I know that racks obviously work and are a necessity I'm just confused as to how/why that works and when there's so much emphasis on good husbandry (different temps, 2 hides, water dish, plants etc...) I also know that everyone's snake racks are different, I'm asking for a general fyi on the subject.

Thanks in advance

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I know exactly what your saying ;) I think it's mostly people think their way or the highway. IMO everyone keeps their BPs a little differently and some people think a 2 degree fluctuation is going to kill your snake. In all honesty I think they can live in a range of temps that may have a few degree difference from day to night, I'm *almost* positive it's not a perfect unchanging temp in the wild :D

I keep mine in a rack and some people would say it's too hot and some would say it's too cold. It's all personal opinion and BPs do flourish without two hides, or two really different heat gradients.

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Originally Posted by Smith285

Just out of curiosity, what signs do the snakes show that they are not happy in the racks? Do they not eat? or just don't look happy or what? I haven't kept snakes nearly long enough to be able to tell if a snake is truly happy or not, so for all I know my snakes might hate their living situation haha

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In my personal opinion the only way you would know is if they don't eat. If they don't eat you know something is wrong. Heat, cold, hide security, etc. I'm not quite sure I buy in to snakes having emotions, so I don't believe a snake is happy or unhappy, just environmentally satisfied or not satisfied :D

I usually think that a snake that is nervously roaming the enclosure, with jerky movements, and not eating, striking when the bin is opened... things like that make me think it is stressed. Or remaining balled up 24/7.
I'm usually pretty relaxed about husbandry. If your snake is healthy and eating, it's probably fine.
The things that I usually insist upon are temps within a reasonable range, and humidity(although as long as the snake is having whole sheds, I will refrain from compalints about humidity). I've heard people say that the temps drop to 65F at night, and that does get a response. But if the temps are above say... 75F and below 95F, I tend to be relaxed about it.
Mine are all kept at a even temp of about 85-90F 24/7. I use anything from back heat in the racks, to a room heater hooked to a thermostat. It's all worked really well in my opinion.
My snakes are generally relaxed, not roaming trying to escape, not too snappy when I open the bins, not balled up constantly, and rarely ever refuse to eat, even when in shed. So because of that, I feel they are "happy". I'll interpet "happy" as "content and comfortable".
Hope this helped.