Can a Ball Python cage be too BIG?

I'm interested in getting into snakes, probably Ball Pythons. My question is, can a cage be too big for a snake? What are some concerns or things to think about when making a large enclosure, say 6+ feet long?

I plan to have it filled with stuff from natural logs and branches to things like castles and ruins that normaly get put in fish tanks. That way there won't be much open space so that the snake won't feel too terribly exposed.

Thanks!

If you're getting a small neonate, a big cage will probably stress it out and you may have problems feeding. However, a large cage is probably fine for an adult snake as long as they have enough places to seek shelter.

Ball pythons have evolved to deal with life inside cramped burrows underground ... they make them feel safe. Large open cages can really make them feel insecure and can potentially cause stress, health problems, and fasting.

Large cages with lots of "stuff" in them are also way more difficult and time consuming to clean. Health wise, it's better to have a small cage with minimal contents that can be quickly cleaned than a large heavily decorated cage that takes an entire day to break down, clean, and put back together.

-adam

a 6ft + cage will require alot to heat and humidify the whole cage properly. you will probably need 2 thermostats and heat sources, one for the cool side and one for the warm side. don't be surprised if the bp hides alot and you don't see him/her all the time.


vaughn

Hello and welcome to BP.net! =)

For babies and juveniles, a big cage will be, like the others said, a little scary for the snake, which could manifest itself in stress and eating problems. Ball pythons love nothing more (well, other than a mousey when they're hungry!) than stuffing themselves into a nice, dark, tight place, which in a captive environment, we call a hide.

And while it is true that the more "stuff" you put in the cage, you will have to spend more time cleaning everything. However, there can certainly be a balance and as long as you commit yourself to the thorough and regular cleaning and disinfecting that is required, you can set up a lovely display environment for your bp.

Have a look at the following guide for an idea on setting a glass vivarium.

Good points. I was thinking more along the line of Cassandra that he would want an elaborate showpiece. It's true that he has more of a challenge to get the heat and humidity right, and he'll have more work keeping it clean, but I think a lot of people get these pets so they can not only show them off, but also their environment. Personally, I don't think a Ball Python is the best reptile show off a fancy cage as most of the time they will be sleeping in a hide or moving about when it's dark, but there's nothing wrong with impressing your friends with your habitat decoration skills as long as it doesn't harm your pet. :rolleyes:

That's interesting, for all my research, I didn't see that the pieces themselves also have to be cleaned... but I guess it makes sense. Since they're designed to be underwater, are such pieces dishwasher safe?


I don't want to be super-elaborate, like a christmas light display at uglychristmaslights.com. I just want it to look good.

I suppose I can experament. If it seems the Ball isn't liking the big space, I can modify the cage to put a divider down the center and then get a corn snake to put in the other side (after a 3 month quarantine, of course!)

Another question - for feeding, I understand that it's good to have a seprate feeding cage. Has anybody ever attached the feeding cage to the main one via something like a PVC pipe?

Bad idea. You don't want two different species with such different care requirements living in the same enclosure, divider or no divider.

You are really complicating this more than it needs to be. Read the caresheet, that will tell you the best and easiest way to keep one of these guys.

Because the regular pretty high humidity requirement of ball pythons (50-60%), which should then be increased when the snake is in shed (80%) and then the warm temperatures, every surface in the cage can become a breeding ground for bacteria.

The frequency of cleaning for good cage hygiene differs on the substrate, cage types, in- or not in-shed, but generally for paper substrates, such as newspaper, newprint, paper towels, weekly cleaning is pretty average because when the paper is soiled by defecation/uration/general use, it's completely removed. And those generally with those types of substrates have many animals to care for, so their cages (usually Rubbermaid or Sterilite tubs) have limited things to clean (a hide or two and water bowl), so weekly cleaning is good to do and easy.

Note: cleaning is not necessarily disinfecting!

Those housing snakes on shaved wood (aspen), mulch (cypress) or repti-bark types generally can "spot" clean up snake poopy and pee much easier.

For example, we keep our girls in glass vivariums set up just like in the guide I linked above. After the snake has shed (and we've been misting to keep the humidity up), we tear down the cage, clean it thoroughly with hot, anti-bacterial soapy water, wipe it down with Zoo-Med wipey stuff (can't remember the name), and switch over the repti-carpet (which acts as a barrier between the shaved aspen and the glass where the UTH is) to a clean, fresh piece (each cage has 2, one in use, and one cleaned). While Rick is working on the cage, I clean the "toys" (hides, plants, everything else that goes in the cage) with hot, anti-bacterial soapy water. I even scrub the silk plant leaves and sandlbasted grapevines, etc., then put them on our patio in the hot sun where they dry out pretty quickly.

Their water bowls, however, I wash with hot water, a shrubby brush and anti-baterial soap every couple of days.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TraconSnake

Another question - for feeding, I understand that it's good to have a seprate feeding cage. Has anybody ever attached the feeding cage to the main one via something like a PVC pipe?

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That's a common myth that has been circulating for a while. Some people believe that feeding them in another enclosure will prevent the snake from acting agressively because it will associate the act of opening the cage with feeding. However, you will probably open the cage much more often to hold the snake, clean the cage, change the water, etc. so the snake will not think your hand is an invitation to bite and coil when you go reach for it.

With that said, some people still prefer to feed in another enclosure because they don't want to risk the snake ingesting substrate with their meal. This can potentially cause a problem if a wood chip gets stuck in the mouth or might cause an intestinal blockage according to some reports, but I'm sure it is not that common.

I believe most people here feed in the cage without any problems whatsoever. It causes less stress for the snake and it's less hassle for the owner. :cool:

I hope you all realize how much this cleaning stresses out your snakes? Keep it simple and your bp's will be very happy!! Listen to what Adam, Vaughn had to say..

Thanks, lots of good advice!


I'll have to look into purchasing a couple 36" wide reptile pens vurses building my own. I'd think that a wood construction vivarium with just one window would retain heat better than simply a glass tank. And I think it would look better with wood framing around the window.

Looks like I'll definitely go with 36", possibly dividing off part of the vivarium when the BP is young.

DANGIT!!! I haven't even spent a single dime, and I already want two enclosures - one for a BP and one for a Corn snake! This is getting expensive! I'll try very, very hard to just get one first and keep it for a year or so before getting a second.

Shop around for a plastic cage instead. Wood is full of microscopic holes that can harbour bacteria and all kinds of other nasty stuff, as well as it limits the types of cleaning agents you can use on it. Plastic caging can be found at Animal Plastics, Boaphile, and Vision, among others. Plastic will also be superior at holding heat and humidity than wood or glass cages.

Do a search on "Animal Plastics" and I'm sure a lot of good stuff will come up.

I read elsewhere that what I can do is put several layers of minwax polyurathane on the inside. After that is cured, I then put a coat of Envirotex over the entire bottom, and several inches up the sides. After allowing plenty of time for a cure, like 2-3 weeks, I heat the cage up and see if there is any odor still there. If no, then it's ready. If there is, then it needs to cure a little longer.

This way I can have the nice look and insulative properties of wood, and still have a smooth easy to clean interior.

I don't see how a 2' cage or a 6' cage being cleaned would stress out a bp, one more than the other.
Cleaning a big cage or small you still to properly clean have to remove the snake.
So I guess I didn't really understand JASBALLS post?
I have a AP T-11 ( which Adam has seen ) and it is decorated and I can strip it down and clean it and put it back together in 30 mins tops.
And if you spot clean there isn't a need to what I call " big " clean all that often.

I understand what Adam posted about bp's use to living in tight quarters but I thought there was a rule of thumb for sq footage per size of snake?

I guess unless your a breeder I don't get having stacked cages 33"x18"x5" for your collection. Seems you can't really see them and enjoy them. But hey that's just me and my opinion and I feel as long as the animal is getting good care and in good hands that is all that is important.
Different strokes for different folks!