Is my new cage too big?

Hi I have a ball python that is between a foot and a foot and a half long. I have just recently bought a new 60 gallon 4 foot long tank for when it gets bigger. Will a tank this big stress him out? He is currently in a ten gallon tank that has gotten to small and it is hard to fit two hides and his water dish that are big enough but I don't want to stress him out in something to big. Any opinions?

If you can get a divider you might be able to get a way with a 60 gallon. But I would imagine this would have some difficulty with humidity.

Can you take a picture of the snake and the tank?

yeah, a 60 gal. is definitely too big for that snake. as a general rule of thumb is that the length of the snake should be about equal to the length of the enclosure + the width of the enclosure. If I were you, I'd get a 20 gallon or maybe a 28 gallon (or whatever you can find around that size) for now and keep the 60 gal for when your snake is big enough for it. You could try dividing as was suggested, but you'll have a hell of a time with humidity and such.

hmm 60 gallon is pretty big, i dunno about that for a ball python. How about you split the cage with a divider and get 2 snakes? :P

a 10 gallon should be fine for a foot and a half long ball python....

60g should not stress your snake out provided you give it enough hides, remember if the snake was in the wild it would not be in a cage anyway

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Originally Posted by Alexandra V

yeah, a 60 gal. is definitely too big for that snake. as a general rule of thumb is that the length of the snake should be about equal to the length of the enclosure + the width of the enclosure. If I were you, I'd get a 20 gallon or maybe a 28 gallon (or whatever you can find around that size) for now and keep the 60 gal for when your snake is big enough for it. You could try dividing as was suggested, but you'll have a hell of a time with humidity and such.

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..what?
If you go by that rule, you're saying the tank should be 1ft long and 6" wide. Which is fine, but then you recommend a 20 gallon which is closer to 2ft long.

10-15gallons are fine for that size animal. If you're having trouble fitting everything, make sure the hides are snug and tight fitting for him and that the water bowl isn't much bigger than a ramekin. They don't need enough space to soak, just enough to drink.

http://www.amazon.com/Set-of-4-Ceram...6685225&sr=1-1

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

..what?
If you go by that rule, you're saying the tank should be 1ft long and 6" wide. Which is fine, but then you recommend a 20 gallon which is closer to 2ft long.

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I'm sorry, I meant to add in the "minimum" part. It's been a long day, my typing isn't that great. Thanks for catching that for me. The 20 gal would be closer to 2 ft long, but isn't huge for a snake of the size mentioned by the OP.

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Originally Posted by GR8DANE

remember if the snake was in the wild it would not be in a cage anyway

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True it would spend 80% to 90% of it's time in a tight termite mount hiding from predators and thermo-regulating, than at night it would barely come out ambushing it's prey from the entrance of said termite mount.

So what's the point you were trying to make again ;)

Smaller, tighter, secure IS BETTER for BP

Like someone else said, add a bunch of hides and fake plants. Those long strings of fake ivy work great. I raised my Bredli from 6 months of age through present day in a 150 gallon tank. If you put enough junk in a larger than necessary cage to the point of where you have a hard time finding the snake, they will be happy as can be.

Snakes living in the wild have a bit more space than anything we could provide, a large cage with lots of cover is great. Some snakes can also become more active in a large enclosure, as they enjoy exploring/hunting around.

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Originally Posted by DZ Reptiles

hmm 60 gallon is pretty big, i dunno about that for a ball python. How about you split the cage with a divider and get 2 snakes? :P

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This...

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Originally Posted by OhhWatALoser

a 10 gallon should be fine for a foot and a half long ball python....

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... and this. :D

Well for the whole humidity thing I bought a fogger and a humidity/temperature controller so when it gets too hot or too humid it turns the humidifier or heat mat depending and vise versa. I also have three hides a piece of drift wood for climbing and I'm getting a pretty good sized water dish so I think as far as making the tank feel snug I should be ok.

I also have a tortious in a 30 gallon tank that as too big for it now so maybe I can move him into the 60 gallon or outside when it gets warmer and I can put my python in the 30 gallon until he is bigger.

I have a ball python in a 55 gallon, she is an adult though. She has plenty of hides and where there isn't hides, we have fake plants for cover. Every night without fail she is out and active and utilizes every inch of her space! Of course, we believe she might have been wild caught, so that may have something to do with it.

But with some adjustments we have been able to keep her heat and humidity at perfect levels! ;)

My problem with 10 gallon tanks is it is very difficult to get a proper heat gradient! It's either all hotspot or all cool.. Very difficult to get the right variation

I know the felling my 20 long is not big enought my snake has one hide and his water bowl I want to get 40 gallon breeder. my bp is about 3 1/2 feet long.