Suitable Enclosure for a BP

[Snakeydoodles]

Hey guys! Just a quick question: I was thinking about getting this https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/hab...m-5147552.html terrarium for my future BP (haven’t purchased) mostly just because it is front opening and not crazy expensive. I was wondering if this would be a suitable size for a fully grown BP. If not, any suggestions for front opening terrariums around this price range (like around $250 if possible) would be greatly appreciated!!

I do want a terrarium, as this will be my first and only snake (at least for a while haha), and I want him to have a large enclosure with a lot of plants and hiding areas! Thank you

[Snakeydoodles]

Dimensions are listed in the Description section of the link, but they are 36 by 18 by 18 for anyone who missed it!

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Yes it will work fine for an adult however unless you are getting an adult or at least an animal that is 600 grams or more I would hold on before buying it.

If you purchase an hatchling it can take you a year to a year and a half before it reaches that size, in other words concentrate on the now because a lot can happen in a year of ownership.

[Sauzo]

I personally keep my 2600ish gram 4.5 foot female in a 48x24x15 AP T10 cage with a shelf and she uses every inch of that when she is out on her explorations. I got her as a 12 inch 90 gram worm and started her out in a 40 gallon breeder tank for the first hear i had her. Then i moved to the AP cage. Just be sure to give plenty of hides on the cool, warm and middle so the snake feels secure and can thermoregulate without sacrificing the feeling of safety.

[Craiga 01453]

Yes, it's suitable for adult BPs. Like Sauzo said, though some females can get pretty big and may eventually outgrow it.

I agree with Deborah 100% as well. Some juveniles do ok in a bigger starter enclosure, but some will lack the sense of security BPs crave and will refuse food until moved to a smaller, more secure enclosure.

My two cents: start smaller. As the snake grows, you'll have time to decide on a "forever" enclosure.

[Godzilla78]

I’m a little different. I buy a big forever home, then give a lot of hides and darkness for the hatchling. As it grows, I remove the hides with larger ones.

My current hatchling has never refused a meal in his entire first year, growing like a weed and very stout. He lives in a large floor, low ceiling 56 quart underbed tub his whole life. All my juveniles are also happy as clams in large enclosures, but ONLY because I provide small hides and darkness for them to feel secure.

[JRLongton]

I’m a little different. I buy a big forever home, then give a lot of hides and darkness for the hatchling. As it grows, I remove the hides with larger ones.

My experience exactly. Why buy a terrarium that you'll only need for a year or so? Besides, an empty enclosure is a dangerous thing to have. They demand to be filled!

I have a 170g male BP in a well cluttered Animal Plastics T8. My little guy loves those cardboard paper towel tubes. I toss a few in along with all his other hides and he's fine. He won't leave the tube for anything, anything but a mouse that is!

To the OP, the terrarium you link to is fine for size, probably, but you'll have a hard time with humidity and glass is lousy in general.

Everyone thinks that the glass aquarium style looks nice, but when all is said and done, and you have it working correctly, it looks like hell. You end up with three sides blacked out, a wet towel on top, some fire hazard of a heating element sticking awkwardly out the top, wires everywhere. I could go on.

What really looks best is a proper PVC enclosure designed for reptiles. A larger one than the one linked to costs the same (albeit plus shipping), and looks nice, slick, and is self contained when all set up.

[Sonny1318]

My experience exactly. Why buy a terrarium that you'll only need for a year or so? Besides, an empty enclosure is a dangerous thing to have. They demand to be filled!

I have a 170g male BP in a well cluttered Animal Plastics T8. My little guy loves those cardboard paper towel tubes. I toss a few in along with all his other hides and he's fine. He won't leave the tube for anything, anything but a mouse that is!

To the OP, the terrarium you link to is fine for size, probably, but you'll have a hard time with humidity and glass is lousy in general.

Everyone thinks that the glass aquarium style looks nice, but when all is said and done, and you have it working correctly, it looks like hell. You end up with three sides blacked out, a wet towel on top, some fire hazard of a heating element sticking awkwardly out the top, wires everywhere. I could go on.

What really looks best is a proper PVC enclosure designed for reptiles. A larger one than the one linked to costs the same (albeit plus shipping), and looks nice, slick, and is self contained when all set up.

Or maybe it might not look so bad.


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[Craiga 01453]

Or maybe it might not look so bad.


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Well played!!!!

[larryd23]

When we purchased our first BP last summer, we purchased an Exo-Terra viv (24"x18"x12"). Humidity on Long Island during the winter was a challenge to say the least.

Recently we purchased an RBI viv (3'x2'x12") when our boy hit 800 grams and I cannot believe the difference. Switching from glass/UTH/CHE to PVC/UTH/RHP has vastly improved our husbandry. Temps are more uniformly distributed by the RHP and the PVC enclosure holds the humidity so much better than glass.

The difference in total cost between the Exo-Terra set up and the RBI set up was around $150 and well worth it. Something to think about...

I agree with what others have said about large enclosure and security needs for hatchlings.

We have a new girl now who currently occupies our Exo-Terra viv however we are ordering another RBI viv for her. We are thinking about keeping her in a smaller tub, placed inside the RBI viv until she is big enough to comfortably move into the viv. But with summer coming, humidity will not be an issue, so we may abandon that plan and leave her in the Exo-Terra until next winter.