Enclosure Size Question

[aminevoo]

This might’ve already been asked here, but I’m wondering if a 3x2x2 enclosure would be okay for an adult male ball python.
I know that many people successfully house ball pythons in tubs their whole lives, but I also see a ton of people advocating for 4x2x2 to be the absolute minimum size for an adult male or female.
I’m kind of conflicted with this because I already bought a 3x2x2 PVC enclosure from BlackBox (amazing customer service and products btw, 10/10 recommend!!), and they understandably don’t accept returns. I did my research for enclosure size beforehand, but I came across tons of conflicting information so I just went for the 3x2x2 because it looked “big enough” - and now kind of regret it.
I only have one subadult male ball python who is currently about 2.5 feet long, so this enclosure is still longer than him length-wise for now, but he’ll probably outgrow it eventually and I just feel bad for having spent that money on what is otherwise a really great quality PVC enclosure.

[Bogertophis]

I think it's likely going to be fine for a male BP. As you've noticed, not everyone is of the same opinion, but it will take a long time before he "needs" a larger enclosure, IF he ever does. Snakes grow their whole lives, but that growth slows a great deal once they're adults, & just like other living things, individual genetics figures into their growth & ultimate size also.

[bcr229]

It will probably work for him for life. Most don't outgrow 41-qt tubs and a 3x2x2 is bigger than that.

[Neko_snake]

Typically an okay rule of thumb is you add the length and the width together if that is less than the length of your snake you're good. So in your case 3*2*2 is good for a 5 foot snake. This rule isn't perfect but it's an okay guideline. I think your snake will be good for a while if not forever in this enclosure.

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[Hugsplox]

I think you’ll likely be fine as well. I have my male in a 4x2 and he makes use of that entire enclosure, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be just as comfortable in something smaller. I’d say let him live his best life in the 3x2 you have, it’ll take him some time to outgrow it if he does, and you can always upgrade him if needed. Use that 3x2 for a new snake

[Bogertophis]

Another thought- if this enclosure really is 3x2x2' (2' tall???), that's pretty tall for a BP & IF you ever feel he needs more room, by making an accessible "false floor" that's about 6" deep, that would give him another "level" & double the crawling space. Besides which, snakes LOVE that kind of thing- a "basement"!

[aminevoo]

I think you’ll likely be fine as well. I have my male in a 4x2 and he makes use of that entire enclosure, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be just as comfortable in something smaller. I’d say let him live his best life in the 3x2 you have, it’ll take him some time to outgrow it if he does, and you can always upgrade him if needed. Use that 3x2 for a new snake

I was actually thinking of getting a new snake soon and possibly housing it in the 3x2x2 enclosure while my current BP gets upgraded to a 4x2x2, so you read my mind there haha. I haven't 100% made up my mind on getting the new snake right now, but I'm thinking down the road I will probably want to upgrade my boy to a 4 foot PVC anyways so the 3x2 would need to either be used by another juvenile BP once I decide to get one or I'd have to sell it.
Another argument I've heard for 4x2x2 enclosures is that they're the best size for establishing a proper heat gradient, and that smaller enclosures don't give enough space for the snake to effectively thermo-regulate. I don't know how accurate this is, but it seems like every keeper that houses their BPs in a 4x2 says their BP uses all of the space and becomes a lot more active in general - which is why I'm leaning towards eventually upgrading even if he doesn't technically "grow out" of the 3x2.

[Bogertophis]

It IS a challenge to give proper heat gradients, the smaller the enclosure is. And like you said, there's always the "next snake"...

[aminevoo]

Another thought- if this enclosure really is 3x2x2' (2' tall???), that's pretty tall for a BP & IF you ever feel he needs more room, by making an accessible "false floor" that's about 6" deep, that would give him another "level" & double the crawling space. Besides which, snakes LOVE that kind of thing- a "basement"!

I've encountered a lot of info about ball pythons exhibiting lots of climbing behavior if they're given the chance to climb which is why I wanted to give him the extra height (and fill that space with things he can climb on). He's currently in a tub that's only 5 inches tall, and I see him try to explore every night by climbing on top of his hides and looking up/sometimes pushing against the clear lid. It's not stargazing or stressed behavior because he only does this during the normal BP active hours, so it tells me that he must simply be looking for more room to explore. He's also not pushing against the lid so hard that he injures himself - I've seen other ball pythons hurt themselves this way but it's not my case.
I'm planning on making a "second level" in his new enclosure that would give him more floor space and that opportunity to climb and get more exercise. I was thinking of making the second floor above the main ground floor though, and it's a little hard for me to visualize the "false floor"/basement you're talking about. Would you by chance have any example photos of what you're talking about?

[Bogertophis]

I've encountered a lot of info about ball pythons exhibiting lots of climbing behavior if they're given the chance to climb which is why I wanted to give him the extra height (and fill that space with things he can climb on). He's currently in a tub that's only 5 inches tall, and I see him try to explore every night by climbing on top of his hides and looking up/sometimes pushing against the clear lid. It's not stargazing or stressed behavior because he only does this during the normal BP active hours, so it tells me that he must simply be looking for more room to explore. He's also not pushing against the lid so hard that he injures himself - I've seen other ball pythons hurt themselves this way but it's not my case.
I'm planning on making a "second level" in his new enclosure that would give him more floor space and that opportunity to climb and get more exercise. I was thinking of making the second floor above the main ground floor though, and it's a little hard for me to visualize the "false floor"/basement you're talking about. Would you by chance have any example photos of what you're talking about?

5" is too short for anything, IMO. No wonder he's "periscoping". And no, sorry, I don't have pics but all set-ups should be customized anyway. I'd say 2' tall is a little too tall for an adult BP, but 18" would be great, so a 24"-tall enclosure would give you room for a 6" first floor/hide. If you can find something that fits perfectly that meets your specs, great- but otherwise, you could make it pretty easily.

That's what I've done in the past. Made a "hide" that covered 2/3 of the floor*, & which fit closely inside the actual enclosure. I bought 6" wide finished wood shelves (pine) for the vertical sides -which I coated to waterproof first, before screwing them together in a giant rectangle*. At one end, I cut 2 arched doorways with about 10" between them: for heavy bodied snakes, they really appreciate this- at least my boa appeared to have a lot of fun going in & out simultaneously, so she didn't have to get all the way in & then have to completely turn around to come back out. It improved her activity, while the "giant hide" had enough length that she still felt safe & cozy inside, at the end furthest from the double-doors.

On the top of this rectangle, I used water-resistant tile board, cut to fit & nailed on. I'm NOT any sort of carpenter- but I've been making my own cage tops (wood + screen/"hardware cloth" aka welded wire/+screen molding) for many years now, with just the most basic tools & a bit of "gumption", so this was just as easy. (I've also finished my own furniture, & modified cabinets for other purposes, including snake homes.) On the huge flat top of that "hide" I used a removeable skid-proof carpet mat, which my boa loved because of the great traction- & she'd bask there frequently.

Now boas are not so shy like BPs- but I'm just tossing this idea out there for you to make of it what you will. My boas home had UTH under the floor so her "giant hide" (or "first floor") was warm & cozy- the heat was well-retained nicely by those wood sides & top- another nice feature that worked great for my boa.

BTW, I've seen other custom snake homes that were essentially built-in (wood) cupboards (glass doors on front), with a hole in the floor that went into a drawer below (aka "basement") that could be pulled out for cleaning. See, there's many ways of doing things- those cabinets were designed (years ago) by a high-end breeder that I knew, for his milk & king type snakes, btw. That was before people started using plastic tubs, lol- I've been at this (keeping snakes) for many years. Just a little thinking "outside the box" can improve a snake's home to better approximate what they'd seek out in the real world, & there's more than one way to accomplish this.

BTW, the UTH-heated floor for that boa wasn't under the remaining 1/3 of the floor- & that's where her water bowl was too- in her unheated area. On the side heated by UTH, there was also variable overhead warmth as needed (as I mentioned, she liked to bask there). She used all areas of that enclosure about evenly to thermoregulate, & she stayed healthy too, which for me said "success".