bunch of general hognose questions before purchasing!

[baldegale]

...though I would still like to now why the OPs enclosure is too big.

this is how she explained it to me earlier on in the thread: (for size comparison my hoggie is going to be 10g on arrival) thats how she explained it to me! im a newbie so like pit said, i just regurgitate what everyone else tells me until i experience it myself.


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[PitOnTheProwl]

Just to throw this in there.....
All of my ball python hatchlings start their lives in a THREE quart tub. Same floor space as a 6 buy half the height.
Those that know a ball hatches in the 50+ gram area give or take.
Think about this before you start recommending 10 and 20+ gallon tanks for a 10 to 20 gram animal.

[John1982]

I’m curious, why is this too big? They aren’t stuck in super tiny tubs naturally. What is wrong with it?

Not with proper hides. You can create small spaces inside large spaces, just like tubs are small places in large rooms, hides are small spaces in enclosures. It’s not complicated.

I only asked your logic. It makes no sense to me, but perhaps you can explain it. I don't accept opinions at face value, with no reasoning behind it. I have no experience, but experience doesn't equal infallibility.

...though I would still like to now why the OPs enclosure is too big.

They're a largely fossorial species - them rostrals ain't just for show. They'll come to the surface for various reasons but when seeking shelter, these critters simply dig down. Adding more clutter doesn't really do anything for hognose snakes if you already have a proper substrate. While it might add a bit of stimulation, it's doing next to nothing for their sense of security. Feeling secure in their surroundings is what you should be aiming for with a new animal to get them on the right track. When someone inexperienced is asking for advice, keeping it simple is often the best policy. Once they have a little hands on experience, then they might want to experiment a bit on their own. As for the "bigger is always better" argument, I hear from panicking owners all the time that can't find their little wiggler in a huge enclosure. While the snake might be perfectly fine, the stress of the owner is going to affect their care. If they never see the snake, they can't rightly know how well it's doing. If they're always digging around looking for that needle in a haystack, the snake is going to constantly be disturbed. Even people who advocate massive, naturalistic setups often start smaller animals in much more cramped and simplistic setups until they're better established.

[Godzilla78]

They're a largely fossorial species - them rostrals ain't just for show. They'll come to the surface for various reasons but when seeking shelter, these critters simply dig down. Adding more clutter doesn't really do anything for hognose snakes if you already have a proper substrate. While it might add a bit of stimulation, it's doing next to nothing for their sense of security. Feeling secure in their surroundings is what you should be aiming for with a new animal to get them on the right track. When someone inexperienced is asking for advice, keeping it simple is often the best policy. Once they have a little hands on experience, then they might want to experiment a bit on their own. As for the "bigger is always better" argument, I hear from panicking owners all the time that can't find their little wiggler in a huge enclosure. While the snake might be perfectly fine, the stress of the owner is going to affect their care. If they never see the snake, they can't rightly know how well it's doing. If they're always digging around looking for that needle in a haystack, the snake is going to constantly be disturbed. Even people who advocate massive, naturalistic setups often start smaller animals in much more cramped and simplistic setups until they're better established.

Thank you John, that’s a huge amount of logic, that I can understand.