Adult Enclosure size.

[BPgirls]

do you all believe 24Lx14Wx17H is big enough for an adult BP?

[Craiga 01453]

I personally don't think so. Maybe a real small male, but definitely not a female. My male is floating just under 1000 grams and he's in a 40 breeder (36x18 foitprint). I can't imagine him in something smaller.

[BPgirls]

I personally don't think so. Maybe a real small male, but definitely not a female. My male is floating just under 1000 grams and he's in a 40 breeder (36x18 foitprint). I can't imagine him in something smaller.

That is the size I actually was thinking IMO, but I see these tub setups and they are not clearly that big.

[Craiga 01453]

That is the size I actually was thinking IMO, but I see these tub setups and they are not clearly that big.

I hear ya. I'm personally not a tub guy, so won't weigh in on that. Granted they stay hidden the vast majority of the time, I like to offer some places to roam a bit. And even though I'm usually asleep when he's out and about, I know he's using the entire space, I can see his tracks, items moved around, etc...

[BPgirls]

I hear ya. I'm personally not a tub guy, so won't weigh in on that. Granted they stay hidden the vast majority of the time, I like to offer some places to roam a bit. And even though I'm usually asleep when he's out and about, I know he's using the entire space, I can see his tracks, items moved around, etc...

Def agree! I am curious because I am trying to build a custom display piece out of a cabinet. Those measurements aren't exact but figured i get some opinions.

[Craiga 01453]

Def agree! I am curious because I am trying to build a custom display piece out of a cabinet. Those measurements aren't exact but figured i get some opinions.

I love repurposing stuff. I almost turned a bureau into a 2 level enclosure, but I didn't like the interior depth. I'm in the process of turning into a tv stand instead.

[BPgirls]

I love repurposing stuff. I almost turned a bureau into a 2 level enclosure, but I didn't like the interior depth. I'm in the process of turning into a tv stand instead.

Depth is always the challenge with repurposing furniture.

[Crowfingers]

I think that's probably too small - IMO bigger is better, as long as the snake isn't a nervous nelly. My male is a hair over 1000g and is in a T11 AP cage (48L x 23(1/2)D x 18H), when I get a female I'd probably use a T11 at minimum but would prefer a T25 (72L x 30D x 18H).

[Coluber42]

I would say no. For starters, lots of people recommend providing at least three hides - warm, cool, and humid. You’d have a hard time fitting three hides and a water bowl in there, let alone anything else such as branches to “climb” on. (I’m putting “climb” in quotes because we’re still talking about heights where the snake could loop its body over the branch and still touch the ground with both ends, not exactly a dizzying height)

As a starting point, here are some things to think about: First, think about the footprint the adult snake takes up when it’s coiled up. Temperature zones such as the cool side and the hot side should be big enough for the snake to get its entire body into that zone if it wants to, and by definition there will be some transitional area between the two as well as probably some drop-off at the edges of the cage. It should also have enough head room to at least periscope as high as it can in the middle of the floor without leaning on a wall or other support. In other words, if the snake can lift its head eight inches above the floor unassisted, a six-inch-high enclosure won’t let it do that. Ideally I’d want to expand that to the height it can reach just by leaning on a smooth vertical wall. And in a perfect world, the enclosure should be as long as the snake’s body, or at least the diagonal should be. That might be a less necessary metric for a more slender species, but for a thicker bodied snake like a ball python it’s something to keep in mind.
The corrollary to this is that you then have to make the space useful and accessible to the snake by providing multiple different hides, platforms, and branches, and heating/humidifying appropriately.

I know that providing what I’ve just described for larger species is probably out of the question for most keepers, but ball pythons are not that big and unless you have a lot of them it’s really not that hard to accomplish. A 4’x2’x2’ vivarium is a standard, readily-available size that will do this for most adult ball pythons, and it’s not too ridiculously-sized to keep in your house and move if you need to.

My personal opinion is that the tubs used in rack systems are too small to allow for normal behaviors, even things as basic as hanging out in a different spot in the daytime versus at night.

[BPgirls]

I would say no. For starters, lots of people recommend providing at least three hides - warm, cool, and humid. You’d have a hard time fitting three hides and a water bowl in there, let alone anything else such as branches to “climb” on. (I’m putting “climb” in quotes because we’re still talking about heights where the snake could loop its body over the branch and still touch the ground with both ends, not exactly a dizzying height)

As a starting point, here are some things to think about: First, think about the footprint the adult snake takes up when it’s coiled up. Temperature zones such as the cool side and the hot side should be big enough for the snake to get its entire body into that zone if it wants to, and by definition there will be some transitional area between the two as well as probably some drop-off at the edges of the cage. It should also have enough head room to at least periscope as high as it can in the middle of the floor without leaning on a wall or other support. In other words, if the snake can lift its head eight inches above the floor unassisted, a six-inch-high enclosure won’t let it do that. Ideally I’d want to expand that to the height it can reach just by leaning on a smooth vertical wall. And in a perfect world, the enclosure should be as long as the snake’s body, or at least the diagonal should be. That might be a less necessary metric for a more slender species, but for a thicker bodied snake like a ball python it’s something to keep in mind.
The corrollary to this is that you then have to make the space useful and accessible to the snake by providing multiple different hides, platforms, and branches, and heating/humidifying appropriately.

I know that providing what I’ve just described for larger species is probably out of the question for most keepers, but ball pythons are not that big and unless you have a lot of them it’s really not that hard to accomplish. A 4’x2’x2’ vivarium is a standard, readily-available size that will do this for most adult ball pythons, and it’s not too ridiculously-sized to keep in your house and move if you need to.

My personal opinion is that the tubs used in rack systems are too small to allow for normal behaviors, even things as basic as hanging out in a different spot in the daytime versus at night.

thanks for the i out! I agree woth the tubs i feel that is not a proper housing method as most are very small.